Editing Tatarstan (section)

== Demographics ==
'''Population''': {{ru-census |p2021= 4,004,809|p2010= 3,786,488|p2002=3,779,265|p1989=3,637,809}}

=== Settlements ===
{{Largest cities
| country      = Tatarstan
| stat_ref     = 2021 Russian Census
| list_by_pop  =
| div_name     =
| div_link     = Administrative divisions of the Republic of Tatarstan{{!}}Administrative Division
| city_1 = Kazan
| div_1 = Kazan{{!}}City of republic significance of Kazan
| pop_1 = 1,308,660	
| img_1 = Kazan Kremlin. Qolşärif Mosque P8111875 2200.jpg
| city_2 = Naberezhnye Chelny
| div_2 = Tukayevsky District
| pop_2 = 548,434
| img_2 = Энтузиастлар бульвары.jpg
| city_3 = Nizhnekamsk
| div_3 = Nizhnekamsky District
| pop_3 = 241,479
| img_3 = 47mkr.JPG
| city_4 = Zelenodolsk, Republic of Tatarstan{{!}}Zelenodolsk
| div_4 = Zelenodolsky District
| pop_4 = 163,512
| img_4 = Zeleny Dol Station and surroundings 08-2016 img5.jpg
| city_5 = Almetyevsk
| div_5 = Almetyevsky District
| pop_5 = 100,000
| city_6 = Bugulma
| div_6 = Bugulminsky District
| pop_6 = 81,677
| city_7 = Yelabuga
| div_7 = Yelabuzhsky District
| pop_7 = 73,630
| city_8 = Leninogorsk, Russia{{!}}Leninogorsk
| div_8 = Leninogorsky District
| pop_8 = 60,993
| city_9 = Chistopol
| div_9 = Chistopolsky District
| pop_9 = 58,815
| city_10 = Aznakayevo
| div_10 = Aznakayevsky District
| pop_10 = 40,739
}}

