Kyrgyz Embassies and Consulates

The Kyrgyz (also spelled Kirgiz, Kirghiz) are a Turkic ethnic group found primarily in Kyrgyzstan. The word "Kyrgyz" is a derived from the Turkic word "forty", with -Iz being an old plural suffix, referring to a collection of forty tribes. Kyrgyz also means "imperishable", "inextinguishable" or "immortal". This version has an obvious popular appreciation. Historical evidence for many conflicts with other peoples also supports this theory. The Kyrgyz form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. There are more than 145,000 Kyrgyz in China. Certain segments of the Kyrgyz in China are followers of Tibetan Buddhism.