View source for Mari El

{{Other uses|Mari (disambiguation){{!}}Mari|Mariel (disambiguation){{!}}Mariel}}
{{short description|First-level administrative division of Russia}}
{{Infobox Russian federal subject
|en_name=Mari El Republic
|ru_name=Республика Марий Эл
|loc_name1=Марий Эл Республик
|loc_lang1=[[Meadow Mari language|Meadow Mari]]
|loc_name2=Мары Эл Республик
|loc_lang2=[[Hill Mari language|Hill Mari]]
|image_map=Map of Russia (2014–2022) - Mari El (Crimea disputed).svg
| pushpin_map = European Russia
| pushpin_relief = 1
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 4
| mapframe-height = 250
| mapframe-stroke-width = 1
|coordinates={{coord|56|42|N|47|52|E|type:adm1st_region:RU|display=inline,title}}
|image_coa=Coat of Arms of Mari El.svg
|image_flag=Flag of Mari El.svg
|anthem="[[State Anthem of the Mari El Republic]]"
|anthem_ref=<ref name="Constitution16">Constitution of the Mari El Republic, Article&nbsp;16</ref><br />{{center|[[File:Regional anthem of Mari El Mari and Russian.oga]]}}
|political_status=Republic
|political_status_link=Republics of Russia
|federal_district=[[Volga Federal District|Volga]]
|economic_region=[[Volga-Vyatka economic region|Volga-Vyatka]]
|adm_ctr_type=Capital
|adm_ctr_name=[[Yoshkar-Ola]]
|official_lang_list=[[Mari language|Mari]] ([[Meadow Mari language|Meadow]] and [[Hill Mari language|Hill]] variants)
|official_lang_ref=<ref name="Languages">Constitution of the Mari El Republic, Article&nbsp;15</ref>
|pop_2021census=672093
|pop_2021census_rank=64th
|urban_pop_2021census=68.4%
|rural_pop_2021census=31.6%
|pop_2021census_ref=<ref name=2021census>{{cite web|title=Оценка численности постоянного населения по субъектам Российской Федерации|url=https://rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/tab-5_VPN-2020.xlsx|publisher=[[Federal State Statistics Service (Russia)|Federal State Statistics Service]]|accessdate=1 September 2022}}</ref>
|area_km2=23375
|area_km2_rank=72nd
|established_date=December&nbsp;5, 1936
|established_date_ref=<ref name="Established">Official website of the Mari El Republic. [http://portal.mari.ru/republic/Pages/nation.aspx Ethnic and Historical Reference] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828005724/http://portal.mari.ru/republic/Pages/nation.aspx |date=August 28, 2013 }}, mari.ru; accessed September&nbsp;14, 2017. {{in lang|ru}}</ref>
|license_plates=12
|ISO=RU-ME
|leader_title=[[Head of Mari El|Head]]
|leader_title_ref=<ref name="HeadLegis">Constitution, Article&nbsp;6.2</ref>
|leader_name=[[Yury Zaitsev (politician)|Yury Zaitsev]]<ref>{{Cite web|lang=ru|url=https://www.kazan.kp.ru/daily/27443.5/4646047/|title=Полиглот, человек из бизнеса и жесткий руководитель: что еще известно о новом главе Марий Эл Юрии Зайцеве|website=www.kazan.kp.ru|date=2022-09-14|access-date=}}</ref>
|legislature=[[State Assembly of the Mari El Republic|State Assembly]]
|legislature_ref=<ref name="HeadLegis"/>
|website=https://mari-el.gov.ru/
}}
{{Infobox ethnonym|root=|person= |people= [[Mari people|Mari]]|language= [[Mari language|Mari]]|country=[[Mari El]]}}
'''Mari El''',{{efn|{{IPAc-en|m|ɑː|ˌ|r|iː|_|ˈ|ɛ|l}} {{respell|mar-EE EL}}; {{lang-rus|Марий Эл|p=mɐˌrʲij ˈɛl}}; {{langx|mhr|Марий Эл}}; {{langx|mhr|Мары Эл|label=[[Hill Mari language|Hill Mari]]}}}} officially the '''Mari El Republic''',{{efn|{{langx|ru|Республика Марий Эл}}; {{langx|chm|Марий Эл Республик|label=[[Meadow Mari language|Meadow Mari]]}}; {{langx|mhr|Мары Эл Республик|label=[[Hill Mari language|Hill Mari]]}}}} is a [[republics of Russia|republic]] of [[Russia]]. It is in the [[European Russia|European]] region of the country, along the northern bank of the [[Volga River]], and administratively part of the [[Volga Federal District]]. The republic has a population of 696,459 ([[Russian Census (2010)|2010 Census]]).<ref name="2010Census">{{ru-pop-ref|2010Census}}</ref> [[Yoshkar-Ola]] is the [[capital city|capital]] and largest [[types of inhabited localities in Russia|city]].

Mari El, one of Russia's [[Ethnic groups in Russia|ethnic]] republics, was established for the indigenous [[Mari people]], a [[Finno-Ugric peoples|Finno-Ugric nation]] who have traditionally lived along the Volga and [[Kama River]]s. The majority of the republic's population are ethnic [[Russian people|Russians]] (52.5%), with a significant [[Mari people|Mari]] minority (40.1%), and smaller minority populations of [[Tatars]] and [[Chuvash people|Chuvash]]. The official languages are [[Russian language|Russian]] and [[Mari language|Mari]]. Mari El is bordered by [[Nizhny Novgorod Oblast]] to the west, [[Kirov Oblast]] to the north, [[Tatarstan]] to the east, and [[Chuvashia]] to the south.

==Geography==
[[File:Туристы на реке Большая Кокшага.jpg|thumb|[[Bolshaya Kokshaga River]]]]
The Republic is located in the eastern part of the [[East European Plain]] of Russia, along and mostly to the north of the [[Volga River]]. The swampy [[Mari Depression]] is in the west of the Republic, contrasted by hillier landscapes in the east where the highest point of the Republic (at {{convert|278|m}}<ref>="SportTourism">Спортивный туризм в Татарстане. [https://tourism.intat.ru/land/marijka/ По просторам Марий Эл. Справка о местности.] {{in lang|ru}}</ref>) is located. The Republic borders with [[Kirov Oblast]] in the north and east, the [[Republic of Tatarstan]] in the southeast and south, the [[Chuvash Republic]] in the south, and with [[Nizhny Novgorod Oblast]] in the west and north.{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}

There are 476&nbsp;rivers in the Republic, with the Volga and its [[tributary|tributaries]] being the major water arteries. Most rivers are considered to be minor—{{convert|10|-|50|m|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|0.5|-|1.4|m|abbr=on}} deep—and usually freeze between mid-November and mid-April. There are over 700&nbsp;lakes and ponds; many located in the swampy areas and have areas of less than {{convert|1|km2|abbr=on}} and depths of {{convert|1|–|3|m|abbr=on}}. [[Lake Yalchik]], occupying {{convert|150|ha}}, is the largest by area, while Lake Tabashinskoye is the deepest. Swamps cover large areas—{{convert|10|-|70|km2|abbr=on}} and up to {{convert|100|km2|abbr=on}}—and usually freeze in December. While swamps tend to be shallow, with an average depth of {{convert|0.5|-|1.5|m|abbr=on}}, they are impassable in fall and spring due to flooding.{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}

Climate is moderately [[continental climate|continental]], with moderately cold and snowy winters and warm and often rainy summers. The average temperatures range from {{convert|18|-|20|C}} in summer to {{convert|-18|-|-20|C}} in winter. November is the windiest month of the year. Annual [[precipitation]] varies from {{convert|450|to|500|mm|abbr=on}}.

There are virtually no natural resources of industrial significance in the Republic. Other resources include [[peat]], [[mineral water]]s, and [[limestone]]. About 50% of the Republic's territory is forested, although the level of forestation varies significantly from one district to another.{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}

==History==
[[File:MariEl03.png|thumb|upright=1.25|Geographical map of the Mari El Republic.]]
Ancient Mari tribes were known since the 5th century, though archaeologists suspect that the Mari culture is much older in its roots. Later their area was a tributary of [[Volga Bulgaria]] and the [[Golden Horde]]. In the 1440s it was incorporated into the [[Khanate of Kazan]] and was occupied by the [[Tsardom of Russia]] (governed by [[Ivan the Terrible]]) after the fall of [[Kazan]] in 1552.

