The Kyrgyz people themselves probably originated in the northern Altai Mountains. There are references to them in ancient Chinese texts and these were used for a justification of 2003 being declared the Year of Kyrgyz Statehood – marking 2200 years of their existence.  (In 2002 many visitors to Kyrgyzstan were somewhat confused by the number of posters and roadside signs which seemed to refer to the year 2200.  It wasn’t a mistake – the reference was to the 2200 years of the Kyrgyz Nation … ).

A Kyrgyz Khanate stretched from the Yenesei River to the Eastern Tien Shan, but this was replaced by other Turkic empires, the Kara Khanid, the Mongol, Chagatal, … Khokand and finally Russian and Soviet.  Each brought about a mix of nationalities, as did Kyrgyzstan’s position across the Great Silk Road.  

Ethnically, the Kyrgyz tend to resemble somewhat the Mongols or Chinese, while the Uzbeks and the Uighurs (the latter live mainly in China) resemble more the people of Turkey.

The original Kyrgyz, however, were somewhat different.  For example, the Kyrgyz which descended upon the Uighur Empire around 832 were a forest dwelling people from the Yenesei region in Siberia – some 40 days travel from the Uighur capital of Karabalasugin.  Their homeland was a place where the trees grew so tall “that an arrow could not reach their peaks”.  Apparently, they were a tall people with light coloured hair and green or blue eyes. 

There used to be some confusion in identifying the Kyrgyz, themselves, and the Kazakhs.  This is because the Kazakhs, (a larger nationality), were often referred to as “Kyrgyz”, (some suggest that this was to avoid confusing them with the “Cossaks”), whilst the Kyrgyz themselves were often referred to as “Kara-Kyrgyz” (= “Black Kyrgyz”) to distinguish them.

The Kazakhs were nomadic pastoralists who herded animals on the steppes - and it is sometimes said that the Kyrgyz were nomads who wandered from place to place vertically and the Kazakhs were nomads who wandered from place to place horizontally.

There are sizeable Kyrgyz communities in Afghanistan and Turkey.  The Kyrgyz of the Wakhan corridor (in Afghanistan) have, over the years, been granted considerable freedom by the various rulesrs of that country to organize themselves.  There is also a large community of people in Siberia which identify with the Kyrgyz – live by similar customs and speak a similar language.  On the Chinese side of the border, just past Torugart is the Kyrgyz Autonomous County.  Apparently it was Kyrgyz nomads who showed Younghusband passes over the Pamir from Hunza.  It is even said that there was an ancient Kyrgyz community settled in parts of Tibet.

There are Kyrgyz communities in a number of countries around the world, including the United Kingdom and the United States.  (There is a tradition amongst some Kyrgyz that says that long ago some of their ancestors crossed the Bering Land Bridge to become the forefathers of today’s Native Americans.)  In the summer of 1992 the first Kyrgyz Kurultai, (or “gathering”), took place in Bishkek, and representatives of Kyrgyz communities from various parts of the world (including Australia Saudi Arabia, Canada, Germany, Turkey, China, Afghanistan and the US) attended. The second such gathering took place in 2003. More than 300,000 Kyrgyz live in other parts of the former Soviet Union, and 150,000 in China, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Smaller communities can be found in Mongolia, India, Turkey and Jordan. In China the Kyrgyz even have their own Kyzyl-Su autonomous district.

In recent years, some of the ethnic Kyrgyz have been returning “home” to the Kyrgyz Republic.