Khants
overview
The people call themselves hanty as well as kantyk the Russian word ostyak can be a loan from Khanty language as-yah which means 'the people of Ob river'. In 2002 the census of Russian Federation counted the Khant population 29 000 people of whom speak the Khant language 48%. They live mostly in Khanty-Mansi and Yamal Nenets autonomous region.
The Khants have become an insignificant minority in their own historical settlement areas: 9.2% in 1959, 1.8% in 1989. The Khants have been forced to leave the quickly expanding industrial areas. The environment is on the verge of catastrophe.
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