The five Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan did not exist as separate countries until the 1920s and 1930s when they were created by the Soviet Union . Their history especially since the mid-1800s when the Russians appeared in the scene was broadly similar. Even in earlier times, three countries ( Uzbekistan , Tajikistan and Turkmenistan ) were ruled by the same empires for over 2,000 years.

The history of the land which constitutes present-day Kyrgyzstan is quite different from the history of the Krygyz ethnic group which now inhabits the country because the Kyrgyz did not arrive there until about the 10 th century AD.

The history of the land of Kyrgyzstan is also a bit different from that of the other four Central Asian republics because unlike the others, the land had not been ruled by the Persians, Alexander the Great or the Arabs. However, like the other four, the territory was overrun by the Mongols and the Russians. Further, nomadic tribes were free to roam and settle anywhere in this region for thousands of years, often living in close proximity to one another. For this reason, Kyrgyzstan now has a sizable Uzbek minority.

The Kyrgyz are believed to be descendants of Turkic nomadic tribes who had lived in the northern part of Mongolia for millenia. However, about 2,000 years ago, they moved north to the Yenisei river basin in Siberia to avoid the Huns. With the rise of the Mongols, the Kyrgyz moved south and eventually reached present-day Kyrgyzstan in the 10 th century.

Before they arrived there, the land had already been inhabited by various tribes, including the Scythians, who were fierce warriors. In the 4 th century BC, while the rest of Central Asia succumbed to Alexander the Great, the Scythians were able to fend off his attack.

Genghis Khan and his son invaded Central Asia in the 1200s, devastating the region. In its wake, people from various tribes of Mongolian and Turkic blood were brought into the area.

The Kyrgyz were freed from Mongol rule in the 16 th century. However, they were subjugated by the Manchus in the 18 th century and later by the Uzbeks. In the 19 th century, the Kyrgyz lost several wars against the Uzbeks and because of this they sought protection from the Russians. This suited the Russians perfectly as they had already invaded the Uzbek lands as a first step to taking control of Central Asia and pre-empt the British.

By 1880, Kyrgyzstan became part of the Russian empire, which continued into the Soviet era. In 1936, Kyrgyzstan became a Soviet Socialist republic, and became independent in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union .

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Last edited Feb 25, 09 6:07 PM. Contributors: Andrew W.