# Autonomous okrugs of Russia

Autonomous okrugs, (Russian: автономный округ, romanized: avtonomnyy okrug) which are also referred to as "autonomous districts" or "autonomous areas" are a type of federal subject of the Russian Federation and simultaneously an administrative division type of some federal subjects. As of 2024, Russia has four autonomous okrugs of its 83 federal subjects. The Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is the only okrug which is not subordinate to an oblast. The Nenets Autonomous Okrug is a part of Arkhangelsk Oblast, the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug are parts of Tyumen Oblast.
According to the Constitution of the Soviet Union, in case of a union republic voting on leaving the Soviet Union, autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts, and autonomous okrugs had the right, by means of a referendum, to independently resolve whether they will stay in the USSR or leave with the seceding union republic, as well as to raise the issue of their state-legal status.

## History

Originally called national okrug, this type of administrative unit was created in the 1920s and widely implemented in the 1930s to provide autonomy to Indigenous peoples of the North, like the Karelian National Okrug for the Tver Karelians. The 1977 Soviet Constitution changed the term "national okrugs" to "autonomous okrugs" in order to emphasize that they were indeed autonomies and not simply another type of administrative and territorial division. While the 1977 Constitution stipulated that the autonomous okrugs were subordinated to the oblasts and krais, this clause was revised on December 15, 1990, when it was specified that autonomous okrugs were subordinated directly to the Russian SFSR, although they still could stay in the jurisdiction of a krai or an oblast to which they were subordinated before.

## List of autonomous okrugs

| Name | Domestic names | Capital | Population (2010) | Area | Formation |
| Chukotka Autonomous Okrug | Russian: Чукотский Автономный Округ (‹See RfD› Chukotskiy Avtonomny Okrug) Chukot: Чукоткакэн Aвтономныкэн Округ (‹See RfD› Chukotkaken Avtonomnyken Okrug) | Anadyr Russian: Анадырь (‹See RfD› Anadyr) Chukot: Кагыргын (‹See RfD› Kagyrgyn) | 50,526 | 721,481 km$^2$ (278,565 sq mi) | 1930-12-10 |
| Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug | Russian: Ханты-Мансийский Автономный Округ (‹See RfD› Khanty-Mansiyskiy Avtonomny Okrug) Khanty: Хӑнты-Мансийской Aвтономной Округ (‹See RfD› Ȟănty-Mansijskoj Avtonomnoj Okrug) Mansi: Ханты-Мансийский Автономный Округ (‹See RfD› Hanty-Mansijskij Avtonomnyj Okrug) | Khanty-Mansiysk Russian: Ханты-Мансийск (‹See RfD› Khanty-Mansiysk) Khanty: Ёмвоҷ (‹See RfD› Yomvoḉ) Mansi: Абга (‹See RfD› Abga) | 1,532,243 | 534,801 km$^2$ (206,488 sq mi) | 1930-12-10 |
| Nenets Autonomous Okrug | Russian: Ненецкий Автономный Округ (‹See RfD› Nenetskiy Avtonomny Okrug) Nenets: Ненёцие Aвтономной Ӈокрук (‹See RfD› Nenjocije Awtonomnoj Ŋokruk) | Naryan-Mar Russian: Нарьян-Мар (‹See RfD› Naryan-Mar) Nenets: Няръянa Mарˮ (‹See RfD› Nyar'yana Marq) | 42,090 | 176,810 km$^2$ (68,267 sq mi) | 1929-07-15 |
| Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug | Russian: Ямало-Ненецкий Автономный Округ (‹See RfD› Yamalo-Nenetskiy Avtonomny Okrug) Nenets: Ямалы-Ненёцие Aвтономной Ӈокрук (‹See RfD› Yamaly-Nenyotsiye Avtonomnoj Ŋokruk) | Salekhard Russian: Салехард (‹See RfD› Salekhard) Nenets: Саляʼ Xарад (‹See RfD› Salja’ Harad) | 522,904 | 769,250 km$^2$ (297,009 sq mi) | 1930-12-10 |

