How have the Nenets traditionally lived in the northern Ural Mountains?

The Nenets are an Indigenous ethnolinguistic group who have traditionally inhabited the northern Ural Mountains and surrounding tundra regions. While some groups have transitioned to life in permanent villages, many Nenets in the northern Urals have preserved their traditional way of life, which centers on reindeer pastoralism, hunting, and fishing.123

Reindeer breeding is fundamental to their economy and survival, providing essential resources such as meat, lard, and blood for food; skins for clothing, footwear, and winter tents; leather for harnesses and lassos; and horn for tools. A household typically requires a herd of 70 to 100 reindeer to maintain self-sufficiency.1

Socially, the Nenets traditionally trace descent through the paternal line and organize themselves into clans that hold specific territories and maintain shared burial and sacrificial grounds. Although Soviet-era policies introduced collective production, reindeer herding remains the primary activity for those maintaining traditional practices in the region.13