After the [[Russian Revolution (1917)|Russian Revolution]], under the [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Bolshevik]] regime, the [[Mari Autonomous Oblast]] was established on 4 November 1920. It was re-organized into the [[Mari ASSR]] on 5 December 1936, at the same time as the enactment of the [[1936 Soviet Constitution]]. In its present form, the Mari El Republic was formed on 22 December 1990. On 21 May 1998, Mari El alongside [[Amur Oblast|Amur]], [[Ivanovo Oblast|Ivanovo]], [[Kostroma Oblast|Kostroma]], and [[Voronezh Oblast]] signed a power-sharing agreement with the federal government, granting it autonomy.<ref name= "newsline2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/1141661.html|title=Newsline - May 22, 1998 Yeltsin Signs More Power-Sharing Agreements with Regions|website=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=June 20, 2008 |language=en|access-date=2019-05-02}}</ref> This agreement was abolished on 31 December 2001.<ref name= "demokratiztsiya">{{Cite journal|last=Chuman|first=Mizuki|title=The Rise and Fall of Power-Sharing Treaties Between Center and Regions in Post-Soviet Russia|url=http://demokratizatsiya.pub/archives/19_2_L7H017206G216817.pdf|journal=Demokratizatsiya|pages=146|archive-date=March 8, 2019|access-date=May 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308002915/http://demokratizatsiya.pub/archives/19_2_L7H017206G216817.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The name of the republic is based on the ethnic self-designation of its indigenous population – {{Lang|ru|Марий}}, "Mari" (from {{Lang|ru|мари}}, "man, husband"), and {{Lang|ru|эл}}, "country, land".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Марийская республика - это... Что такое Марийская республика?|url=https://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enc_geo/7905/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F|access-date=2021-12-19|website=Словари и энциклопедии на Академике|language=ru}}</ref>

==Administrative divisions==
{{Main|Administrative divisions of the Mari El Republic}}
{| border=1 align="left" cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|-
! bgcolor="#ccccff" style="padding:0 0 0 50px;" | [[Mari El Republic]], [[Russia]]
| width="50px" | [[File:Flag of Mari El.svg|50px|Flag of Mari El]]
|-
| colspan=2 align="center"|<small>'''Capital:''' [[Yoshkar-Ola]]</small>
|-
| colspan=2 align="center"|<small>As of 2015:<ref name="OKATO">{{OKATO reference|88}}</ref></small>
|-
| '''Number of [[raion|districts]]'''<br />(районы)|| 14
|-
| '''Number of cities/towns'''<br />(города)|| 4
|-
| '''Number of [[urban-type settlement]]s'''<br />(посёлки городского типа)|| 15
|-
| '''Number of [[selsoviet|rural okrugs]]'''<br />(сельские округа)|| 120
|-
| colspan=2 align="center"|<small>As of 2002:<ref name="Census">Results of the 2002 [[Russian Census (2002)|Russian Population Census]]—[http://perepis2002.ru/ct/html/TOM_01_03.htm Territory, number of districts, inhabited localities, and rural administrations of the Russian Federation by federal subject] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928181511/http://perepis2002.ru/ct/html/TOM_01_03.htm|date=September 28, 2011 }}</ref></small>
|-
| '''Number of rural localities'''<br />(сельские населённые пункты)|| 1,612
|-
| '''Number of uninhabited rural localities'''<br />(сельские населённые пункты без населения)|| 53
|-
|}
{{-}}

==Politics==
[[File:Building of the government of republic of Mary El.jpg|thumb|Building of the Government of Mari El.]]
The head of government in the Mari El Republic is the [[Head of Mari El|Head]] (formerly President). As of 2017, the Head was Alexander Yevstifeyev, who was appointed in April 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/54237|title=Alexander Yevstifeyev appointed Acting Head of Mari El|publisher=Kremlin.ru|date=April 6, 2017}}</ref>

The government of Mari El has been pursuing Russification in recent years, with the former head of the republic, [[Leonid Markelov]], ordering many [[Mari language]] newspapers to close.{{Citation needed|date=March 2007}}  Many ethnic Mari activists live in fear of violence. The Mari activist and chief editor Vladimir Kozlov was badly beaten after he criticized Markelov's government. Other Mari leaders have been subject to violence, legal persecution, and intimidation.<ref name="unhcr.org">{{cite web|author=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|url=http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/topic,463af2212,488f25f12,49749cba50,0.html|title=World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Russian Federation: Mari|publisher=Unhcr.org|access-date=July 28, 2014}}</ref>

