The Naimans or Naiman Mongols (Naiman also means 'eight' in Mongolian) were a Mongol people dwelling on the steppe of Central Asia, closely related to the Kara-Khitai, and subservient to them until 1177. Like the Khitai, many of them were Nestorian Christians.

More than 40% of the Kazak population are Naimans. Their original place of inhabitants is Eastern Kazakhstan. Some Naimans dissimilated with the Kyrgyz and Uzbek ethnicities.

The following map shows the approximate location of the Naimans at about the year 1200, before the Mongol unification by Genghis Khan.

See also

Other Pre-Genghis Mongolian tribes include

• Kerait
• Merkit
• Jadran
• Jalair
• Jurkid
• Naiman
• Ongirrad
• Tayichiud
• Tatar

Mongol peoples

ナイマン | 乃蛮 | Naimaner