The Chechens (; , , Old Chechen: нахчой, "naxçoy"), historically also known as "Kisti" and "Durdzuks", are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group of the Nakh peoples native to the North Caucasus in Eastern Europe. They refer to themselves as Nokhchiy (pronounced ; singular Nokhchi, Nakhchuo or Nakhtche). Chechen and Ingush peoples are collectively known as the Vainakh (which means "our people" in Chechen) since the 1930s and were known as Nakhchi prior. The vast majority of Chechens today are Muslims and live in Chechnya, a republic of Russia.