Taz people

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Taz (Тазы)
Total population
276 (2002)
Regions with significant populations
Russia: 276 (2002)
Languages
Russian, Taz
Religions
Related ethnic groups
Udege

The Taz (Russian: plural Тазы, transliterated Tazy) primarily live in Russia. They formed in 1880s, from intermarriages between Udege, Nanai and Chinese. The Taz speak Russian and the Taz language (a Chinese dialect with some words from Udege and Nanai). In 1880s were around 1,050 Taz speakers, but nowadays only elders speak the language [1].

According to the Russian Census of 2002 the total Taz population numbered 276, of them:

- 276 spoke Russian [2];

- 131 were males (53 urban, 78 rural) and 145 females (57 urban, 88 rural) [3];

- 110 were urban (53 males, 57 females) and 166 rural (78 males, 88 females) [4].

In the Republic of Bashkortostan, 4 people identified themselves as Taz [5].

In Khabarovsk Krai, 3 people identified themselves as Taz - one male and two females, all of them living in urban areas [6].