SUMMARY
The Kyrgyz are an ethnic group of Turkish descent. Their history dates back to the second century BC when the early descendants lived in parts of present-day Mongolia. Since the 12th century, the majority of the Kyrgyz adheres to Sunni Islam. In the 13th century, the Kyrgyz migrated south to the Central Asian region and joined other Turkic groups in a major process of Turkification, during which the Kyrgyz mixed with other Turkic tribes and adopted Turkic cultural and linguistic elements. During the 15th and 16th century the Kyrgyz settled in the area comprising present-day Kyrgyzstan. Similar to other parts of Central Asia, their territory was incorporated into the Russian Empire during the 19th century. Following resistance and revolts against the Russian rule, many Kyrgyz moved to the Pamir Mountains, China or further south to Afghanistan.
After Soviet power was established in the region in 1918, the Kyrgyz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was formed in 1926, which became the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union in 1936. Under Soviet rule, many cultural, economic and social reforms were introduced. A major change was the forced shift from a nomadic lifestyle to collectivization according to the Soviet model in the 1930s. Also, there were widespread and strong sentiments against industrial employment. Despite the suppression of Kyrgyz culture, particularly under Stalins rule, many traditions and a distinct Kyrgyz identity were retained. One example of this is that according to the 1989 Soviet census, of all ethnic groups in the Soviet Union Kyrgyz men and women were least likely to marry outside their ethnic group.
The distinct ethnic identity shared by many Kyrgyz is one explanation for the growing nationalist sentiments that surfaced in Kyrgyzstan towards the end of the Soviet era. Kyrgyzstans topography, which divides the population into two main sections between the north and the south, has contributed to differing cultural and socio-economic patterns in various parts of the country. The minorities are concentrated in certain parts of the country, where consequently, the Kyrgyz form a minority. An example of such a region in the southern part of Kyrgyzstan, around the city of Osh, where mainly ethnic Uzbek live. As a consequence, the relationship between ethnic Kyrgyz and the numerous minorities living in Kyrgyzstan became increasingly tense, especially when demands for political reforms and independence surfaced in the late 1980s and in 1990 after the riots in Osh.
The Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan, a loose network of activists, demanded the resignation of Absamat Masaliyev, president of the Supreme Soviet and eventually succeeded when Masaliyev was unable to secure a majority in the Supreme Soviet Union. During 1990 and 1991, a number of moves were made towards independence of a Kyrgyz nation by changing the name to Republic of Kyrgyzstan and establishing Kyrgyz as the official language; reforms that clearly aimed at assuring political dominance of the Kyrgyz. Eventually, Kirgizstan declared independence on 30 August 1991. Since independence, the ethnic composition of the population has changed profoundly and the share of ethnic Kyrgyz increased significantly as many members of ethnic minorities left Kyrgyzstan. According to the 2009 census, 71% of the population is Kyrgyz.
The Kyrgyz have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.
