FPeopleTurkic peoples of China
Uyghur Turks
The ancient Turkic people of East Turkistan. Heirs of the Uyghur Khaganate and the Karakhanid state; the Kutadgu Bilig and the Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk were born of this culture.
Uyghur Turks are a Turkic people of the Karluk branch. From 744 to 840 the Uyghur Khaganate ruled the Mongolian steppe; after its fall the Uyghurs moved to Turpan and the Tarim basin. Islam was adopted under the Karakhanids in the 10th century, the era of Mahmud al-Kashgari's Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk and Yusuf Khass Hajib's Kutadgu Bilig.
Today most Uyghur Turks live in East Turkistan (China), with Kashgar, Turpan and Urumqi among their major cities. China's official census counts 11.8 million Uyghurs, while Uyghur sources say the figure is understated and estimate 35–40 million. Large Uyghur communities live in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Türkiye.
Updated: September 28, 2026