-stan

It appears in the names of many countries and regions, especially in central Asia and the Indian subcontinent which are the areas where Persian and related languages have historically been used. It is the Persian equivalent to the Latin ending -ia and the Germanic -land.

The -stan form of the suffix is spelled ـستان in Arabic script, and is derived from a Persian suffix which came from an Indo-Iranian root (which also led to Indo-Aryan sthān(a), as found in place names like Rajasthan) expressing "place" or "where one stands". This, in turn, was derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *sta, "to stand" (which is the source of the English word "stand" and, via Latin, "state").

Contents

1 Countries
2 Regions
3 Parodic, fictional, and cultural -stans
4 See also

Countries

Afghanistan
Arabestan (Persian for Saudi Arabia)
Armanestan (Persian name for Armenia)
Bulgaristan (Turkish name for Bulgaria)
Chinastan (Armenian for China)
Ermenistan (Turkish name for Armenia)
Hayastán (Armenian name for Armenia)
Hindustan (India)
Hırvatistan (Persian and Turkish name for Croatia)
Hunastan (Armenian name for Greece)
Gurjistan (Persian and Turkish name for Georgia)
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Lehastan (Armenian and Persian for Poland)
Lekhistan (an archaic name for Poland, used mostly by Ottoman officials)
Macaristan (Turkish name for Hungary, in Persian Majarestan)
Pakistan (Persian for "Land of the Pure"; also an acronym for the Muslim regions of India)
Rusastan (Armenian name for Russia)
Sırbistan (Persian and Turkish name for Serbia)
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Vrastan (Armenian name for Georgia)
Yunanistan (Turkish name for Greece)

Regions

Balochistan or Baluchistan
*Sistan and Baluchistan, province of Iran
*Balochistan, province of Pakistan
Baltistan (in Kashmir)
Bantustan - Apartheid-era South African black 'homelands'
Bashkortostan - constituent republic of the Russian Federation
Chechenestan (Persian and Turkish name for Chechnya)
Chuvashstan - constituent republic of the Russian Federation (rarely used)
Dagestan - constituent republic of the Russian Federation, literally "place of mountains"
Engelestan (Persian word for England)
Frengistan - Central Asian term for Europe, based on the word "France" (Cf in the Levant, Europeans are traditionally all known as Franks)
Gulistan ("rose garden" in Persian, an Iranian province; compare with Gulistan Palace in Tehran and the poem by Saadi)
Kafiristan - ("land of the infidels"), historic region in Afghanistan until 1896, now known as Nuristan
Karakalpakstan - constituent republic of Uzbekistan
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
Lorestan or Luristan - a region of western Iran
Nuristan
*Nurestan Province - Afghanistan, formed in 2001
*Nuristan (Pakistan) - proposed name for NWFP
Pashtunistan - the Afghan-dominated areas of Pakistan
Registan - historic site in Samarkand, meaning "place of sand"
Seistan or Sistan - region of Iran and Afghanistan
Sırbistan - Turkish name for Serbia, constituent republic of Serbia & Montenegro
Takestan or Takistan, region of Iran [link]
Tatarstan - constituent republic of the Russian Federation
Turkestan - ethnolinguistic region encompassing Central Asia, northwest China, parts of the Caucasus and Asia Minor
Uyghuristan - proposed ethnic name for Xinjiang, People's Republic of China
Walistan - part of the Indian sub-continent
Waziristan - region of northwest Pakistan

Parodic, fictional, and cultural -stans

Absurdistan - sometimes used to satirically describe a country where everything goes wrong. Originally used by Eastern European dissidents to refer to parts (or all) of the Soviet Union. [link]
Aldestan - a fictional former Soviet republic from [[Command and Conquer: Generals]].
Ancapistan- a theoretical country ruled by anarchocapitalism.
Avgatiganistan - a pun of 'Afghanistan', it means 'Fried eggs' in Greek +stan. Fictional country by author Eugenios Trivizas.* Blogistan - alternative name for the blogosphere.
Bradistan - reference to Bradford, England due to its large (South) Asian population.
Canuckistan - see Soviet Canuckistan.
Dearbornstan - nickname for Dearborn, Michigan, in reference to its large Middle Eastern population.
Derkaderkastan - fictional Middle Eastern country in [[Team America: World Police]].
Elladistan - Derogatory nickname of Greece; used by Greeks to describe loss of progress in politic and social affairs and less-than-satisfactory public services of the country, compared by themselves to those of third-world countries.
Helmajistan - fictional area from the anime Full Metal Panic!.
Iranistan - an oriental region of Hyborea (Conan the Barbarian stories).
Jafastan - nickname for Auckland.
Kabulistan - humorous name given to Fremont, California because of its large population of Afghans.
Kreplachistan - fictional country in the movie [[Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me]].
Lojbanistan - hypothetical country using Lojban as its native language.
Londonistan - the British capital of London was given this sobriquet by French counter-terrorism agents .
Nukhavastan - fictional country created by The Onion that has nuclear weapons.
Outsourcistan - nickname for the region of south central and southeast Asia (Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and Mayalasia) that many white collar and high-tech jobs have been sent by major corporate firms who outsource their work.
Pasokistan - Greek national sector that contained civil servants who were employed by (and support) the political party Pasok.
Pianostan - fictional country mentioned in an episode of Inspector Gadget.
Redneckistan - derogatory nickname of the Red States of the United States.
Spokanistan - humorous nickname for Spokane, Washington.
Soviet Canuckistan - derogatory nickname of Canada.
Verweggistan - in Dutch, a very commonly used word for "far away from here" (literally "Far-away-stan").

-stan

Countries

Regions

Parodic, fictional, and cultural -stans

See also