According to a 2001 census, ethnic Ukrainians make up 56.9% of the total population of Donbas as a whole with ethnic Russians making up the largest minority, making up 38.2% of the total population of Donbas. Russian is the primary language in Donbas as 74.9% of the population of Donbas speaks Russian as their first language. Many of the residents of Russian origin are located in urban centres; because of this Russian became the lingua franca of the region.