The [[Mari people]]'s [[Mari native religion|native religion]], based on the worship of the forces of nature, has encountered hostility as well. Vitaly Tanakov was charged with inciting religious, national, social, and linguistic hatred after publishing the book ''The Priest Speaks''.<ref>[http://www.pentaclemagazine.org/pn760/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1921 Russia Moves to Ban Religious Rites of Indigenous Finno-Ugric People Mari] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021124750/http://www.pentaclemagazine.org/pn760/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1921|date=October 21, 2007}}</ref>

The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) and the Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG), in an exhaustive 2006 report ''Russian Federation: The Human Rights Situation of the Mari Minority of the Republic of Mari El'', found widespread evidence of political and cultural persecution of Mari people, and of "a broader trend of repression of dissidents in the republic".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mhg.ru/files/engl/mariengl.pdf|title=Russian Federation: The Human Rights Situation of the Mari Minority of the Republic of Mari El : A Study of the Titular Nationality of One of Russia's Ethnic Regions|website=Mhg.ru|access-date=September 17, 2017}}</ref>

==Demographics==
'''Population''': {{ru-census|p2010=696,459|p2002=727,979|p1989=749,386}}

===Vital statistics===
:Source: [http://www.gks.ru/dbscripts/Cbsd/DBInet.cgi#1 Russian Federal State Statistics Service] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080412011659/http://www.gks.ru/dbscripts/Cbsd/DBInet.cgi#1 |date=April 12, 2008 }}

