The Khitan people or Khitai, Kitan, or Kidan, ware a nomadic Mongolic people, originally located at Mongolia and Manchuria (the northeastern region of modern day China) from the 4th century.

They dominate a vast area in northern China by the 10th century under the Liao Dynasty, but leave few relics that have survived until today.

After the fall of Liao in 1125, many Khitans move further west and establish the state of Kara Khitai, which was finally destroyed by the Mongol Empire in 1218.