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The Yukaghir, or Yukagirs (Юкагиры in Russian; self-designation: одул (odul), деткиль (detkil')) are a people in East Siberia, living in the basin of the Kolyma River. According to the 1970 census, their total number was 600 people.
The Tundra Yukagirs live in the Lower Kolyma region in Sakha, the Taiga Yukagirs - in the Upper Kolyma region in Sakha and Srednekansky District of the Magadan Oblast. By the time of the Russian colonization in the 17th century, the Yukagir tribal groups (Chuvans, Khodyns, Anauls etc.) occupied territories from the Lena River to the mouth of the Anadyr River. The number of the Yukagirs decreased between the 17th and 19th centuries due to epidemics, internecine wars and tsarist colonial policy. Some of the Yukagirs have assimilated with the Yakuts, Evens and Russians.
The Yukaghir language is a language isolate, now thought to be distantly related to the Uralic languages. The language is regarded as endangered.
See also: Paleosiberian languages
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