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!
! style="width:70pt;"|Average population (x 1000)
! style="width:70pt;"|Live births
! style="width:70pt;"|Deaths
! style="width:70pt;"|Natural change
! style="width:70pt;"|Crude birth rate (per 1000)
! style="width:70pt;"|Crude death rate (per 1000)
! style="width:70pt;"|Natural change (per 1000)
! style="width:70pt;"|Fertility rates
|-
| 1970
| style="text-align:right;"| 686
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,505
| style="text-align:right;"| 6,364
| style="text-align:right;"| 4,141
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.0
|-
| 1975
| style="text-align:right;"| 695
| style="text-align:right;"| 11,816
| style="text-align:right;"| 7,190
| style="text-align:right;"| 4,626
| style="text-align:right;"| 17.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.7
|-
| 1980
| style="text-align:right;"| 710
| style="text-align:right;"| 13,169
| style="text-align:right;"| 8,091
| style="text-align:right;"| 5,078
| style="text-align:right;"| 18.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 7.2
|-
| 1985
| style="text-align:right;"| 728
| style="text-align:right;"| 14,198
| style="text-align:right;"| 8,529
| style="text-align:right;"| 5,669
| style="text-align:right;"| 19.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 7.8
|-
| 1990
| style="text-align:right;"| 755
| style="text-align:right;"| 11,953
| style="text-align:right;"| 7,775
| style="text-align:right;"| 4,178
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.5
|  style="text-align:right; color:blue;"| 2,16
|-
| 1991
| style="text-align:right;"| 756
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,578
| style="text-align:right;"| 7,786
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,792
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 3.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,97
|-
| 1992
| style="text-align:right;"| 758
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,227
| style="text-align:right;"| 8,330
| style="text-align:right;"| 897
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,76
|-
| 1993
| style="text-align:right;"| 758
| style="text-align:right;"| 8,019
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,622
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 1,603
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.7
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 2.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,56
|-
| 1994
| style="text-align:right;"| 758
| style="text-align:right;"| 7,851
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,788
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 2,937
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.2
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 3.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,53
|-
| 1995
| style="text-align:right;"| 757
| style="text-align:right;"| 7,337
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,999
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 2,662
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.2
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 3.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,43
|-
| 1996
| style="text-align:right;"| 755
| style="text-align:right;"| 6,952
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,495
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 2,543
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.6
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 3.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,35
|-
| 1997
| style="text-align:right;"| 752
| style="text-align:right;"| 6,782
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,625
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 2,843
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.8
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 3.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,32
|-
| 1998
| style="text-align:right;"| 749
| style="text-align:right;"| 6,657
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,623
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 2,966
| style="text-align:right;"| 8.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.8
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 4.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,29
|-
| 1999
| style="text-align:right;"| 746
| style="text-align:right;"| 6,597
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,674
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 4,077
| style="text-align:right;"| 8.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.3
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 5.5
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"| 1,28
|-
| 2000
| style="text-align:right;"| 741
| style="text-align:right;"| 6,784
| style="text-align:right;"| 11,040
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 4,256
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.9
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 5.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,30
|-
| 2001
| style="text-align:right;"| 736
| style="text-align:right;"| 6,832
| style="text-align:right;"| 11,434
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 4,602
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.5
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 6.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,30
|-
| 2002
| style="text-align:right;"| 729
| style="text-align:right;"| 7,300
| style="text-align:right;"| 12,105
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 4,805
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 16.6
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 6.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,38
|-
| 2003
| style="text-align:right;"| 723
| style="text-align:right;"| 7,515
| style="text-align:right;"| 11,861
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 4,346
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 16.4
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 6.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,40
|-
| 2004
| style="text-align:right;"| 718
| style="text-align:right;"| 7,715
| style="text-align:right;"| 12,098
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 4,383
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 16.9
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 6.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,40
|-
| 2005
| style="text-align:right;"| 713
| style="text-align:right;"| 7,475
| style="text-align:right;"| 12,256
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 4,781
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 17.2
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 6.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,34
|-
| 2006
| style="text-align:right;"| 708
| style="text-align:right;"| 7,550
| style="text-align:right;"| 11,286
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 3,736
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.9
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 5.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,32
|-
| 2007
| style="text-align:right;"| 704
| style="text-align:right;"| 8,306
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,745
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 2,439
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.3
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 3.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,45
|-
| 2008
| style="text-align:right;"| 701
| style="text-align:right;"| 8,620
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,699
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 2,079
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.3
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 3.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,50
|-
| 2009
| style="text-align:right;"| 699
| style="text-align:right;"| 8,896
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,435
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 1,539
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.9
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 2.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,60
|-
| 2010
| style="text-align:right;"| 696
| style="text-align:right;"| 8,857
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,572
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 1,715
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.2
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 2.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,59
|-
| 2011
| style="text-align:right;"| 694
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,066
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,816
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 750
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.1
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|- 1.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,66
|-
| 2012
| style="text-align:right;"| 691
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,834
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,449
| style="text-align:right;"| 385
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 0.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,83
|-
| 2013
| style="text-align:right;"| 689
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,088
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,444
| style="text-align:right;"| 644
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 0.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,93
|-
| 2014
| style="text-align:right;"| 688
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,081
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,411
| style="text-align:right;"| 670
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,98
|-
| 2015
| style="text-align:right;"| 687
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,951
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,448
| style="text-align:right;"| 503
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 0.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,99
|-
| 2016
| style="text-align:right;"| 685
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,567
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,025
| style="text-align:right;"| 542
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 0.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,98
|-
| 2017
| style="text-align:right;"| 683
| style="text-align:right;"| 8,147
| style="text-align:right;"| 8,493
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"| -346
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.4
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"| -0.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,75
|}
{{Historical populations|5=1939|6=398014|7=1959|8=647680|9=1970|10=684748|11=1979|12=702744|13=1989|14=749386|15=2002|16=727979|17=2010|18=696459|19=2021|20=677097|type=|footnote=Source: Census data}}Note: Total fertility rate source.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gks.ru/wps/wcm/connect/rosstat_main/rosstat/ru/statistics/publications/catalog/doc_1137674209312|title=Каталог публикаций::Федеральная служба государственной статистики|publisher=Gks.ru|access-date=July 28, 2014|archive-date=December 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224183858/http://www.gks.ru/wps/wcm/connect/rosstat_main/rosstat/ru/statistics/publications/catalog/doc_1137674209312%20|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Ethnic groups===
{{Main|Mari people}}
[[File:Hill mari folk ensemble.jpg|thumb|The Hill Mari, who primarily live in the [[Gornomariysky District|Gornomariyskiy]], [[Kilemarsky District|Kilemarsky]] & [[Yurino, Mari El Republic|Yurino]] Districts of the republic.]]
Though the Mari people have lived in the area for millennia, they did not have a designated territory before the [[Russian Revolution of 1917]]. According to the [[Russian Census (2021)|2021 Census]], only 58.2% of the Mari within Russia live in the Mari El Republic, while 20.1% live in the [[Republic of Bashkortostan]] (consisting of the Eastern Mari, who fled to Bashkorostan to escape religious persecution). During the last Soviet Census (1989), 4% of the Mari of the Soviet Union lived outside of Russia.

