Kazakhs

Kazakhs are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group native to the Kazakh Steppe in Central Asia. They form the largest ethnic group in Kazakhstan and have communities in surrounding countries and a global diaspora, including Russia, China, Mongolia, and parts of Europe and North America.

Language and identity: The Kazakh language, part of the Kipchak branch of Turkic languages, is spoken as a first language by many Kazakhs and as a second language by others, with Russian widely used as a lingua franca. The writing system has transitioned from Arabic to Cyrillic in the 20th century, and there have been discussions about adopting a Latin-based script in the 21st century. Traditional culture emphasizes nomadic heritage, horsemanship, and music such as the dombra, while modern Kazakh identity blends rural traditions with urban and national institutions.

Religion and history: Most Kazakhs are Muslim, predominantly following Sunni Islam of the Hanafi school, with a historical presence of Sufi influence. Historically, Kazakhs organized into semi-nomadic tribes and formed the Kazakh Khanate, which persisted from the 15th century until incorporation into the Russian Empire in the 18th–19th centuries and later the Soviet Union. After Kazakhstan’s independence in 1991, the state promoted Kazakh language and nation-building, while preserving freedom of religion in a multiethnic society.

Demographics and diaspora: Ethnic Kazakhs number in the millions, with the majority residing in Kazakhstan and sizable communities in neighboring countries and around the world due to migration and historical ties. The Kazakh people are part of the broader Turkic world and share cultural links with other Central Asian communities.