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People group profile · PG024431

The Chuvash of the Russian Federation

The Chuvash of the Russian Federation, numbering about 1,630,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Turkic ethnic group whose historic homeland is the Chuvash Republic (Chuvashia) in the middle Volga region of Russia. Most Chuvash live in Chuvashia, although Chuvash communities are found throughout Russia and parts of Central Asia.

They are an indigenous people in the Ural-Siberian people cluster of the Turkic Peoples. Their primary religion is Unaffiliated, and they primarily speak Chuvash.

Pray for the ChuvashPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Chuvash people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Chuvash

Fast facts

Country
Russian Federation
Population
1,630,000
Affinity group
European Peoples
People cluster
Ural-Siberian
Primary language
Chuvash (chv)
Primary religion
Unaffiliated
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Europe, Europe

Where they live

Gospel status

The Chuvash are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Chuvash

  • Continue prayer and fasting for this group
  • Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
  • Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Primary religion

Unaffiliated

65% adherents

Primary language

Chuvash · Turkic family

86% speak Chuvash

Gospel resources in Chuvash

  • Bible available, published 2018
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings not available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Chuvash

  1. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  2. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  3. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  4. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.

Download a prayer guide

Chuvash in other countries

The same people (ROP3 102226) is reported in 4 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
ChuvashUzbekistan18,500Unengaged and Unreached
ChuvashKazakhstan16,000Unengaged and Unreached
ChuvashTajikistan5,300Unengaged and Unreached
ChuvashTurkmenistan4,200Unengaged and Unreached

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