Since [[World War II]], more ethnic Russians and Tatars have moved into the area. According to the [[Russian Census (2021)|2021 Census]],<ref name="census2021">{{cite web|title=Национальный состав населения|url=https://rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/Tom5_tab1_VPN-2020.xlsx|publisher=[[Federal State Statistics Service (Russia)|Federal State Statistics Service]]|accessdate=30 December 2022}}</ref> [[Russians]] make up 52.5% of the republic's population (up from 47.4% in 2010), while the ethnic [[Mari people|Mari]] make up 40.1% (down from 43.9%). Other groups include [[Tatars]] (4.8%), [[Chuvash people|Chuvash]] (0.6%), and a host of smaller groups, each accounting for less than 0.5% of the total population.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
|- style="background:#e0e0e0;"
! rowspan="2" | Ethnic<br />group
! colspan="2" | 1926 Census
! colspan="2" | 1939 Census
! colspan="2" | 1959 Census
! colspan="2" | 1970 Census
! colspan="2" | 1979 Census
! colspan="2" | 1989 Census
! colspan="2" | 2002 Census
! colspan="2" | 2010 Census<ref name="2010Census" />
! colspan="2" | 2021 Census<ref name="census2021" />
|- style="background:#e0e0e0;"
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Mari people|Mari]]
| 247,979
|51.4%
| 273,332
|47.2%
| 279,450
|43.1%
| 299,179
|43.7%
| 306,627
|43.5%
| 324,349
|43.3%
| 312,178
|42.9%
| 290,863
|43.9%
| 246,560
|40.1%
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Russians]]
| 210,016
|43.6%
| 266,951
|46.1%
| 309,514
|47.8%
| 320,825
|46.9%
| 334,561
|47.5%
| 355,973
|47.5%
| 345,513
|47.5%
| 313,947
|47.4%
| 322,932
|52.5%
|-
|align="left"|  [[Tatars]]
| 20,219
|4.2%
| 27,149
|4.7%
| 38,821
|6.0%
| 40,279
|5.9%
| 40,917
|5.8%
| 43,850
|5.9%
| 43,377
|6.0%
| 38,357
|5.8%
| 29,317
|4.8%
|-
|align="left"|  [[Chuvash people|Chuvash]]
| 2,184
|0.5%
| 5,504
|0.9%
| 9,065
|1.4%
| 9,032
|1.3%
| 8,087
|1.1%
| 8,993
|1.2%
| 7,418
|1.0%
| 6,025
|0.9%
| 3,656
|0.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Others
| 1,703
|0.4%
| 6,674
|1.2%
| 10,830
|1.7%
| 15,433
|2.3%
| 14,015
|2.0%
| 16,167
|2.2%
| 19,943
|2.7%
| 13,138
|2.0%
| 12,494
|2.0%
|-
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="19"| <sup>1</sup> <small>62,138 people were registered from administrative databases, and could not declare an ethnicity. It is estimated that the proportion of ethnicities in this group is the same as that of the declared group.</small><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.perepis-2010.ru/news/detail.php?ID=6936|title=ВПН-2010|publisher=Perepis-2010.ru|access-date=July 28, 2014|archive-date=January 18, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118103330/http://www.perepis-2010.ru/news/detail.php?ID=6936|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|}

