-stan

The suffix -stan (-stân, -ston, -stān, spelled ـستان in the Persian alphabet) is Persian for "place of", a cognate to Pashto -tun and to Indo-Aryan -sthāna (pronounced [st̪ʰaːna]) (स्थान in the Devanāgarī script), a Sanskrit suffix with a similar meaning. In Indo-Aryan languages, sthāna means "place", and is cognate to the Latin terms state and status (meaning "to stand").

The suffix also appears in the names of many regions, especially in Central and South Asia, areas where ancient Indo-Iranian peoples were established; in Iranian, however, it is also used more generally, as in Persian and Urdu rigestân (ریگستان) 'place of sand, desert', Pakistan 'Land of the Pure' and golestan (گلستان) 'place of roses, rose garden', Hindi/Sanskrit devasthan (place of devas, "temple"), etc. Both suffixes are of Indo-Iranian and ultimately Indo-European origin, the Proto-Indo-European root being *stā- 'stand,' which is also the source of English stand, Latin stāre, and Greek histamai (ίσταμαι), all meaning 'stand,' as well as many other words, for instance the Russian word стан (stan) meaning 'settlement' or 'semi-permanent camp' (used in reference to semi-nomadic settlements encountered in certain areas of Central Asia) or in other Slavic languages such as Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin where stan means 'apartment' in its modern usage, while its original meaning is 'habitat'. Also in Germanic languages the root can be found in the words Stand (place, location) or in Stadt (German), stad (Dutch/Scandinavian) stêd (West Frisian) and stead (English), all meaning 'city'. The suffix -stan is also similar to the suffix -land, present in many country names such as England or Deutschland.

The suffix -stan occurs in the following names, mostly toponyms:

Countries

• Afghanistan
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Pakistan
• Tajikistan
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan
• Hindustan (India)

Autonyms

• Hayastan - name of Armenia in Armenian
• Iriston (aryi+stan) - self-name of Ossetia

