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Heya_Andy t1_j5jd5vz wrote

Can anyone explain why the area near the top-right is pink? Most of the other low proportions seem to be near borders, where people may perhaps identify as belonging to a former state that was absorbed into Russia. But this area has always been part of Russia, has it not?

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Waneshasa t1_j5jh6vu wrote

It's a relatively new territory (mid 17th century) as most of Siberia. Native Russian lands are located in 'Central Russia' (geographically those are actually the most western territories of Russia, some regions of Belarus and Ukraine).

The reason for low ethnic Russian population is very simpe - it's too cold there and locals were very hostile towards Russians, there was almost no reason for making settlements there. When cossacks advanced through Siberia they tended to stick to southern border, which resulted in cities like Irkutsk.

Harsh climate was also a reason why those territories were difficult to subjugate.

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Other pink areas are north Caucasus (south-western region, 18-19th centuries) with very hostile natives and Tuva (begining of 20th century, the newest territory of Russia).

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