===Religion===
{{Bar box
|title=Religion in Mari El as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas)<ref name= "2012ArenaAtlas">[https://sreda.org/en/arena "Arena: Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia"]. Sreda, 2012.</ref><ref name= "2012Arena-religion-maps">[http://c2.kommersant.ru/ISSUES.PHOTO/OGONIOK/2012/034/ogcyhjk2.jpg 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps]. "Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017. [https://web.archive.org/web/20170421154615/http://c2.kommersant.ru/ISSUES.PHOTO/OGONIOK/2012/034/ogcyhjk2.jpg Archived].</ref>
|float=right
|bars=
{{Bar percent|[[Russian Orthodox Church|Russian Orthodoxy]]|DarkOrchid|47.8}}
{{Bar percent|Other [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]]|MediumOrchid|1.2}}
{{Bar percent|[[Old Believers]]|Purple|1}}
{{Bar percent|Other [[Christianity in Russia|Christians]]|DeepSkyBlue|4.8}}
{{Bar percent|[[Islam in Russia|Islam]]|Green|6}}
{{Bar percent|[[Rodnovery]], [[Mari Native Religion]] and other native faiths|Red|5.6}}
{{Bar percent|[[Spiritual but not religious]]|DarkSlateGray|24.8}}
{{Bar percent|[[Atheism]] and [[irreligion]]|Black|5.8}}
{{Bar percent|Other and undeclared|Gray|3}}
}}
[[File:Yoshkar-Ola P8122161 2200.jpg|thumb|Orthodox church in [[Yoshkar-Ola]]]]
The religions with the most adherents in the republic are [[Russian Orthodox Church|Russian Orthodoxy]], the [[Mari native religion]], the [[Old Believers]], and [[Islam]]. The traditional Mari religion (''Chimari yula'') is still practised today by many Mari people and is the main religion of the Mari of Bashkortostan; also practised is a [[syncretism]] with [[Christianity]]. The Czars took drastic measures to force Christianity on the Mari, going so far as blowing up a holy mountain, and the [[persecution]] of the religion went on under the [[Soviet Union]].

During the 1990s the religion was officially recognized by the State and began to revive. The Mari gather at around 520 holy [[grove (nature) |groves]] where they offer animal and vegetable sacrifices, there are about 20 festivals yearly. Although traditional religion is one of Mari El's three officially recognized religions (along with Orthodoxy and Islam) Mari religious practises have come under increasing pressure, according to human rights groups.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/russian-federation-amnesty-international-launches-annual-report-and-seco |title=Russian Federation: Amnesty International launches annual report and second Memorandum to President Medvedev |publisher= Amnesty |date=May 20, 2009|access-date=July 28, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140811183104/http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/russian-federation-amnesty-international-launches-annual-report-and-seco|archive-date= August 11, 2014|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

[[File:Mari Native Faith symbol.png|left|thumb|148x148px|Symbol used by adherents of the Mari Native Religion.]]
According to a 2012 survey,<ref name="2012ArenaAtlas" /> 47.8% of the population of Mari El adheres to the [[Russian Orthodox Church]], 6–15% adheres to the [[Mari native religion]], 6% adheres to [[Islam]], 4% are [[nondenominational Christianity |unaffiliated]] generic [[Christians]], 1% are [[Old Believers]] and 1% are Orthodox Christian believers without church affiliation or members of other [[Eastern Orthodoxy|Orthodox churches]]. In addition, 25% of the population is "spiritual but not religious", 6% is [[atheism |atheist]] and 4.2% follows other religions or did not answer the question.<ref name="2012ArenaAtlas"/>

===Education===
The most important facilities of higher education are [[Mari State Technical University]] and [[Mari State University]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marsu.ru |title=marsu.ru |publisher=marsu.ru |access-date=2014-07-28}}</ref> both located in Yoshkar-Ola. There are also more than 900 primary and secondary schools located throughout the republic.

For the past few years, the Mari El Republic has been participating in the national project "Education" ("Oбразование"), which is designed to improve education throughout Russia by bringing new technology into the classroom, improving material conditions in schools, and providing financial awards to extraordinary students and teachers. Although the Mari language is officially a state language, Mari educators and administrators have been forced from their positions in recent years and Mari-language education has been defunded, according to the [[U.S. State Department]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt|title=Human Rights Reports|publisher=State.gov|date=January 20, 2009|access-date=July 28, 2014}}</ref> the [[European Union]], and others.<ref>{{cite news|last=Fuller|first=Liz|url=https://www.rferl.org/content/article/1060809.html|title=Russia: Marii El Begins To Look Like Belarus On The Volga|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=April 8, 2008 |publisher=Rferl.org|access-date=July 28, 2014}}</ref>

