Before it ceased to exist in 1991, the Soviet Union was the largest country in the world, covering some 8.65 million square miles, almost one-sixth of Earth’s land surface. Its population was estimated at nearly 290 million, and 100 distinct nationalities lived within its borders. (Also, see every Russian and Soviet head of state since Peter the Great.)
The Russian Federation, which succeeded the Soviet Union, covers 6.6 million square miles and is the largest nation by physical size in the world. It has a population of about 141.7 million. The Russian Federation comprises 85 federal constituent units, 21 of which are republics (22 if Crimea is considered).
To compile a list of Russia’ republics, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed information from World Atlas and ThoughtCo.
The 21 republics within the Russian Federation operate under their own constitution and have a right to establish their own language. All of the republics have Russian as at least one of the official languages. The republics also are granted extensive autonomy, though the level of self-rule varies. In addition, the republics have their own elected assemblies.
In terms of landmass, the republics are as small as Ingushetia (1,351 square miles) in the Caucasus region to as large as Sakha (nearly 1.2 million square miles) in the Far East. The smallest republic by population is Altai, in the Siberian sector, with just over 200,000 people, while Bashkortostan, located between the Volga River and the Ural Mountains, is the largest with more than 4 million.
Russia claims Crimea as its 22nd republic, but most of the international community sees it as part of Ukraine. Crimea, with a population of 2.3 million, was annexed by Russia in March 2014 following a takeover by the Russian military. In 1954, the Soviet Union had transferred control of Crimea to Ukraine for reasons unclear to this day. (See how the U.S. is arming Ukraine.)
Click here to see these are the Republics of Russia
Adygea
> Land area: 2,934 square miles
> Capital city: Maykop
> Official languages: Russian and Adyghe
> Population: 440,388
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Altai
> Land area: 35,753 square miles
> Capital city: Gorno-Altaysk
> Official languages: Russian and Altay
> Population: 206,195
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Bashkortostan
> Land area: 55,444 square miles
> Capital city: Ufa
> Official languages: Russian and Bashkir
> Population: 4,072,102
Buryatia
> Land area: 135,638 square miles
> Capital city: Ulan-Ude
> Official languages: Russian and Buryat
> Population: 972,658
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Chechnya
> Land area: 6,680 square miles
> Capital city: Grozny
> Official languages: Russian and Chechen
> Population: 1,103,686
Chuvashia
> Land area: 7,065 square miles
> Capital city: Cheboksary
> Official languages: Russian and Chuvash
> Population: 1,251,599
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Dagestan
> Land area: 19,420 square miles
> Capital city: Makhachkala
> Official languages: Russian, Aghul, Avar, Azeri, Chechen, Dargwa, Kumyk, Lak, Lezgian, Nogai, Rutul, Tabasaran, Tat and Tsakhur
> Population: 2,576,531
Ingushetia
> Land area: 1,351 square miles
> Capital city: Magas
> Official languages: Russian and Ingush
> Population: 467,294
Kabardino-Balkaria
> Land area: 4,826 square miles
> Capital city: Nalchik
> Official languages: Russian, Kabardian and Balkar
> Population: 859,802
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Kalmykia
> Land area: 29,382 square miles
> Capital city: Elista
> Official languages: Russian and Kalmyk
> Population: 289,464
Karachay-Cherkessia
> Land area: 5,444 square miles
> Capital city: Cherkessk
> Official languages: Russian, Abaza, Cherkess, Karachay and Nogai
> Population: 478,517
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Karelia
> Land area: 66,564 square miles
> Capital city: Petrozavodsk
> Official languages: Russian
> Population: 643,548
Khakassia
> Land area: 23,900 square miles
> Capital city: Abakan
> Official languages: Russian and Khakass
> Population: 532,403
Komi
> Land area: 160,580 square miles
> Capital city: Syktyvkar
> Official languages: Russian and Komi
> Population: 901,189
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Mari El
> Land area: 8,957 square miles
> Capital city: Yoshkar-Ola
> Official languages: Russian and Mari
> Population: 696,357
Mordovia
> Land area: 10,115 square miles
> Capital city: Saransk
> Official languages: Russian and Mordvin
> Population: 834,819
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North Ossetia-Alania
> Land area: 3,088 square miles
> Capital city: Vladikavkaz
> Official languages: Russian and Ossetic
> Population: 712,877
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Sakha
> Land area: 1,198,152 square miles
> Capital city: Yakutsk
> Official languages: Russian and Sakha
> Population: 958,291
Tatarstan
> Land area: 26,255 square miles
> Capital city: Kyzyl
> Official languages: Russian and Tatar
> Population: 3,786,358
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Tuva
> Land area: 65,830 square miles
> Capital city: Elista
> Official languages: Russian and Tuvan
> Population: 307,930
Udmurtia
> Land area: 16,255 square miles
> Capital city: Izhevsk
> Official languages: Russian and Udmurt
> Population: 1,522,761
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