### Former autonomous okrugs

| Name | Domestic names | Capital | Population | Area | Years |
| Agin-Buryat Autonomous Okrug | Russian: Агинский Бурятский Автономный Округ (‹See RfD› Aginskiy Buryatskiy Avtonomny Okrug) Buryat: Агын Буряадай Aвтономито Tойрог (‹See RfD› Agyn Buryaaday Avtonomito Toyrog) | Aginskoye Russian: Агинское (‹See RfD› Aginskoye) Buryat: Ага (‹See RfD› Aga) | 76,383 (2008) | 19,592 km$^2$ (7,565 sq mi) | 1937–2008 |
| Evenk Autonomous Okrug | Russian: Эвенкийский Автономный Округ (‹See RfD› Evenkiyskiy Avtonomny Okrug) Evenki: Эведы Автомоды Округ (‹See RfD› Ēvēde Avtōmōde Okrug) | Tura Russian: Тура (‹See RfD› Tura) Evenki: Typy (‹See RfD› Turu) | 16,979 (2007) | 763,197 km$^2$ (294,672 sq mi) | 1930–2007 |
| Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug | Russian: Коми-Пермяцкий Автономный Округ (‹See RfD› Komi-Permyatskiy Avtonomny Okrug) Komi-Permyak: Коми-Пермяцкöй Aвтономнöй Округ (‹See RfD› Komi-Permjacköj Avtonomnöj Okrug) | Kudymkar Russian: Кудымкар (‹See RfD› Kudymkar) Komi-Permyak: Кудымкöр (‹See RfD› Kudymkör) | 132,824 (2005) | 32,770 km$^2$ (12,653 sq mi) | 1930–2005 |
| Koryak Autonomous Okrug | Russian: Корякский Автономный Округ (‹See RfD› Koryakskiy Avtonomny Okrug) Koryak: Чав’чываокруг (‹See RfD› Čav’čyvaokrug) | Palana Russian: Палана (‹See RfD› Palana) Koryak: Пылылъын (‹See RfD› Pylylʺyn) | 22,580 (2007) | 292,600 km$^2$ (112,973 sq mi) | 1930–2007 |
| Taymyr Autonomous Okrug | Russian: Таймырский Автономный Округ (‹See RfD› Taymyrskiy Avtonomny Okrug) | Dudinka Russian: Дудинка (‹See RfD› Dudinka) | 38,372 (2007) | 879,929 km$^2$ (339,742 sq mi) | 1930–2007 |
| Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug | Russian: Усть-Ордынский Бурятский Автономный Округ (‹See RfD› Ust’-Ordynskiy Avtonomny Okrug) Buryat: Усть-Ордын Буряадай Aвтономито Tойрог (‹See RfD› Ust’-Ordyn Buryaaday Avtonomito Toyrog) | Ust-Ordynsky Russian: Усть-Ордынский (‹See RfD› Ust-Ordynsky) Buryat: Ордын Адаг (‹See RfD› Ordyn Adag) | 134,320 (2008) | 22,400 km$^2$ (8,649 sq mi) | 1937–2008 |

