Tatarstan

Tatarstan (Татарста́н, Tatarstan Respublikası) is an autonomous republic of the Russian federation, in the Privolzhsky District.

Geography

It is located in the centre of the East European Plain, approximately 700 km east of Moscow. It has an area of 67,800 km2 and a population of 3.779 million (census 2002) of whom 48.5% are Tartars. It lies between the Volga River and its tributary, the Kama River, and extends east to the Ural mountains. Its capital is the city of Kazan (Qazan), the only other major city is Naberezhnye Chelny (Yar Çallı).

Map of Tatarstan (Latin, Tatar)

History

The state has existed from the 9th century as Volga Bulgaria or Great Bolgaria. The Volga Bulgars were converted to Islam by missionaries from Baghdad around 925. After the area was conquered by the Mongols of the Golden Horde under Batu Khan in the 1230s, they were named Tartars by their conquerors. In the 15th century their land became part of the Kazan Khanate. It was conquered by the troops of Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible in the 1550s, with Kazan being taken in 1552. Some Tatars were forcibly converted to Christianity and cathedrals were built in Kazan; from 1593 all mosques in the area were destroyed. The prohibition to construct mosques was not lifted until the 18th century by Catherine II and the first mosque was built from 1766-1770.

Flag of Tatarstan

The boundaries of the current state were set in 1920 as the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, which did not include the majority of the Volga Tartars. Tartarstan declared itself a independent republic on August 30, 1990 and was recognized by the Russian Federation on February 15, 1994.

Politics

The president of Tatarstan is Mintimer ŞÃƒÂƒÃ‚¤ymiev.

Language

See also: Tatars, Tatar language

External Links