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History of Kyrgyzstan
The territory of modern Kyrgyzstan had always been an interesting spot at different times for man troops as those of Djingis Khan who crossed the region.
The first people lived here about thousands years ago - the up to 5000-year-old stone inscriptions and the 3000-year-old town of Osh can support this fact. The nomadic people of the Kyrgyz first appeared in this area about 2000 years ago and they are one of the oldest of Central Asia. They went south, coming from the Siberian region Yenisey and formed the Kyrgyz Khanate at the beginning of the first millennium.
In the 6th century some Turkic tribes came together and formed the Karakhanid Khanate. One of the most important and flourishing cities was the town named Balasagun. And nowadays one can still visit the Burana-tower located in a one- hour drive from Bishkek.
Later, in the 13th century, the powerful Karakhanid statehood was occupied by Djingis Khan, who then established the Mongol Khanate. After the emperor Mongke's death the Khanate was split up into many small counties, and the territory of Kyrgyzstan was within the power of the Chagatai Khanate.
Later, this region was taken by the Kokand Khanate, dominated by Uzbeks. But after 1873 - 1874 national uprising the region fell under power of the Russian Empire. Since 1936 it became one of the Soviet republics of the Soviet Union.