=== Vital statistics ===
[[File:Life expectancy in Russian subject -Tatarstan.png|right|thumb|Life expectancy at birth in Tatarstan]]
[[File:Tatarstan population.PNG|right|thumb|Ethnic breakdown of population]]
[[File:Tatarstan population density.jpg|thumb|right|Population density]]
[[File:Urban-rural population dynamics (Tatarstan).PNG|right|thumb|Urban-rural population dynamics]]
[[File:RIAN archive 320886 Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov in the Kul Sharif Mosque during his visit to Tatarstan.jpg|thumb|[[Mintimer Shaimiyev]], the president of the republic of Tatarstan, in the [[Qolşärif Mosque]], Kazan]]
[[File:Volga river. Klyuchishchi. Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist P8111751 2200.jpg|thumb|Russian Orthodox Church in Tatarstan]]
<ref name="CtV1e" />
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
! style="width:70pt;"|Average population (1000s)
! 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;"| 3,146
| style="text-align:right;"| 47,817
| style="text-align:right;"| 25,622
| style="text-align:right;"| 22,195
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 8.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 7.1
|-
| 1975
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,311
| style="text-align:right;"| 55,095
| style="text-align:right;"| 29,686
| style="text-align:right;"| 25,409
| style="text-align:right;"| 16.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 7.7
|-
| 1980
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,465
| style="text-align:right;"| 54,272
| style="text-align:right;"| 32,758
| style="text-align:right;"| 21,514
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.2
|-
| 1985
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,530
| style="text-align:right;"| 64,067
| style="text-align:right;"| 34,622
| style="text-align:right;"| 29,445
| style="text-align:right;"| 18.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 8.3
|-
| 1990
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,665
| style="text-align:right;"| 56,277
| style="text-align:right;"| 36,219
| style="text-align:right;"| 20,058
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 2.05
|-
| 1991
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,684
| style="text-align:right;"| 50,160
| style="text-align:right;"| 37,266
| style="text-align:right;"| 12,894
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 3.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.88
|-
| 1992
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,706
| style="text-align:right;"| 44,990
| style="text-align:right;"| 39,148
| style="text-align:right;"| 5,842
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.71
|-
| 1993
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,730
| style="text-align:right;"| 41,144
| style="text-align:right;"| 44,291
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−3,147
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.9
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−0.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.57
|-
| 1994
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,746
| style="text-align:right;"| 41,811
| style="text-align:right;"| 48,613
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−6,802
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.0
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−1.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.58
|-
| 1995
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,756
| style="text-align:right;"| 39,070
| style="text-align:right;"| 48,592
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−9,522
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.9
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−2.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.47
|-
| 1996
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,766
| style="text-align:right;"| 38,080
| style="text-align:right;"| 45,731
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−7,651
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.1
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−2.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.43
|-
| 1997
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,775
| style="text-align:right;"| 37,268
| style="text-align:right;"| 46,270
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−9,002
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.3
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−2.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.38
|-
| 1998
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,785
| style="text-align:right;"| 37,182
| style="text-align:right;"| 45,153
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−7,971
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.9
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−2.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.37
|-
| 1999
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,789
| style="text-align:right;"| 35,073
| style="text-align:right;"| 46,679
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−11,606
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.3
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−3.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.29
|-
| 2000
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,788
| style="text-align:right;"| 35,446
| style="text-align:right;"| 49,723
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−14,277
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.1
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−3.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.29
|-
| 2001
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,784
| style="text-align:right;"| 35,877
| style="text-align:right;"| 50,119
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−14,242
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.2
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−3.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.30
|-
| 2002
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,779
| style="text-align:right;"| 38,178
| style="text-align:right;"| 51,685
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−13,507
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.7
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−3.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.37
|-
| 2003
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,775
| style="text-align:right;"| 38,461
| style="text-align:right;"| 52,263
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−13,802
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.8
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−3.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.36
|-
| 2004
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,771
| style="text-align:right;"| 38,661
| style="text-align:right;"| 51,322
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−12,661
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.6
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−3.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.34
|-
| 2005
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,767
| style="text-align:right;"| 36,967
| style="text-align:right;"| 51,841
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−14,874
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.8
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−3.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.26
|-
| 2006
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,763
| style="text-align:right;"| 37,303
| style="text-align:right;"| 49,218
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−11,915
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.1
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−3.2
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"| 1.25
|-
| 2007
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,763
| style="text-align:right;"| 40,892
| style="text-align:right;"| 48,962
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−8,070
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.0
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−2.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.36
|-
| 2008
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,772
| style="text-align:right;"| 44,290
| style="text-align:right;"| 48,952
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−4,662
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.0
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−1.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.45
|-
| 2009
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,779
| style="text-align:right;"| 46,605
| style="text-align:right;"| 47,892
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−1,287
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.7
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−0.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.55
|-
| 2010
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,785
| style="text-align:right;"| 48,968
| style="text-align:right;"| 49,730
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−762
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.1
|  style="text-align:right; color:red;"|−0.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.60
|-
| 2011
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,795
| style="text-align:right;"| 50,824
| style="text-align:right;"| 47,072
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,752
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.65
|-
| 2012
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,813
| style="text-align:right;"| 55,421
| style="text-align:right;"| 46,358
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,063
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 2.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.80
|-
| 2013
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,830
| style="text-align:right;"| 56,458
| style="text-align:right;"| 46,192
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,266
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 2.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.83
|-
| 2014
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,847
| style="text-align:right;"| 56,480
| style="text-align:right;"| 46,921
| style="text-align:right;"| 9,559
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 2.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.84
|-
| 2015
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,862
| style="text-align:right;"| 56,899
| style="text-align:right;"| 46,483
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,416
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 2.7
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.86
|-
| 2016
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,878
| style="text-align:right;"| 55,853
| style="text-align:right;"| 44,894
| style="text-align:right;"| 10,959
| style="text-align:right;"| 14.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 2.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.86 
|-
| 2017
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,889
| style="text-align:right;"| 48,115
| style="text-align:right;"| 43,957
| style="text-align:right;"| 4,158
| style="text-align:right;"| 12.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.65
|-
| 2018
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,894
| style="text-align:right;"| 46,320
| style="text-align:right;"| 44,720
| style="text-align:right;"| 1,600
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 0.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.62
|-
| 2019
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 42,871
| style="text-align:right;"| 42,691
| style="text-align:right;"| 180
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 0.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.54
|-
| 2020
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 41,320
| style="text-align:right;"| 54,310
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| -12,981
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 13.9
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| -3.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.54
|-
| 2021
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 40,936
| style="text-align:right;"| 60,301
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| -19,365
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 15.5
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| -5.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.57
|-
| 2022
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 36,651
| style="text-align:right;"| 44,784
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| -8,133
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 11.2
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| -2.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.43
|-
| 2023
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 36,497
| style="text-align:right;"| 42,844
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| -6,347
| style="text-align:right;"| 9.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 10.7
| style="text-align:right; color:red;"| -1.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 1.45
|}

