Where did the Finno-Ugric peoples traditionally live?

The Finno-Ugric peoples have traditionally inhabited an extensive geographic area, ranging from northern Scandinavia and the Baltic region to the Ob River in Siberia, and southward into central Europe and Ukraine.12

The original speakers of the parent Finno-Ugric language are believed to have lived in the region between the Ural Mountains and the middle reaches of the Volga River. Over millennia, these populations dispersed:13

• Northern and Eastern Groups: Some groups moved northeast behind the Ural Mountains, such as the Khanty and Mansi, who settled along the Ob River.14
• Western and Baltic Groups: Other populations migrated westward toward the Baltic Sea, including the ancestors of the Finns, Estonians, and Sami.14
• Southern Groups: One branch migrated south, eventually settling in the Carpathian Basin, where they established Hungary.1
• Central Groups: Other populations, such as the Mordvins and Mari, remained concentrated in the central Volga region.14