| Total population | |||
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| 1,130,491[1] up to 2,250,000[2] | |||
| Regions with significant populations | |||
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| Languages | |||
| Religion | |||
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Armenian Apostolic, Armenian Catholic, Evangelical and Protestant |
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| Related ethnic groups | |||
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Armenian, Hamshenis, Cherkesogai groups |
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Armenia Portal |
Armenians in Russia or Russian Armenians are ethnic Armenians who live in Russia. The 2002 Russian census recorded 1,130,491 Armenians in the country, but most probably did not take into account the Armenian guest workers, most of whom do not hold Russian citizenship. Various figures estimate that the Armenian population actually exceeds 2,900,000.
Regardless, Russia possesses the largest Armenian population outside of Armenia proper, making it home of the largest community in the Armenian diaspora.
Armenians populate various regions, including Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Krasnodar Krai in the North Caucasus and as far as Vladivostok in the East.
Russian government is encouraging Armenians to immigrate and settle in Russia under Compatriots program and is providing financial and settlement incentives[3]. By some estimates Armenian population in Russia may now exceed the population of Armenia.
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There has been an Armenian presence in Russia since the Late Middle Ages, when various artisans, merchants and traders ventured north to the Crimea and the northern Caucasus in order to set up trade ties and conduct commerce.
Number of Armenians in Russia by federal subjects and by years.
| Rank | Federal subject | 1959[4] | 1970[5] | 1979[6] | 1989[7] | 2002[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Krasnodar Krai | 78,176 | 98,589 | 120,797 | 182,217 | 274,566 |
| 2 | Stavropol Krai | 25,618 | 31,096 | 40,504 | 72,530 | 149,249 |
| 3 | City of Moscow | 18,379 | 25,584 | 31,414 | 43,989 | 124,425 |
| 4 | Rostov Oblast | 49,305 | 53,620 | 56,902 | 62,603 | 109,994 |
| 5 | Moscow Oblast | 5,353 | 5,683 | 7,549 | 9,245 | 39,660 |
| 6 | Volgograd Oblast | 2,898 | 4,229 | 6,784 | 26,974 | |
| 7 | Saratov Oblast | 1,046 | 1,815 | 3,531 | 6,404 | 24,976 |
| 8 | Samara Oblast | 1,027 | 1,629 | 2,216 | 4,162 | 21,566 |
| 9 | City of Saint-Petersburg | 4,897 | 6,628 | 7,995 | 12,070 | 19,164 |
| 10 | North Ossetia | 12,012 | 13,355 | 12,912 | 13,619 | 17,147 |
In 1708 the first Armenians came to St. Petersburg, and in 1710 in the city already existed “Armenian offices”. In 1730, under the leadership of the priest Ivan Sheristanova organized the first parish of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Throughout the 20th century Armenian population of St. Petersburg has been steadily increasing. The number of Armenians in St. Petersburg increased from 1,759 in 1926 to 19,164[1] in 2002.
According to Soviet 1989 census 47% Armenians speak Armenian as native language, 52% speak Russian as native language. At the same time almost all fluent in Russian language. About half of the Armenians have higher education and, consequently, higher social status.[8]
According to Russian 2002 census there were 615,123 Armenians living in the Southern Federal District[1]. Majority of Armenians of Northern Caucasus are living in Krasnodar Krai (274,566[1]), Stavropol Krai (149,249[1]) and Rostov Oblast (109,994[1]).
Krasnodar Krai[9] Armenian diaspora of Krasnodar Krai is one of the biggest communities of the Armenian diaspora. According to Russian 2002 census there are 274,566 Armenians (141,501 male and 133,065 female). 211,397 of them speak Armenian as native language and 6,948 had Armenian citizenship. In an earlier census in 1989, the Krasnodar Territory was home to over 182 thousand Armenians (34,2% of the total number of Armenians in the RSFSR). In the period between the censuses of 1989 and 2002, Armenians became the second largest after the Russian ethnic community in Krasnodar Territory (after being third to the Ukrainians).
The old settlements:
Resettlement group:
Armenians (mostly Christian Hamshenis) have also lived in the region since at least the 18th century.
The total number of ethnic Armenians (including the Cherkesogai and Hamsheni Armenians) is around 275,000 making them the biggest ethnic minority in Krasnodar Krai of total population of 5.125,000 (Census 2002)
History of the settlement: Most Armenians resettled in the 15th century in the Crimea, where the time was finally formed Turkish vassal the Crimean Khanate and the living conditions prevailing there once Christians (Greeks - Rumei - Armenians - Crimean Goths) deteriorated sharply. In 1475, when the Turks finally conquered the Crimea and began to exterminate the civilian population, Armenians began to migrate actively, with some of them finding refuge among the Circassians and Abkhazians. Armenians settlers lived in the mountains 300 years, adopted the language, customs, habits, peculiarities of everyday life, the whole lifestyle of the Circassians, among whom they settled, but have retained their ethnic identity and Christian faith - the Armenian Gregorian Apostolic faith. As a result of the interaction of the two cultures, a new ethnic group was formed, Cherkesogai - the Mountain Armenians. By the end of the 18th century, Islam started to spread within the Circassian population, and the Mountain Armenians came at the verge of losing the national religion. In late 1836 they turned to Major General Baron G. F. von Sasse (in Russian Григорий Христофорович Засс) asking him to "take them under Russian protection, and give them the means to resettle near Russian populations". In 1837 by decision of the Russian general, they resettled in the village Prochnookopskoy (in Russian Прочноокопской), that became a small mountain village for the Armenians.
In the 1839 settlement cherkesogaev moved closer to the mouth of the river Urup. This year is considered the official establishment date of Armavir, with the original name being Armenian village. 120 families had settled in the early years, and by 1840 their number increased. In addition Mountain Armenians, several hundred serfs Highlanders joined (in 1859 raising the population to 800). The Cherkesogai continued applying their traditional tribal rules, dividing the area into quarters.
In 1848 the settlement was officially named Armavir village in honor of the ancient Armenian capital of Armavir in Armenia. Now both cities are sister cities. In 1875 Armavir started being served with the Vladikavkaz Railway. In 1876 village got the status of the village. In 1908 the Armavir-Tuapse railroad began being constructed. On March 23 (5 April) 1914, by Council of Ministers' decisoon, the village was transformed into a city.
Nakhichevan-on-Don (Russian: Нахичевань-на-Дону, also known as Nor Nakhichevan (Armenian: Նոր Նախիջևան, literally New Nakhichevan, as opposed to the old Nakhchivan City) is an Armenian-populated region within the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
In 1778, Catherine the Great invited Armenian merchants from the Crimea to Russia. After moving to the area, they established a settlement on the Don, which they named "Nor Nakhichevan", after one of the ancient areas of Armenia, Nakhichevan. In 1928 Nor Nakhichevan was merged with Rostov-on-Don.
Most Armenians are of the Armenian Apostolic faith of the Armenian Apostolic Church and fall under the jursodiction of the see of Holy Echmiadzin. The number of churches is growing as the Armenian Russian community expands.
There are much smaller Armenian Catholic and recently Armenian Evangelical communities.
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