Uyghur nationalism is a nationalist movement which asserts that the Uyghur people, an ethnic minority in China, are a distinct nation. Uyghur nationalism promotes the cultural unity of the Uyghur people, either as an independent group or as a regional group within a larger Chinese nation. Uyghurs are mostly concentrated in Xinjiang, a province-level autonomous region located in Western China. They are Turkic-speaking, and most of them adhere to Sunni Islam. They are officially recognized by the Chinese government as one of the "56 flowers". Uyghur nationalism is linked to the East Turkestan independence movement, also known as the Uyghur independence movement, which seeks to separate Xinjiang from China and establish self-rule as an independent nation. "East Turkestan" is a common alternative name for Xinjiang used by advocates of independence. "Uyghurstan" is another alternative name. Uyghur identity The Uyghurs are a minority Turkic ethnic group originating from and culturally affiliated with the general region of Central Asia and East Asia. They are especially closely connected to the Taklamakan Desert comprising the Tarim Basin, both of which can be found in Xinjiang UAR, China. Uyghur identity is largely shaped by Uyghur nationalism, and vice versa. Uyghur nationalism is an ideological mindset which is based more strongly in politics in comparison to Uyghur identity. Whereas Uyghur identity is more closely associated with cultural traditions and practices, Uyghur nationalism is more closely associated with the East Turkestan independence movement and other much more assertive expressions of Uyghur identity. The primary counter to Uyghur nationalism is Chinese nationalism, which is actually a form of multi-ethnic nationalism distinct from Han Chinese nationalism (though the two concepts are commonly conflated). Ethnic ancestry Like most Central Asian ethnic groups, the Uyghurs are descended from a diverse range of people groups. Uyghur ethnic composition and identity has its origins in many different regions, cultures, and civilizations. The name of the Uyghurs originates from the Uyghur Khaganate, a historical country which was located primarily in what is now Mongolia and Xinjiang. The Uyghurs are postulated to carry at least some ancestry from various more ancient peoples who inhabited the Taklamakan Desert and Tarim Basin, who are known to have been living in the region for at least 3800 years due to the discovery of "Tarim mummies". Links to ancient inhabitants of the region are contentious since this might grant the modern Uyghurs with the right to claim "indigenous status".