Note: TFR source.<ref name="Sjn7z" />
<!--*'''Average life expectancy''': no data-->

=== Ethnic groups ===
{| 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
! colspan="2" | 2021 Census<sup>1</sup><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>
|- style="background:#e0e0e0;"
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
! Number
! %
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Volga Tatars|Tatars]]
| 1,263,383
|48.7%
| 1,421,514
|48.8%
| 1,345,195
|47.2%
| 1,536,430
|49.1%
| 1,641,603
|47.6%
| 1,765,404
|48.5%
| 2,000,116
|52.9%
| 2,012,571
|53.2%
| 2,091,175
|53.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Russians]]
| 1,118,834
|43.1%
| 1,250,667
|42.9%
| 1,252,413
|43.9%
| 1,382,738
|42.4%
| 1,516,023
|44.0%
| 1,575,361
|43.3%
| 1,492,602
|39.5%
| 1,501,369
|39.7%
| 1,574,804
|40.3%
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Chuvash people|Chuvash]]
| 127,330
|4.9%
| 138,935
|4.8%
| 143,552
|5.0%
| 153,496
|4.9%
| 147,088
|4.3%
| 134,221
|3.7%
| 126,532
|3.3%
| 116,252
|3.1%
| 90,474
|2.3%
|-
|align="left"|  Others
| 84,485
|3.3%
| 104,161
|3.6%
| 109,257
|3.8%
| 112,574
|3.6%
| 140,698
|4.1%
| 166,756
|4.6%
| 160,015
|4.2%
| 150,244
|4.1%
| 146,914
|3.8%
|-
| style="text-align:left;" colspan="19"| <sup>1</sup> <small>101,442 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 name="vQWVL" />
|}
{{Historical populations
|type =
|footnote = Sources: Census data, estimate<ref name=2025estimate>{{cite web|title=Численность постоянного населения Российской Федерации по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2025 года|url=https://rosstat.gov.ru/storage/mediabank/Сhisl_MO_01-01-2025.xlsx|publisher=[[Federal State Statistics Service (Russia)|Federal State Statistics Service]]|accessdate=27 April 2025}}</ref>
|[[1926 Soviet census|1926]] | 2585036
|[[1959 Soviet census|1959]] | 2850417
|[[1970 Soviet census|1970]] | 3131238
|[[1979 Soviet census|1979]] | 3435644
|[[1989 Soviet census|1989]] | 3647809
|[[2002 Russian census|2002]] | 3779265
|[[2010 Russian census|2010]] | 3786488
|[[2021 Russian census|2021]] | 4004809
|2025 | 4019606
}}
[[File:Ethnic map of Tatarstan (2010).PNG|thumb|Ethnic map of Tatarstan (2010)]]
[[File:Этнический состав Республики Татарстан по послениям.png|thumb|400px|Ethnic composition of the Republic of Tatarstan by settlements, 2010 census. {{Legend|#ff0000|[[Russians]]}}{{Legend|#9acd32|[[Tatars]]}}{{Legend|#00ffff|[[Chuvash people|Chuvashes]]}}{{Legend|#ba55d3|[[Mordvins]] ([[Erzyas]] and [[Mokshas]])}}{{Legend|#b0c4de|[[Kryashens]] (Baptised Tatars)}}{{Legend|#ffa500|[[Udmurts]]}}{{Legend|#6a5acd|[[Mari people]]}}]]

