Editing Chechens (section)

{{Short description|Northeast Caucasian ethnic group}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group            = Chechens
| native_name      = {{lang|ce|Нохчий}}<br />{{transliteration|ce|Noxçiy}}
| image            = <!-- [[WP:NOETHNICGALLERIES]] --> [[File:Chechense. Match. a wedding match. George Kennan. 1870-1886.jpg|150px]]
| caption          = Chechens at a wedding, circa 1870–1886
| population       = 2.2 million{{efn|name=a|The total figure is merely an estimation; sum of all the referenced populations only.{{original research inline|date=November 2024}}}}
| popplace         = 
| region1          = [[Russia]]
| pop1             = 1,674,854<ref>{{cite web|url=https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Frosstat.gov.ru%2Fstorage%2Fmediabank%2FTom5_tab1_VPN-2020.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK|title=Russian Census of 2021}} {{in lang|ru}}</ref>
| region2          = *{{nbsp|4}}[[Chechen Republic|Chechnya]]
| pop2             = 1,456,792<ref name="census">[https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Frosstat.gov.ru%2Fstorage%2Fmediabank%2FTom5_tab1_VPN-2020.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK Russian Census of 2021] {{in lang|ru}}</ref>
| region3          = *{{nbsp|4}}[[Dagestan]]
| pop3             = 99,320<ref name="census"/>
| region4          = *{{nbsp|4}}[[Rostov Oblast]]
| pop4             = 14,316<ref name="census"/>
| region5          = *{{nbsp|4}}[[Stavropol Krai]]
| pop5             = 13,779<ref name="census"/>
| region6          = *{{nbsp|4}}[[Ingushetia]]
| pop6             = 12,240<ref name="census"/>
| region7          = *{{nbsp|4}}[[Moscow Oblast]]
| pop7             = 11,491<ref name="census"/>
| region8          = *{{nowrap|{{nbsp|4}}[[Volgograd Oblast]]}}
| pop8             = 8,038<ref name="census"/>
| region9          = *{{nbsp|4}}[[Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug]]
| pop9             = 7,085<ref name="census"/>
| region10         = *{{nbsp|4}}[[Astrakhan Oblast]]
| pop10            = 6,873<ref name="census"/>
| region11         = *{{nbsp|4}}[[Saratov Oblast]]
| pop11            = 5,748<ref
name="census"/>
| region12         = {{ubl
 | European Union
 | {{nbsp|5}}France
 | {{nbsp|5}}Austria
 | {{nbsp|5}}Belgium
 | {{nbsp|5}}Germany
 | {{nbsp|5}}Sweden
 | {{nbsp|5}}Denmark
 | {{nbsp|5}}Poland
 | {{nbsp|5}}
}}
| pop12            = 130,000 (2009)<ref>[http://www.rferl.org/content/As_Hit_Men_Strike_Concern_Grows_Among_Chechen_Exiles/1508931.html As Hit Men Strike, Concern Grows Among Chechen Exiles], RFE/RL, March 12, 2009</ref>
| region13         = Turkey
| pop13            = 100,000<ref name="host">[http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/12785/chechens_in_the_middle_east.html Chechens in the Middle East: Between Original and Host Cultures] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722061015/http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/12785/chechens_in_the_middle_east.html|date=2011-07-22}}, Event Report, Caspian Studies Program</ref><ref>Kristiina Markkanen: [http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Chechen+refugee+came+to+Finland+via+Baku+and+Istanbul/1135246619648 Chechen refugee came to Finland via Baku and Istanbul] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111121195649/http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Chechen+refugee+came+to+Finland+via+Baku+and+Istanbul/1135246619648|date=2011-11-21}}</ref>
| region14         = Kazakhstan
| pop14            = 33,557<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stat.gov.kz/api/getFile/?docId=ESTAT464825|title=Итоги Национальной переписи населения 2021 года в Республике Казахстан|website=stat.gov.kz|access-date=2022-09-02|archive-date=2022-09-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902140633/https://stat.gov.kz/api/getFile/?docId=ESTAT464825|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| region15         = Iraq
