Karelians, Finns, Norwegians, Komi, and Nentsy. The number of alien people in a population prevailed. According to the Russian census, taken on January 29, 1897, in the North Kola lived 9183 persons, including 1724 Saami.
By 1897, there were 1724; 1720 in 1926; and 1700 in 1990. A survey taken in 2002 in Russia indicated that there were only 1991 Sami (882 men and 1109 women). Many Saami moved abroad.
Only forty-two percent, and possibly fewer of them, actually spoke a native language. However, the last surveys are not reliable because many locals claimed to be Saami to collect state and foreign aid and to make an easier move to neighboring countries. Also, all intermarriage couples claims their newborns as Saami.
There are only a few families living in the Murmansk region that are truly Saami on both sides.
Rachel Madorsky, an internationally published award-winning author of several books.
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