Eveny are a very widely distributed people, as are their close cousins, the Evenki (with whom they used to be known as Tungus). They are to be found in in Khabarovskiy Kray, the Chukotka Autonomous Oblast, Kamchatskaya Oblast and the Magadanskay Oblast, and North and East Sakha (Yakutia).

There are approximately 20000 Eveny, with about half living in the North East of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Eveny have traditionally practiced semi nomadism with small scale reindeer husbandry and hunting, including of reindeer. The Eveny are an ancient reindeer husbandry people, though Eveny reindeer husbandry in inland areas is strongly dominated by Evenki traditions.

Eveny speak their own language, one of the Tungusic languages. What make them distinguished from the other reindeer herding peoples in Russia’s far east is that they ride reindeer and used dogs as sledge animals.

Collectivisation in the 1930’s undermined nomadism and traditional structures, though it has continued until today, though still remaining within the collective system.

Eveny reindeer are known to be large, strong and hardy. They are still used for both riding and the transportation of cargo. Modern transportation has only partly substituted the reindeer in many areas, especially as much of their region does not have a well developed infrastructure. In Eastern areas, Eveny herders had a lot of contact with Koryak and Chukchi reindeer herders. In the last two decades, reindeer husbandry has been challenged with the collapse of support to the collective farm system, though it has endured. Private reindeer ownership has not seen the same expansion of practice as in, for example, Nenets reindeer husbandry.