The article presents the description of ethnic cultural area of the Altai region: its national structure, its dynamics during the period of censuses, processes of organization of national cultural public organizations. It is outlined that representatives of German and Kazakh nationalities determined the development of the multinational people of the Altai region, specifics of their mentality and culture determined social-economic way of life, nternational and interconfessional relations in the region. Peculiarities of contemporary ethnic cultural situation determine directions of the state policy of national interests in Altai. In order to improve legislation regulating the sphere of international relations, a number of local laws were passed, which influenced the practices of state institutions in this sphere. Thus, the article contains a survey of general tendencies of national policy of the Russian Federation in the Altai region directed at enforcing of national unity and ethnic cultural development of peoples in Russia.