## Recent developments

In 1990, ten autonomous okrugs existed within the RSFSR. Between 2005 and 2008, the three autonomous okrugs in which the titular nationality constituted more than 30% of the population were abolished. Since then, three more have been abolished, leaving four. On 13 May 2020, the governors of Arkhangelsk Oblast and Nenets Autonomous Okrug announced their plan to merge following the collapse of oil prices stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The process was subsequently scrapped on July 2 following public outcry to the merger.
The ten autonomous okrugs in 1990 were:
| Entity in 1990 | Status in August 2008 |
| Agin-Buryat Autonomous Okrug | now Agin-Buryat Okrug of Zabaykalsky Krai |
| Chukotka Autonomous Okrug within Magadan Oblast | no longer subordinated to Magadan Oblast |
| Evenk Autonomous Okrug within Krasnoyarsk Krai | now Evenkiysky District of Krasnoyarsk Krai |
| Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug within Tyumen Oblast | (no change) |
| Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug | now Komi-Permyak Okrug of Perm Krai |
| Koryak Autonomous Okrug within Kamchatka Oblast | now Koryak Okrug of Kamchatka Krai |
| Nenets Autonomous Okrug within Arkhangelsk Oblast | (no change) |
| Taymyr Autonomous Okrug within Krasnoyarsk Krai | now Taymyrsky Dolgano-Nenetsky District of Krasnoyarsk Krai |
| Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug within Irkutsk Oblast | now Ust-Orda Buryat Okrug of Irkutsk Oblast |
| Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug within Tyumen Oblast | (no change) |

## Ethnic composition of autonomous okrugs

The table below also includes autonomous okrugs which have since changed status.
| Autonomous Okrug | titular nation | titular nation | titular nation | titular nation | Russians | Russians | Russians | Russians | other | other | other | other |
| year | 1979 | 1989 | 2002 | 2010 | 1979 | 1989 | 2002 | 2010 | 1979 | 1989 | 2002 | 2010 |
| Agin-Buryat Autonomous Okrug | ▲52,2 | ▲ 54,9 | ▲ 62,5 | ▲ 65,1 | ▼42 | ▼ 40,8 | ▼ 35,1 | ▼ 32,5 | | | | |
| Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug | ▲61,6 | ▼ 60,2 | ▼ 59 | | ▼34,9 | ▲ 36,1 | ▲ 38,1 | | | | | |
| Koryak Autonomous Okrug (all Indigenous) | 16,3 | ▲ 16,45 | ▲ 26,6 | ▲30,3 | 62,9 | ▼ 62 | ▼ 50,5 | ▼46,2 | | 24,9 | ▲ 40,5 | ▲46,5 |
| Nenets Autonomous Okrug (Komi) | ▼12,8 | ▼ 11,9 | ▲ 18,6 | 18,6 | ▲66 | ▼ 65,8 | ▼ 62,4 | ▲ 66,1 | ▼11,1 | ▼ 9,5 | ▲ 10,8 | ▼ 9 |
| Taymyr Autonomous Okrug (Dolgan and Nenets) | ▼9,6 | ▼ 8,9 | ▲ 13,8 | ▲ 15,7 | ▲68,9 | ▼ 67,1 | ▼ 58,6 | ▼ 50,0 | ▼5 | ▼ 4,4 | ▲ 7,6 | ▲ 10,1 |
| Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug | ▲34,1 | ▲ 36,3 | ▲ 39,6 | ▲39,8 | ▼58,3 | ▼ 56,5 | ▼ 54,4 | ▼ 54,2 | | | | |
| Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug | ▼1,9 | ▼ 0,9 | ▲ 1,2 | ▲ 1,3 | ▼74,3 | ▼ 66,3 | ▼ 66 | ▲ 68,1 | ▼1,1 | ▼ 0,5 | ▲ 0,7 | ▲ 0,8 |
| Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (all Indigenous) | ▼8,1 | ▼ 7,3 | ▲ 23,4 | ▲ 26,7 | ▼68,6 | ▼ 66,1 | ▼ 51,8 | ▲ 52,5 | | 9,6 | ▲ 30,8 | ▲ 35,3 |
| Evenk Autonomous Okrug | ▼20 | ▼ 14,1 | ▲ 21,5 | ▲ 22,0 | ▲62,5 | ▲ 67,5 | ▼ 61,9 | ▼ 59,4 | | | | |
| Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (Nenets) | ▼10,7 | ▼ 4,2 | ▲ 5,2 | ▲ 5,9 | ▲59,1 | ▲ 59,2 | ▼ 58,8 | ▲ 61,7 | | ▼1,5 | ▲ 1,7 | ▲ 1,9 |