BIGpedia - -stan - Encyclopedia and Dictionary Online

The suffix -stan or -sthan means in Persian "home of", and appears in the names of many countries and regions, especially in Asia. For example, "Turkmenistan" would mean "the home of the Turkmen."

The Online Etymology Dictionary derives -stan from a Persian suffix. This Persian suffix itself goes back to an Indo-Iranian root expressing "place" or "where one stands".

Contents

1 Countries that end in -stan

2 Other regions

3 Parodic -stans

4 See also

Countries that end in -stan

Other regions

Arabistan or Arabstan - Iranian region
Balochistan
Baltistan in Kashmir
Bantustan
Bashkortostan - Russian region
Chechenestan - Persian and Turkish name for Chechnia
Chuvashstan
Dagestan - Russian region
Gulistan - "Rose garden" in Persian. An Iranian province, A palace in Tehran and a poem by Saadi
Hayastan - the Armenian name for Armenia (Armenia is called in Persian: Armanestan)
Hindustan
Kafiristan
Khalistan - proposed Sikh homeland / proposed state
Khuzestan - a region of southwestern Iran
Kurdistan - Kurdish region
Lazistan - another name for Colchis, a region in the Caucasus
Lekhistan - an archaic name for Poland, used mostly by Ottoman officials
Lorestan or Luristan - a region of western Iran
Nuristan
Pashtunistan
Rajasthan - Indian state
Registan - historic site in Samarkand
Seistan or Sistan - region of Iran and Afghanistan
Tatarstan - Russian region
Turkestan
Uyghuristan
Waziristan
Yunanistan - the Turkish name for Greece

Parodic -stans

Ancapistan
Derkaderkastan - Team America: World Police
Ethniclashistan - from an article in satirical newspaper The Onion about a country formed by the UN for the relocation of clashing ethnicities
Howdoyoustan - fictional country whose maharaja is said to be as rich as Scrooge McDuck
Kerplakistan - fictional Soviet Republic from the Austin Powers movies
Lojbanistan - hypothetical country using Lojban as its native language
Sixpakistan - fictional country mentioned in The Simpsons
Soviet Canuckistan