Ulch people

Ulchs
Alternative names:
Ulch, Ul'chi, Ulchi

Total population
(2,913 (est. 2002))
Regions with significant populations
Russia	2,765[1]
Ukraine	76[2]
Languages
Ulch language, Russian
Religion
Shamanism, Russian Orthodoxy
Related ethnic groups
Ainu, Orok, Itelmen, Evenki, Negidals, Nanai, Udege

The Ulch (Russian: ульчи, obsolete ольчи; self designation: нани, nani) are an indigenous people of the Russian Far East who speak a Tungusic language, Ulch. Over 90% of Ulchis live in Ulchsky District of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. According to the 2002 Census, there were 2,913 Ulchs living in Russia — down from 3,173 recorded in the 1989 Census, but up from 2,494 recorded in the 1979 Census, and 2,410 recorded in the 1970 Census. According to the 2010 Census there were 2,765 Ulchs in Russia.

Interior of a Mangun House, drawing by Richard Maack ca. 1854-1860

History of the Priamurye region (also including Heilongjiang, Amur Oblast and southern part of Khabarovsk Krai)
Sushen
Mohe • Shiwei
Balhae
Khitan
Liao dynasty • Daurs
Jin dynasty (1115–1234) • Nivkh
Eastern Jin (1215–1234)
Yuan dynasty • Evenks
Yeren Jurchens • Solon Khanate
Qing dynasty • Nanais • Ulchs
Russian Exploration • Negidals
Manchus–Cossacks wars (1652–1689)
Nerchinsk
Government-General of Eastern Siberia
Aigun
Li–Lobanov Treaty
Siberian Regional Government
Far Eastern Republic
Far Eastern Oblast
Soviet invasion of Manchuria (1945)
Sino-Soviet border conflict
Far Eastern Federal District

Anthropologically, no clear racial groups exist. Some of them belong to the so-called Sakhalin-Amur group, like the Nivkhs.

References

1. Russian Census 2010: Population by ethnicity (Russian)