Slavic peoples

The Slavic peoples are the most numerous ethnic and linguistic body of peoples currently living in Europe. They are defined by speaking Slavic languages and reside chiefly in Central and Eastern Europe, but are also found in Asia. The idea that the Slavic people have more in common than their origin, the origin of their languages and some cultural aspects is derived from romantic nationalism, the panslavism movement and the notion of race as a biological basis of nations.

Ethno-cultural subdivisions

Slavs are customarily divided into three major subgroups: East Slavs, West Slavs, and South Slavs, each with a somewhat different background. Basically, the East Slavs may all be traced to Slavic speaking populations that were organised as Kievan Rus beginning in the 9th century AD. Almost all of the South Slavs can be traced to ethnic Slavs mixed with the local population of the Balkans (Illyrians, Thracians, Dacians and Getae) and with later invaders from the East (Bulgars, Avars, Alans, Petchenegs, Cumans). The West Slavs (and the Slovenes) do not share either of these backgrounds, but gradually expanded so far to the West that they fell into the cultural sphere of Western (Roman Catholic) Christendom around this timeframe.

Related Topics:
Kievan Rus - Illyrians - Thracians - Dacians - Getae - Bulgars - Avars - Alans - Petchenegs - Cumans - Slovenes

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East Slavs:

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• Russians
• Lipovan Russians
• Ukrainians
• Rusyns (also considered part of the Ukrainians)
• Lemko
• Bojko
• Huculs
• Belarusians
• Poleszuks (transitional between Ukrainians and Belarusians)

West Slavs:

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• Lechitic group
• Poles
• Masovians
• Polans ^†
• Vistulans ^†
• Silesians (also considered part of the Poles)
• Pomeranians
• Kashubians
• Slovincians ^†
• Polabians ^†
• Obodrites/Abodrites ^†
• Veleti ^†
• Volinians (Velunzani) ^†
• Pyritzans (Prissani) ^†
• Czecho-Slovak group
• Czechs
• Moravians
• Slovaks
• Rusins (often considered part of the Rusyns)
• Sorbs (Serbo-Lusatians)
• Milczans (Upper Sorbs)
• Lusatians (Lower Sorbs)

South Slavs:

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• South-Eastern (Bulgaro-Macedonian) group
• Bulgarians
• Muslim Bulgarians (Pomaks)
• Macedonians
• Torbesh
• South-Western group
• Serbs
• Montenegrins
• Croats
• Janjevci
• Molise Croats
• Burgenland Croats
• Bosniaks
• Slovenians
• Karantanians
• Yugoslavs
• Muslims
• Bunjevci
• Goranci
• Krashovans
• ?okci

† Extinct

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Note: Besides ethnic groups, Slavs often identify themselves with the geographical region in which they live. E.g., some of the major regional South Slavic groups include: Istrani, Dalmatinci, Slavonci (in Croatia), Bosanci, Hercegovci, Kraji?nici, Semberci (in Bosnia and Herzegovina), Srbijanci, ?umadinci, Vojvo?ani, Sremci, Ba?vani, Bana?ani, Sand?aklije, Crnogorci, Bokelji (in Serbia and Montenegro), etc.

Related Topics:
Istrani - Dalmatinci - Slavonci - Bosanci - Hercegovci - Kraji?nici - Semberci - Srbijanci - ?umadinci - Vojvo?ani - Sremci - Ba?vani - Bana?ani - Sand?aklije - Crnogorci - Bokelji

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