There are about 2 million ethnic [[Volga Tatars|Tatars]] and 1.5 million ethnic [[Russians]] in Tatarstan, along with significant numbers of [[Chuvash people|Chuvash]], [[Mari people|Mari]], and [[Udmurts]], some of whom are [[Tatar language|Tatar]]-speaking. The [[Ukrainians|Ukrainian]], [[Mordvins|Mordvin]], and [[Bashkirs|Bashkir]] minorities are also significant. Most Tatars are [[Sunni Muslim]]s, but a small minority known as [[Kryashens|Keräşen Tatars]] are [[Eastern Orthodox|Orthodox Christians]], some of whom regard themselves as being distinct from other Tatars even though most Keräşen dialects differ only slightly from the Central Dialect of the Tatar language.<ref name="yTMto" />

There is a fair degree of speculation as to the early origins of the different groups of Tatars, but most Tatars no longer view religious identity as being as important as it once was, and the religious and linguistic subgroups have intermingled considerably. Nevertheless, despite many decades of assimilation and intermingling, some Keräşen demanded and were awarded the option of being specifically enumerated in 2002. This has provoked great controversy, however, as many intellectuals have sought to portray the Tatars as homogeneous and indivisible.<ref name="Mzhso" /> Although listed separately below, the Keräşen are still included in the grand total for the Tatars. Another unique ethnic group, concentrated in Tatarstan, is the [[Qaratay]] [[Mordvins]].

==== Jews ====
{{main|History of Jews in Udmurtia and Tatarstan}}

Tatar and [[Udmurt people|Udmurt]] Jews are special territorial groups of the [[Ashkenazi Jews]], which started to be formed in the residential areas of mixed Turkic-speaking ([[Volga Tatars|Tatars]], [[Kryashens]], [[Bashkirs]], [[Chuvash people]]), Finno-Ugric-speaking ([[Udmurts]], [[Mari people]]) and Slavic-speaking ([[Russians]]) populations. The Ashkenazi Jews first appeared in Tatarstan in the 1830s.<ref name="Казань" /> The Jews of [[Udmurtia]] and Tatarstan are subdivided by cultural and linguistic characteristics into two territorial groups: 1) Udmurt Jews (Udmurt Jewry), who lived on the territory of [[Udmurtia]] and the north of Tatarstan; 2) Tatar Jews, or Kazan Jews (Tatar Jewry or Kazan Jewry), who lived mainly in the city of Kazan and its agglomeration.<ref name="snioo.ru" />

=== Languages ===
In accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Tatarstan, the two state languages of the republic are [[Tatar language|Tatar]] and [[Russian language|Russian]]. According to the 2002 Russian Federal Law (''On Languages of Peoples of the Russian Federation''), the [[official script]] is [[Cyrillic]]. Linguistic anthropologist Dr. Suzanne Wertheim notes that "some men signal ideological devotion to the Tatar cause by refusing to accommodate to Russian-dominant public space or Russian speakers", whilst women, in promoting "the Tatar state and Tatar national culture, index their pro-Tatar ideological stances more diplomatically, and with linguistic practices situated only within the Tatar-speaking community... in keeping with normative gender roles within the Tatar republic."<ref name= "GbNw7" />