==Economy==
The most developed industries are machine construction, metalworking, timber, woodworking, and food industries. Most of the industrial enterprises are located in the capital Yoshkar-Ola, as well as in the towns of [[Kozmodemyansk, Mari El Republic|Kozmodemyansk]], [[Volzhsk]], and [[Zvenigovo]].{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}

The largest companies in the region include '''Mariysky Oil Refinery'''<!-- bolded per [[WP:MOSBOLD]] as a redirect target --> (revenues of ${{to USD|29300|RUS|year=2017}} million in 2017), Mari Pulp and Paper Mill (${{to USD|8000|RUS|year=2017}} million), Shelanger Chemical Plant "Siver" (${{to USD|847|RUS|year=2017}} million), Marbiopharm (${{to USD|818|RUS|year=2017}} million).<ref name="regioncompanies">{{cite web |script-title=ru:Выписки ЕГРЮЛ и ЕГРИП, проверка контрагентов, ИНН и КПП организаций, реквизиты ИП и ООО |url=https://sbis.ru/contragents?p=companies |website=СБИС |access-date=20 October 2018 |language=ru}}</ref>

===Transportation===
Traveling cheaply and quickly to various towns and villages within the Republic is made possible through a network of fifteen train stations, fifty-three bus stations, and numerous ''[[marshrutka]]s''. The republic is connected to different regions throughout Russia by daily trains to and from [[Moscow]] and [[Kazan]], flights on one commercial airline from [[Yoshkar-Ola Airport]], located near Yoshkar-Ola, and a port on the Volga River in Kozmodemyansk. There are also four other minor river ports in the republic. Regional automobile code is 12.{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}

===Communication===
[[Telephony]], [[Internet service provider|Internet service]], and [[cable television]] are provided by [[VolgaTelecom]].{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}

==Culture==
{{unreferenced section|date=September 2017}}
[[File:Пеледыш пайрем Йошкар-ОЛа.jpg|thumb|Mari people in Yoshkar-Ola]]
There are many museums located throughout the territory of the republic. The largest ones include the National Museum, the Museum of History, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Yoshkar-Ola; the Museum of Arts and History, the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, and the Merchant Life Museum in Kozmodemyansk; and the Sheremetyev Castle Museum-reserve in Yurino. There are also museums dedicated to the poet Nikolay Mukhin and the composer Ivan Klyuchnikov-Palantay in Yoshkar-Ola and the house-museum of writer Sergei Chavayn in Chavaynur.
[[File:Площадь Оболенского-Ноготкова.jpg|thumb|The National Art Museum of the Mari El Republic]]
Five theaters are located in Yoshkar-Ola with performances in both the Russian and Mari languages.

==Notable people==
*[[Valentin Kolumb]], poet
*[[Shabdar Osyp]], author
*[[Andrei Eshpai]], composer, pianist

==See also==
* [[Mari National Rebirth Party "Ushem"]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{RussiaBasicLawRef|me}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{in lang|ru}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20141210142850/http://gov.mari.ru/ Old Official website of the Mari El Republic]
*{{in lang|ru}} [http://mari-el.gov.ru/Pages/main.aspx Official website of the Mari El Republic] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408061408/http://mari-el.gov.ru/Pages/main.aspx |date=April 8, 2020 }}
*{{in lang|ru}} [https://www.marimedia.ru Industry in the Mari El Republic]
*[https://russiatrek.org/mari_el-republic Mari El Republic nature views and sceneries]
*[http://www.uta.fi/~km56049/mari/mariengvocab.html A short Meadow Mari-English dictionary]
*{{in lang|ru}} [http://www.kmatsum.info/mari/mardic/mar0Aa.html Meadow Mari-Russian-Japanese dictionary]
*{{in lang|ru}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20100227060751/http://www.turizmkazan.ru/article/%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9-%D1%8D%D0%BB-%D1%82%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9-%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B9 About nature in Mari EL republic]
*[http://www.uta.fi/~km56049/mari/indexmari.html Kimberli Mäkäräinen's Meadow Mari Grammar]
*{{in lang|ru}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20100407122135/http://karta.turizmkazan.ru/marij-el/ Map of Mari El]

==Further reading==
*Daniel Kalder.  ''Lost Cosmonaut: Observations of an Anti-tourist''

{{Subdivisions of Russia}}
{{Mari El}}
{{History of Russia navbar}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Mari El| ]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1936]]
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