Kirgisen

Kirgisen (Kyrgyz) are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group native to Central Asia, primarily in Kyrgyzstan. They form the largest ethnic group in the country and have communities in neighbouring states and a sizable diaspora. The term Kirgisen is used in various languages to refer to Kyrgyz people.

They speak Kyrgyz, an eastern Turkic language in the Kipchak branch, written in the Cyrillic script in Kyrgyzstan; Russian is widely used as a second language. Most Kirgisen are bilingual, and literacy in both languages is common.

Historically, Kirgisen inhabited the Tian Shan and surrounding areas, developing a nomadic pastoral tradition. In the 19th century they came under Russian rule, and the Kirghiz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was established in 1920. In 1936 it was renamed the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic within the USSR, and the country gained independence in 1991.

Culturally, the Kirgisen are known for their mountaineering and horse culture, traditional yurts, and the national epic Manas. Islam is the predominant religion, with Sunni practices common, alongside minority Christian communities and syncretic influences in some regions.

Economically, rural Kirgisen depend on animal husbandry and agriculture, while the country has developing mining and hydropower sectors. Kyrgyz society has undergone rapid modernization since independence, accompanied by urbanization, education expansion, and ongoing state-building and regional integration efforts.