Tatars Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Tatars
*Tatarlar* / Татарлар
Total population
Ayaz Iskhaki • Ruslan Chagaev Şihabetdin Märcani • Pyotr Gavrilov Gabdulkhay Akhatov • Dinara Safina • Diniyar Bilyaletdinov • Ğabdulla Tuqay
ca. 6.8 million
Regions with significant populations
Russia : Tatarstan 2,012,571 Bashkortostan 1,009,295 Moscow 149,043	5,310,649
Uzbekistan	467,829
Kazakhstan	203,371
Ukraine	73,304
Turkmenistan	36,355
Kyrgyzstan	31,500
Tajikistan	19,000
China	5,064
Languages
Tatar, Russian
Religion
Sunni Islam majority, Russian Orthodox minority

Tatars are groups of people who speak languages from the Turkic family. These groups include the Volga Tatars, Lipka Tatars, and Siberian Tatars. However, the term does not usually include the Crimean Tatars.

Most Tatars live in Russia, especially in a region called Tatarstan, where they are the main population group. You can also find smaller groups of Tatars in countries like Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Bulgaria, China, Kazakhstan, Romania, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. Some Tatars also live in Israel, France, Canada, Australia, the United States, Finland, and Japan.

Most Tatars follow Sunni Islam, which is a branch of the Islamic faith. Their closest relatives are the Bashkirs. They are also related to the Azerbaijanis, Kazakhs, Chuvash people, and the Turkish people.

History of the Tatars

Long ago, the word "Tatar" might have meant a group of tribes called the Tatar confederation. This group later became part of the Mongol Empire. This happened when Genghis Khan brought many tribes from the Eurasian steppe together into one big empire. Sometimes, the word was spelled "Tartars."

In the past, people used "Tatar" to describe anyone from North and Central Asia. This area was ruled by many empires and kingdoms, mostly made up of Turco-Mongol people. People who were not Turkic often called any Turkic-speaking person a Tatar. Today, the word "Tatar" refers to specific Turkic groups.

A Russian historian named D. Iskhakov wrote in 2000 that the true history of the Tatars has not been fully written yet. However, another Tatar historian, Galy Yenikeyev, claims to have found new facts about their unwritten history.

Images for kids

The areas where Tatars live in Russia, based on the 2010 census.
The Khan's Palace in Bağçasaray.
Abandoned houses in Qarasuvbazar.
Swedish King Charles X Gustav fighting Tatars near Warsaw in the 1655–1660 war.
Lithuanian Tartars of the Imperial Guard charging, by Richard Knötel.
Tatar cavalry training in their camp.
A flag representing Tartary.
Tatars in Kazan in 1871.
Mintimer Shaimiyev (left), the president of Tatarstan, with Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow (right) at the Qolşärif Mosque in Kazan.
Siberian Tatars.
A Tatar elder and his horse.
A Tatar woman from the 18th century.
A Tatar woman from Tobolsk.
A Tatar woman from Kastchintz.
Tatars.
Lithuanian Tatars from Napoleon's army on a scouting mission.
An elder Tatar from Daghestan.
A Tatar family.
A Tatar family in 1843.
Siberian Tatars.
A Tatar child from around the 19th century.
Tatars on a raid towards Moscow.
The rescue of Tatar captives.
Tatar traditional costumes.
Tatar horsemen.
Tatars leading the Ottoman army.
Kazan Tatars in 1862.

Tatars facts for kids

History of the Tatars

Images for kids

See also