Who Are the Buryats?

The Buryats are an indigenous Mongolic-speaking people native to the region around Lake Baikal, which spans present-day southeastern Siberia in Russia. Culturally and linguistically, the Buryats are closely related to the Khalkha Mongols, the largest ethnic group in Mongolia. Traditionally, they practiced nomadic herding, similar to other Mongol groups, raising livestock such as sheep, cattle, yaks, goats, and horses.

Today, Buryats are the second-largest ethnic minority in Mongolia, with a population of around 49,000, primarily in the northern provinces such as Khövsgöl, Bulgan, Selenge, Khentii and Dornod. The largest population of Buryats — over 460,000 — lives in the Republic of Buryatia and surrounding regions of the Russian Federation. Smaller Buryat communities (about 25,000) also exist in northeastern Inner Mongolia, China, where they are known as part of the Mongol ethnic category.

Origins and Early History

The Buryats are believed to descend from ancient nomadic tribes such as the Bayïrku and Kurykans, who lived around Lake Baikal as early as the 6th–8th centuries CE. These tribes were possibly linked to the larger Xiongnu Confederation, which played a major role in early Central Asian history.

Historically, the region around Lake Baikal was part of various Mongol khanates, especially during the 13th–16th centuries. The Buryats were under the influence of the Tusheet Khan and Setsen Khan, two of the four major Khalkha Mongol nobles, before the rise of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty in the 17th century.

17th–18th Century: Russian Expansion and Annexation

The Russian Empire expanded into Siberia in the 17th century. By the Treaty of Nerchinsk (1689) and the Treaty of Kyakhta (1727), borders were drawn between the Qing Empire and Russia, officially ceding control of Buryat-inhabited lands north of Mongolia to Russia. This effectively separated the Buryats from the Mongolian heartland.

In 1741, the Russian Empire recognized Tibetan Buddhism (specifically the Gelugpa school) as one of its official religions, largely due to the influence of Buryat and Kalmyk Buddhist communities. The first Buryat Buddhist monastery (datsan) was established around this time, and Buryats played a key role in spreading Buddhism in Siberia.

20th Century: Repression and Revival

During the Russian Civil War (1917–1922), many Buryats sided with the White Army, especially under anti-Bolshevik leaders like Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternberg, who was briefly active in Mongolia. After the Bolshevik victory, Soviet authorities targeted religious institutions. From 1925 onward, a systematic crackdown on Buddhism began. Monasteries were closed, lamas were arrested, and religious practice was suppressed. By the late 1930s, during Joseph Stalin’s Great Purge, over 10,000 Buryats were executed or deported, accused of “bourgeois nationalism” or “pan-Mongolism.” This campaign also had cross-border effects in Mongolia, where the 1937–1939 Stalinist purges (including the Lkhümbe Affair) led to the execution of thousands of lamas and intellectuals, including those with ties to Buryatia.

Modern Buryatia

In 1923, the Buryat-Mongol Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created as part of the USSR. However, in 1958, the word “Mongol” was officially removed from its name, likely as part of Soviet efforts to curb Mongol identity and Pan-Mongol sentiment.

That same year, the traditional Mongolian script was banned and replaced with Cyrillic, following trends in other Mongolic regions under Soviet control. While Buryat identity persisted, much of the traditional language, script, and cultural expression was diminished during this period.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the region was reconstituted in 1992 as the Republic of Buryatia, a federal subject of the Russian Federation. In recent years, there has been a revival of Buryat language, Buddhism, and traditional customs, though challenges related to cultural assimilation and demographic decline remain.

Visiting Buryatia Today

For travelers, Buryatia offers a unique fusion of Siberian, Mongolic, and Buddhist culture. Highlights include:

• Ivolginsky Datsan, the center of Buddhism in Russia
• Lake Baikal, sacred to Buryats and the deepest freshwater lake in the world

Whether you’re drawn to its natural beauty or its rich cultural tapestry, Buryatia is a fascinating and resilient region worth exploring.