| pop15            = 14,000<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Ahmet Katav|author2=Bilgay Duman|title=Iraqi Circassians (Chechens, Dagestanis, Adyghes)|journal=ORSAM Reports|date=November 2012|issue=134|url=http://www.orsam.org.tr/en/enUploads/Article/Files/20121116_134ingtum.pdf|access-date=15 April 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403142200/http://www.orsam.org.tr/en/enUploads/Article/Files/20121116_134ingtum.pdf|archive-date=3 April 2013}}</ref>
| region16         = Georgia
| pop16            = 8,400
| region17         = Egypt
| pop17            = 6,700<ref name="host"/>
| region18         = Jordan
| pop18            = 5,700<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reliefweb.int/report/russian-federation/jordan-willing-assist-chechnya-king|title=Jordan willing to assist Chechnya – King|website=Reliefweb.int|date=2007-08-28|access-date=2013-04-20}}</ref>
| region19         = Syria
| pop19            = 5,400<ref name=Jaimoukha>{{citation |last=Jaimoukha|first=Amjad M.|year=2008|chapter=Syria|title=The Chechens: A Handbook|page=232|publisher=[[Routledge]]|isbn=978-0-415-32328-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/circassian-ossetian-chechen-minorities-solicit-russian-help-to-leave-syria/24674280.html|title=Circassian, Ossetian, Chechen Minorities Solicit Russian Help To Leave Syria|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=12 August 2012 |access-date=2013-04-20}}</ref>
| region20         = Azerbaijan
| pop20            = 5,400<ref>{{Cite web |last=Project |first=Joshua |title=Chechen in Azerbaijan |url=https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/11317/AJ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=joshuaproject.net |language=en}}</ref>
| region21         = Norway
| pop21            = 10,000<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/q50Ro/en-av-aatte-norske-fremmedkrigere-fra-nord-kaukasus | title=Én av åtte «norske» fremmedkrigere fra Nord-Kaukasus | date=20 August 2015 }}</ref>
| region22         = Uzbekistan
| pop22            = 1,800
| region23         = Turkmenistan
| pop23            = 1,100
| region24         = United Arab Emirates
| pop24            = 2,000–3,000<ref name=exodus>Chechnya's Exodus to Europe, North Caucasus Weekly Volume: 9 Issue: 3, [[The Jamestown Foundation]], January 24, 2008</ref>
| region25         = Ukraine
| pop25            = 2,877<ref>{{cite web|url=http://2001.ukrcensus.gov.ua/eng/results/general/nationality/|title=About number and composition population of Ukraine by data All-Ukrainian census of the population 2001|work=Ukraine Census 2001|publisher=State Statistics Committee of Ukraine|access-date=17 January 2012}}</ref>
| region26         = Kyrgyzstan
| pop26            = 1,709<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stat.gov.kg/ru/opendata/category/312/|title=Национальный состав населения (оценка на начало года, человек)|website=Национальный статистический комитет Кыргызской Республики|access-date=2020-10-19}}</ref>
| region27         = Finland
| pop27            = 891<ref>{{cite web | url=https://pxdata.stat.fi/PxWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11rs.px/ | title=Population 31.12. By Origin, Background country, Language, Year, Age, Sex and Information }}</ref>
| region28         = United States
| pop28            = 250–1,000<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/04/19/the-chechens-in-america-why-they-re-here-and-who-they-are.html|title=The Chechens in America: Why They're Here and Who They Are|author=Andrew Meier|newspaper=[[The Daily Beast]]|date=April 19, 2013|access-date=April 30, 2013}}</ref>{{efn|The actual number of Chechens living in the United States may be higher, as they are categorized as ''Russians'' in censuses.}}
| region29         = Latvia
