DPeopleTurkic republics in Russia
Tuvans
A Buddhist Turkic people of the upper Yenisei basin. They are known worldwide for khoomei throat singing; from 1921 to 1944 Tuva was a separate republic.
The Tuvans are a Turkic people of the Siberian branch. They live between the Sayan and Altai mountains in the upper Yenisei basin. Their traditional way of life is herding and nomadic reindeer breeding in the taiga. Tuvans are one of the few Turkic peoples who adopted Buddhism.
From 1921 to 1944 the Tuvan People's Republic was formally an independent state before joining the USSR. The capital, Kyzyl, has a monument marking the "Centre of Asia". Tuvan throat singing, khoomei, is the art of singing two or three melodies with one voice.
Updated: September 28, 2026