▁Russian ▁Orth odox y . ▁A ▁minor ity ▁of ▁Kal my ks ▁practice ▁pre - B ud dh ist ▁sh aman ism ▁or ▁Ten gr ism ▁( a ▁contemporary ▁rev ival ▁of ▁the ▁Turk ic ▁and ▁Mong ol ic ▁sh aman ic ▁relig ions ). ▁Many ▁people ▁are ▁una ff ili ated ▁and ▁non - rel ig ious . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁survey , ▁ 4 7 . 6 % ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁Kal my k ia ▁ad here ▁to ▁Buddh ism , ▁ 1 8 % ▁to ▁the ▁Russian ▁Orth odox ▁Church , ▁ 4 % ▁to ▁Islam , ▁ 3 % ▁to ▁Ten gr ism ▁or ▁Kal my k ▁sh aman ism , ▁ 1 % ▁are ▁una ff ili ated ▁Christians , ▁ 1 % ▁are ▁either ▁Orth odox ▁Christian ▁bel ie vers ▁who ▁do ▁not ▁belong ▁to ▁a ▁church ▁or ▁are ▁members ▁of ▁non - Russ ian ▁Orth odox ▁churches , ▁ 0 . 4 % ▁ad here ▁to ▁forms ▁of ▁H indu ism , ▁and ▁ 9 . 0 % ▁follow ▁other ▁relig ions ▁or ▁did ▁not ▁give ▁an ▁answer ▁to ▁the ▁survey . ▁In ▁addition , ▁ 1 3 % ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁declared ▁themselves ▁to ▁be ▁" sp irit ual ▁but ▁not ▁religious " ▁and ▁another ▁ 1 3 % ▁to ▁be ▁at he ist . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁ ▁The ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁government ▁in ▁Kal my k ia ▁is ▁called ▁" The ▁Head ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ".