Indigenous peoples of Europe
Most of the recognized indigenous peoples of Europe live in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe . In addition, there are indigenous peoples in areas outside Europe that are politically ruled by European states .
In geographic Europe
Most of the indigenous peoples of Europe live within the Russian Federation (see Indigenous Small Peoples of the Russian North ). In the European part of the country these are, among others, the Sami of the Kola Peninsula , the Wepsen in Karelia , the Nenets , who inhabit the Nenets Autonomous Okrug in the north of the Komi Republic . Some ethnic groups in southern Russia are also recognized as " indigenous " small peoples, such as the Abasins , Schapsugen and Nagaibaken .
Within Russia, it is disputed whether the Finns of the Komi and Mari peoples should also be considered “indigenous”, as they have their own “statehood” in the form of autonomous republics .
It is undisputed, however, that the Sami in the north of Fennoscandinavia and Russia are counted among the indigenous peoples due to their linguistic and cultural differences.
On the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea , several population groups define themselves as indigenous , such as the Crimean Tatars , the Karaites (Karaim) and the Crimean Chaks .
In Switzerland , there was a discussion about whether Switzerland should sign the Convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (ILO Convention No. 169) for the protection of indigenous peoples. It was about whether "travelers" ( traveling people ) form their own indigenous people. According to Swiss law , travelers are a mixed population group without an independent ethnicity , consisting on the one hand of Yenish and on the other of Manouches ( Sinti ), each with Swiss citizenship. Roma and Sinti do not consider their group to be indigenous, and the Swiss Manouches do not register such a claim either, but have been representing Yenish interest groups for several years. In Switzerland, the Yenish and Sinti have been recognized as a national minority since 2016 ; in Ireland, the Travelers were recognized as an ethnic minority in 2017.
Outside Europe, but affiliated to European countries
Politically , the indigenous peoples of Siberia living east of the Urals also belong to Europe , from the Nenets , Khanty and Mansi of western Siberia to the Yupik , Chukchi and the Aleutians of the Russian Far East . In fact, the Urals are not a decisive border, because the Nenets of the Yamal Peninsula , which formally belong to Asia, do not differ very much linguistically and culturally from the members of this ethnic group living west of the Urals.
The indigenous inhabitants of the French overseas territories of New Caledonia and French Guiana are politically citizens of the European Union .
The majority of Inuit lived in Greenland while enjoying considerable autonomy, but is politically Denmark attached, but without being part of the European Union.
National minorities
Linguistic minorities in other European countries, such as Basques , Bretons , Sardinians , Sorbs or Frisians , do not differ much in lifestyle and culture from the respective majority population , which is why they are usually not referred to as indigenous .
Also Sinti and Roma in Germany as a national minority according to the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities recognized, are therefore not referred to as "indigenous peoples".
