Mari El

Mari El, officially the Mari El Republic, is a republic of Russia. It lies in the European region of the country, along the northern bank of the Volga River, and is part of the Volga Federal District. The capital and largest city is Yoshkar-Ola.

Mari El was created for the indigenous Mari people, a Finno-Ugric nation who have lived along the Volga and Kama Rivers for a long time. Today, most people in Mari El are ethnic Russians, but there is also a large group of Mari people, as well as smaller groups of Tatars and Chuvash. The official languages are Russian and Mari. The republic is bordered by Nizhny Novgorod Oblast to the west, Kirov Oblast to the north, Tatarstan to the east, and Chuvashia to the south.

Geography

The Mari El Republic is found in the eastern part of the East European Plain in Russia. It lies along and mostly to the north of the Volga River. The land in the west is swampy, known as the Mari Depression, while the east has hills and the highest point in the republic, which is 278 metres tall.

The republic has many rivers, with the Volga and its smaller rivers being the most important. Most rivers are narrow and shallow, freezing in winter. There are also many lakes and swamps, some quite large, that can flood in the autumn and spring. The climate has cold, snowy winters and warm, rainy summers, with temperatures ranging from about -20 °C in winter to 20 °C in summer. The land has some natural resources like peat, mineral waters, and limestone, and about half of the area is covered in forests.

History

The Mari people have lived in this area since at least the 5th century. Their land was later ruled by bigger groups like the Volga Bulgaria, the Golden Horde, and the Khanat of Kazan. In 1552, after Kazan fell, the area became part of Russia under Ivan the Terrible.

After big changes in Russia in 1917, the Mari area became its own region in 1920. It grew into the Mari ASSR in 1936 and became the Mari El Republic in 1990. For a time, it had special agreements with the Russian government, but these ended in 2001.

The name "Mari El" comes from the Mari people’s word for "man" and "land".

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of the Mari El Republic

Politics

The leader of the Mari El Republic is called the head of government, and used to be called the president. In April 2017, Alexander Yevstifeyev became the head of Mari El, but he left in 2022 after one term. Yury Zaitsev then took over as acting head and was officially elected in September 2022.

After 2005, there were problems between different groups of people living in Mari El. Some people felt that their culture and language were not being respected. Reports from groups like the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights and the Moscow Helsinki Group talked about difficulties in using the Mari language in public places and concerns about people who spoke out against the government.

Demographics

The Mari El Republic has a population of about 696,459 people, according to a count from 2010. Most people there belong to groups such as the Mari, Russians, or Tatars.

The main religions practiced in Mari El include Russian Orthodoxy, the traditional Mari religion, and Islam. There are also many people who do not follow a specific religion. The republic has important universities and many schools, though there have been challenges in supporting education in the Mari language.

Economy

Mari El has many important industries, including making machines, working with metal, cutting timber, working with wood, and producing food. Most of these industries are centered in the capital city, Yoshkar-Ola, and also in the towns of Kozmodemyansk, Volzhsk, and Zvenigovo.

The republic has some big companies, such as Mariysky Oil Refinery, Mari Pulp and Paper Mill, Shelanger Chemical Plant "Siver", and Marbiopharm.

Transportation

You can travel easily and affordably around Mari El using fifteen train stations, fifty-three bus stations, and many marshrutkas. The republic connects to other parts of Russia through daily trains to and from Moscow and Kazan, flights from Yoshkar-Ola Airport, and a port on the Volga River in Kozmodemyansk. There are also four smaller river ports. The car license plate code for the region is 12.

Communication

Services for phone calls, internet, and cable television are provided by VolgaTelecom.

Culture

Mari El has many museums spread across its land. Some of the biggest ones are the National Museum, the Museum of History, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Yoshkar-Ola. There are also museums in Kozmodemyansk and Yurino.

Yoshkar-Ola is also home to five theaters. These theaters put on shows in both Russian and Mari languages.

Notable people

Mari El has been home to many talented individuals. Ivan Palantai was the first composer from the Mari people. Valentin Kolumb was a well-known poet, and Shabdar Osyp was a respected author. Andrei Eshpai was a famous composer and pianist.