| pop29            = 136–189
| ref29            = <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://data.stat.gov.lv/pxweb/en/OSP_PUB/START__POP__IR__IRE/IRE010/table/tableViewLayout1/|title=Population by ethnicity at the beginning of year – Time period and Ethnicity &#124; National Statistical System of Latvia |website=data.stat.gov.lv}}</ref><ref>[https://www.pmlp.gov.lv/lv/media/9756/download?attachment Latvijas iedzīvotāju sadalījums pēc nacionālā sastāva un valstiskās piederības, 01.01.2023. – PMLP]</ref>
| rels             = [[Sunni Islam]]
| langs            = [[Chechen language|Chechen]]
| related          = Other [[Nakh peoples]] ([[Ingush people|Ingush]], [[Bats people|Bats]])
}}

The '''Chechens''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|tʃ|ɛ|tʃ|ɛ|n|z|,_|tʃ|ə|ˈ|tʃ|ɛ|n|z}} {{respell|CHETCH|enz|,_|chə|CHENZ}};<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Chambers Dictionary|publisher=Chambers|year=2003|isbn=0-550-10105-5|edition=9th|chapter=Chechen}}</ref> {{langx|ce|Нохчий}}, {{transliteration|ce|Noxçiy}}, Old Chechen: Нахчой, ''Naxçoy'') or '''Shishans''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chechen {{!}} people {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chechen-people |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> historically also known as ''[[Kistin|Kisti]]'' and ''[[Durdzuks]]'',<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite book|last=Jaimoukha|first=Amjad|title=The Chechens}}</ref> are a [[Northeast Caucasian languages|Northeast Caucasian]] [[ethnic group]] of the [[Nakh peoples]] native to the [[North Caucasus]].<ref name="NatlGeoAtlas">{{Cite book|title=National Geographic Atlas of the World|publisher=[[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]]|year=1999|isbn=978-0-7922-7528-2|edition=7th|location=Washington, DC}} "Europe" (pp. 68–69); "Asia" (pp. 90–91): "A commonly accepted division between Asia and Europe ... is formed by the Ural Mountains, Ural River, Caspian Sea, Caucasus Mountains, and the Black Sea with its outlets, the Bosporus and Dardanelles."</ref> They are the largest ethnic group in the region<ref>{{cite web|url=https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Frosstat.gov.ru%2Fstorage%2Fmediabank%2FTom5_tab1_VPN-2020.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK|title=Russian Census of 2021}}</ref> and refer to themselves as '''Nokhchiy''' ({{IPA|ce|no̞xtʃʼiː|pron}}; singular Nokhchi, Nokhcho, Nakhchuo or Nakhche).<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Chechenzes|volume=6|page=21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Berge|first=Adolf|title=Чечня и Чеченцы|year=1859|location=Тифлис|pages=65–66|quote=Вот исчисление всех племен, на которые принято делить Чеченцев. В строгом же смысле деление это не имеет основания. Самим Чеченцам оно совершенно неизвестно. Они сами себя называют Нахче, т.е. "народ" и это относится до всего народа, говорящего на Чеченском языке и его наречиях. Упомянутые же названия им были даны или от аулов, как Цори, Галгай, Шатой и др., или от рек и гор, как Мичиковцы и Качкалыки. Весьма вероятно, что рано или поздно все или большая часть приведенных нами имен исчезнут и Чеченцы удержат за собою одно общее наименование.}}</ref> The vast majority of Chechens are [[Muslims]]<ref name="gwu.edu" /> and live in [[Republic of Chechnya|Chechnya]], an [[Republics of Russia|autonomous republic]] within the [[Russian Federation]].

The North Caucasus has been invaded numerous times throughout history. Its isolated terrain and the strategic value outsiders have placed on the areas settled by Chechens has contributed much to the Chechen community [[ethos]] and helped shape its national character.

Chechen society is largely [[Egalitarianism|egalitarian]] and organized around tribal autonomous local clans, called [[teip]]s, informally organized into loose confederations called [[tukkhum]]s.