kyrgyz

Kyrgyz refers to an ethnic group of Central Asia and to the Kyrgyz language. The largest population lives in Kyrgyzstan, where Kyrgyz people form the majority of citizens. Significant communities are also found in neighboring countries, including China (Xinjiang), Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan, as well as in immigrant and diaspora communities elsewhere.

The Kyrgyz language is a Turkic language closely related to Kazakh and Uzbek. It is an official language of Kyrgyzstan alongside Russian and is used in education and government. Kyrgyz is written mainly in a Cyrillic script, with historical use of Arabic and Latin scripts before Soviet standardization.

Historically, the Kyrgyz emerged as a nomadic people in the Central Asian highlands and formed a traditional confederation in the Tien Shan region. They interacted with various empires, including Turkic and Mongol states, and later the Russian Empire. The modern Kyrgyz state developed in the Soviet era, and Kyrgyzstan declared independence in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Culture among Kyrgyz emphasizes nomadic heritage, livestock herding, and crafts such as felt-making and yurt construction. The epic Manas is a central work in Kyrgyz literature and identity. Traditional music and horse-based games, such as kok-boru, remain part of cultural life, especially in rural areas and during festivals.

Most Kyrgyz people are Sunni Muslims, with influences of Sufi traditions in some communities. There are also minority Christian groups and secular populations. The community continues to balance tradition with modernization in a multilingual, multiethnic region.