=== Religion ===
{{Main|Islam in Tatarstan}}
{{Bar box
|title=Religion in Tatarstan as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas)<ref name="2012ArenaAtlas" /><ref name="2012Arena-religion-maps" />
|float=right
|bars=
{{Bar percent|[[Islam in Russia|Islam]]|Green|53.8}}
{{Bar percent|[[Russian Orthodox Church|Russian Orthodoxy]]|DarkOrchid|30.5}}
{{Bar percent|[[Atheism]] and [[irreligion]]|Black|5.7}}
{{Bar percent|Other [[Christianity in Russia|Christians]]|DeepSkyBlue|2}}
{{Bar percent|Other [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]]|MediumOrchid|1}}
{{Bar percent|[[Rodnovery]] and other native faiths|Red|0.5}}
{{Bar percent|[[Spiritual but not religious]]|DarkSlateGray|1}}
{{Bar percent|Other and undeclared|Gray|2.5}}
}}
[[File:Кремль18.jpg|thumb|[[Qolşärif Mosque]] in Kazan]]
{{As of|2012|post=,}} [[Islam]] was the most common faith in Tatarstan, adhered to by 53.8% of the estimated 3.8 million population. Most of the remaining population is either [[Russian Orthodox Christian]] or non-religious.<ref name="a2O3P" /><ref name="2012ArenaAtlas">{{Cite web|title=Main page project "Arena" : Non-profit research based consulting "Sreda"|url=https://sreda.org/en/arena|access-date=2022-12-31|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="2012Arena-religion-maps">[http://c2.kommersant.ru/ISSUES.PHOTO/OGONIOK/2012/034/ogcyhjk2.jpg 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps]. "Ogonek", No. 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>

Established in 922, the first Muslim state within the boundaries of modern Russia was [[Volga Bulgaria]] from which the [[Volga Tatars|Tatars]] inherited [[Islam]]. Islam was introduced by missionaries<ref name="emLPD" /> from [[Baghdad]] around the time of [[Ibn Fadlan]]'s journey in 922. Islam's long presence in Russia also extends at least as far back as [[Russo-Kazan Wars|the conquest of the Khanate of Kazan]] in 1552, which brought the [[Volga Tatars|Tatars]] and [[Bashkirs]] on the Middle [[Volga]] into Russia.
[[File:Сергиевская церковь 1604 г. Иоанно-Предтеченский монастырь. Остров-град Свияжск. РТ. Июнь 2013 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Sergius Church, at the island-city Sviyazhsk]]
In the 1430s, the region became independent as the base of the [[Khanate of Kazan]], a capital having been established in [[Kazan]], 170&nbsp;km up the Volga from the ruined capital of the Bulgars. The Khanate of Kazan [[Russo-Kazan Wars|was conquered]] by the troops of Tsar [[Ivan IV of Russia|Ivan IV the Terrible]] in the 1550s, with Kazan being taken in 1552. Some Tatars were forcibly converted to Christianity and cathedrals were built in Kazan; by 1593, mosques in the area were destroyed. The Russian government forbade the construction of mosques, a prohibition that was not lifted until the 18th century by [[Catherine II of Russia|Catherine II]].

In 1990, there were only 100 mosques, but by 2004 this number had risen to well over 1,000. {{As of|2008|1|1|post=,}} as many as 1,398 religious organizations were registered in Tatarstan, of which 1,055 were [[Muslim]]. In September 2010, [[Eid al-Fitr]] as well as 21&nbsp;May, the day the [[Volga Bulgars]] embraced Islam, were made public holidays.<ref name="xbyoj" />

The [[Russian Orthodox Church]] is the second largest active religion in Tatarstan, and has been so for more than 150 years,<ref name="htTUf" /> with an estimated 1.6 million followers made up of [[ethnic Russians]], [[Mordvins]], [[Armenians]], [[Belarusians]], [[Mari people]], [[Georgians]], [[Chuvash people|Chuvash]] and a number of Orthodox [[Tatars]] which together constitute 38% of the 3.8 million population of Tatarstan. On 23&nbsp;August 2010, the "Orthodox monuments of Tatarstan" exhibition was held in Kazan by the Tatarstan Ministry of Culture and the Kazan Eparchy.<ref name="TuLKj" /> At all public events, an [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] Priest is called upon along with an Islamic [[Mufti]].<ref name="1Dz9w" />

The Muslim Religious Board of Tatarstan frequently organizes activities, like the '[[Islamic graffiti]] Contest' which was held on 20&nbsp;November 2011.<ref name="1JKy9" />