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Ingria Izhora | |
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Historical region | |
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Demonym | |
Area | |
• Coordinates | 59°38′N 29°18′E / 59.633°N 29.300°E |
Today part of | ![]() |
Ingria (Russian: Ингрия, Ингерманландия, Ижорская земля, romanized: Ingriya, Ingermanlandiya, Izhorskaya zemlya; Finnish: Inkeri, Inkerinmaa; Swedish: Ingermanland; Estonian: Ingeri, Ingerimaa) is a historical region including, and adjacent to, what is now the city of Saint Petersburg in northwestern Russia. The region lies along the southeastern shore of the Gulf of Finland, bordered by Lake Ladoga on the Karelian Isthmus in the north and by the Narva river on the current international border with Estonia in the west. The earliest known inhabitants of the region were indigenous Finnic peoples, primarily the ancestors of modern Izhorians and Votians, who converted to Eastern Orthodox Christianity during the late Middle Ages. They were later joined by the Ingrian Finns, descendants of 17th century Lutheran Finnish immigrants. At that time, Ingria, the Karelian Isthmus, Estonia, and what is now Finland were all part of the Kingdom of Sweden.
Ingria as a whole never formed a separate state; however, North Ingria was an independent state for just under two years in 1919–1920. The inhabitants of Ingria cannot be said to have comprised a distinct nation, since the population is made up of several different ethnic groups, despite the Soviet Union recognizing Ingrian as a nationality. The indigenous peoples of Ingria, like the Votians and Izhorians, are today close to extinction, together with their languages. This notwithstanding, many people still recognize and attempt to preserve their Ingrian heritage.[2]
Historic Ingria covers approximately the same area as the Gatchinsky, Kingiseppsky, Kirovsky, Lomonosovsky, Tosnensky, Volosovsky and Vsevolozhsky districts of modern Leningrad Oblast as well as the city of Saint Petersburg.
The names of the region are: