Regions with significant populations | |
---|---|
Mongolia | 72,403 |
Languages | |
Oirat | |
Religion | |
Tibetan Buddhism, Shamanism, Atheism | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Kalmyks, Oirats, Mongols |
The Dörbet (Kalmyk: Дөрвд, Dörwd; Mongolian: Дөрвөд, Dörwöd, ᠳᠥᠷᠪᠡᠳ, lit. "the Fours"; Chinese: 杜尔伯特部; pinyin: Dù'ěrbótè Bù; also known in English as the Derbet) is the second largest subgroup of Mongol people in modern Mongolia and was formerly one of the major tribes of the Four Oirat confederation in the 15th-18th centuries. In early times, the Dörbet and the Dzungars were ruled by collateral branches of the Choros. The Dörbets are distributed among the western provinces of Mongolia, Kalmykia, and in a small portion in Heilongjiang, China. In modern-day Mongolia, the Dörbets are centered in Uvs Province.
A Dörben clan of Duwa Sohor's four sons existed within the Khamag Mongol confederation in the 12th century; but their relation with the Dörbets is unclear. However, the Dörbets appeared in the early 15th century as part of the Four Oirats.The name probably means "döröv"; "four" (Middle Mongolian: dörbe).