Mordovia (Russian: Мордо́вия mahr-DOH-vee-yuh) is a region in the Middle Volga, named for its native Finno-Ugric minorities.

Cities

• 1 Saransk — the capital and only large city in the region; its museums make it the principal destination for travelers interested in Mordvin culture
• 2 Ruzayevka — the only other (small) city in the region
• 3 Temnikov — a small town near the 18th century Sanaksar Monastery

Other destinations

• Mordovsky Nature Reserve
• Smolny National Park

Understand

Mordovia is named for its native Finno-Ugric minorities, the Moksha and the Erzya, which by the Soviet Union were regarded as one people: Mordvins. Their languages are closely related but not mutually intelligible. The Moksha live primarily in the west of the republic; the Erzya in the north and northeast. Ethnic Russians, however, comprise the majority of Mordovia's population.

Mordovia is mostly flat, heavily forested, and dotted with lakes. The main rivers cutting through the region are the Sura and the Moksha.

In the first half of 1990s the level of social and economical development of the republic declined and by mid 1990s the livestock farming was in crisis. In the second half of 90s the situation began stabilizing, a part of plants adjusted to changing economic relations.

Talk

Russian is spoken by all, although the lucky or persistent traveler might get to hear some Moksha or Erzya, both Uralic languages (i.e. related to Udmurt, Finnish and Sámi) and in danger of becoming extinct.

Get in

Mordovia borders Ryazan Oblast to the west, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast to the north, Chuvashia to the east, Ulyanovsk Oblast to the southeast, and Penza Oblast to the south.

Trains arrive to Saransk from Moscow (through Ryazan), Ulyanovsk, Penza, Nizhny Novgorod, Kanash, and Ulyanovsk. The overnight train from Moscow departs daily in the evening and arrives in Saransk around 8:00am.