Regions

• Arabistan — refers to Arab lands in Middle East.
• Ardestan — a town in Isfahan Province, Iran.
• Avaristan — Avari name for Avari land in Dagestan (Russia)
• Baharestan - is a famous historical carpet, a square and district in downtown Tehran where the Iranian Parliament is located and a collection of poems by Persian poet Jami modeled upon the Gulistan of Sa'di
• Balawaristan — another name for the Gilgit-Baltistan region in northern Pakistan.
• Balochistan — region in Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Baltistan — a northern region in Pakistan.
• Bantustan — Apartheid-era South African black 'homelands'; the term is coined by an analogy
• Bargustan/Borgustan — to the north of modern Kislovodsk, mentioned by Evliya Çelebi
• Bashkortostan (Bashkiria) — constituent republic of Russia
• Baloristan (Gilgit-Chitral) is the name of the Gilgit-Baltistan region in northern Pakistan.
• Bulgaristan is the Turkish name for Bulgaria
• Cholistan Desert — a desert region in Pakistan
• Dagestan — constituent republic of the Russian Federation, literally "place of mountains"
• Dardistan — a region in northern Pakistan
• Dashtestan — a region in Bushehr Province, Iran - its center is Borazjan.
• East Pakistan (or Bangalistan / Bangistan, refers to the historic name for pre-independence Bangladesh)
• Frangistan (Persian: فرنگستان‎ farangestân) - Western Europe. (Alternatively Frankistan - land of Franks)
• Gobustan is physical and administrative district of Azerbaijan which means ravine or gorge (look Gobustan National Park)
• Golestan - a province in northern Iran which center is Gorgan
• Gulistan (Golestan) ("rose garden" in Persian, an Iranian province and a city in Uzbekistan; in Azerbaijan two villages, in Julfa and Goranboy districts (The historical Treaty of Gulistan was concluded here); (and compare with Gulistan Palace in Tehran and the collection of poems by Saadi)
• Habashistan the Azerbaijani and other turkic languages name for Ethiopia
• Hazarastan - the Hazarajat, homeland of the Hazara people in central Afghanistan
• Hindustan — land of the Indus River, or of Hindus. The ancient Persians coined the name; the British used it during their rule of the then British India empire, generally talking about the region subsequently dubbed South Asia. Now primarily refers to the Republic of India. "Hindustani" is also an umbrella term for several similar languages including Hindi (primarily spoken in India) and Urdu (primarily spoken in Pakistan).
• Hırvatistan - the Turkish name for Croatia
• Hunistan, Chenestan — kingdom of Huns in the modern territory of Kumyks
• Inglistan - England in Urdu (Now obsolete).
• Kabulistan — ("The Kabul land" — old term used in many historical books and old Persian literature books for Kabul. Kabulistan contained a larger region than today's Kabul Province. Some times it is called as the country of Kabulistan)
• Kafiristan — ("land of the infidels"), historic region in Afghanistan until 1896, now known as Nuristan. A similarly named region exists in north Pakistan.
• Karakalpakstan — constituent republic of Uzbekistan
• Khuzestan — a province of southwestern Iran
• Kohistan — several regions of this name
• Kordestan — a Kurdish province in Iran
• Kurdistan — Kurdish region
• Larestan — a region in Bushehr Province, Iran - its center is Lar.
• Lazistan — another name for Colchis, a region in the Caucasus
• Lehestan — Poland in Persian based on ancient Lęch tribes.
• Lehistan was the Ottoman-Turkish name for Poland or more specifically, the Polish Empire.
• Lezgistan — ethnolinguistic region in southern Dagestan and northern Azerbaijan
• Lorestan or Luristan — a province of western Iran
• Macaristan is the Turkish name for Hungary
• Moghulistan (Mughalistan) — a historical geographic unit in Central Asia that included parts of modern-day Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Xinjiang
• North Waziristan — northern part of Waziristan region in Pakistan
• Nurestan Province (Nuristan) — Afghanistan, formed in 2001
• Pashtunistan or Pakhtunistan or Pathanistan — is what many Pashtun nationalists call the Pashtun-dominated areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Polistan - Poland in Urdu (Now Obsolete).
• Rajasthan — a regional state within the Republic of India
• Registan — historic site in Samarkand, meaning "place of sand"
• Russian Turkestan — Turkestan in the Russian Empire, later Turkestan Autonomous SSR
• Sakastan — region of Afghanistan and Pakistan where Scythians or Sakas resided in the 2nd century BCE.
• Saraikistan — A proposed region in southern Punjab province of Pakistan
• Sarvestan — a town in Fars Province, Iran.
• Seistan or Sistan — a province of Iran and Afghanistan
• Sırbistan is the Turkish name for Serbia
• South Waziristan southern part of Waziristan region in Pakistan
• Tabaristan — a historical region along the southern coasts of Caspian Sea
• Takestan — a town in Qazvin Province, Iran.
• Talyshistan — ethnolinguistic region in the SE Caucasus and NW Iran
• Tangestan — a region in Bushehr Province, Iran - its center is Ahram.
• Tatarstan — a constituent republic of the Russian Federation
• Tocharistan, Tukharistan or Tokharistan, also known as Balkh or Bactria — the ancient name of a historical region in Central Asia, located between the range of the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya (Oxus)
• Turkestan or Turkistan — ethnolinguistic region of Turkic peoples and languages, encompassing Central Asia, northwest China, parts of the Caucasus and Asia Minor
• Uyghurstan/East Turkestan — Region dominated by the Turkic-speaking Uyghur people, located in northwest China
• Vilandazistan - Holland in Urdu (now obsolete)
• Yunanistan - the Turkish name for Greece
• Waziristan — a region of northwest Pakistan
• Zabulistan — a historical region in the border area of today's Iran and Afghanistan, around the city Zabol
• Zanjistan, or Zenjistan — term used in medieval texts to refer to the homeland of the Zanj, black slaves of probably East African origin^{[citation needed]}

Proposed names

• Khalistan or Sikhistan, a proposed country created from areas within India with a Sikh majority.
• Maronistan, a proposed name for Maronite state in Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War.
• Uyghuristan — (variants East Turkestan & Uighurstan) proposed ethnic name for Xinjiang, People's Republic of China

Fictional

• Adjikistan – a fictional central Asian country in the videogame SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Combined Assault.
• Aldastan – a fictional central Asian country consisting of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, from Command & Conquer: Generals.
• Ardistan – from the novel Ardistan and Dschinnistan by Karl May.
• Avgatiganistan – a pun of 'Afghanistan', it means 'Fried eggs' ('Avga tiganista') in Greek. Fictional country by author Eugene Trivizas.
• Azadistan – from the anime series, Mobile Suit Gundam 00.
• Bazrakhistan – a fictional former Soviet republic in the movie Act of War (1998) starring Jack Scalia.
• Belgistan – fictional Middle Eastern country in the anime Gasaraki.
• Berzerkistan – a fictional republic run by genocidal terrorist godhead and President for Life Trff Bmzklfrpz, in the comic strip Doonesbury.
• Carjackistan – used occasionally in the comic strip Tank McNamara.
• Derkaderkastan – fictional Middle Eastern country in Team America: World Police.
• Franistan – fictional country referred to in the television show I Love Lucy.
• Gupistan/Guppistan - fictional place in Pakistani comic literature where everything is a hearsay.
• Helmajistan – fictional area from the anime Full Metal Panic!.
• Howduyustan ("how do you stand?") – fictional country from Uncle Scrooge comic book stories.
• Iranistan – an oriental region of Hyborea (Conan the Barbarian stories).
• Istan – a fictional island state in the online role-playing game, Guild Wars Nightfall.
• Kamistan (Islamic Republic of) – a fictional Middle Eastern country featured in the television series 24.
• Karjastan - a fictional country mentioned in the movie The Sentinel (2006 film).
• Kazinistan - an ideal state imagined by John Rawls in The Law of Peoples, in which there is a system of law, legal representation for all groups, and a respect for basic human rights, but not full democracy.
• Kehjistan – the state of the eastern jungles in the game Diablo II.
• Kerakhistan – a fictional Middle Eastern country featured in the tabletop miniature wargame Battlefield Evolution.
• Kreplachistan – fictional country in the movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. ("Kreplach" — Eastern European Jewish dish consisting of meat-filled dumplings.)
• Lojbanistan - the fictional country where lojbanists think of themseves as residing.
• Paristan or Pari-estan (Persian: پریستان‎) is a fairyland in the folklore of Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia. Pari (Persian: پری‎) (Urdu: پری) means "fairy". In many children's stories Koh-e-Qaf (Persian: کوہ قاف‎/Urdu: کوہ قاف) (Caucasus) is also used for fairyland.
• Pianostan – fictional country mentioned in an episode of Inspector Gadget.
• Pokolistan is a fictional country in DC Comics.
• Salvjakestan - fictional country in the Death Enrising Novels
• Serdaristan – fictional country in Battlefield: Bad Company.
• Takistan – a fictional country in ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead.
• Turaqistan - fictional country in the movie "War, Inc.".
• Tyrgyzstan – fictional country in the BBC television drama The State Within.
• Wheretheheckistan - a pun for "where the heck is...?" in Dear Dumb Diary series where a lot of poor people live and is where all charities focus on in Jamie's world.
• Zekistan – a fictional central Asian nation in the video game Full Spectrum Warrior.

Satirical

• Absurdistan — sometimes used to satirically describe a country where everything goes wrong.
• Bananastan — Used by Pakistani media to describe a Banana republic.
• Boratistan — name used by Kazakh press secretary Roman Vasilenko to describe an image of Kazakhstan created by Sacha Baron Cohen's character, Borat.
• Bradistan — seen in graffiti on a sign for the city of Bradford, England, in the film East Is East.
• Canuckistan, Soviet Canuckistan — derogatory nickname for Canada.
• Cavaquistão ("Cavacostan" in Portuguese) — used to describe mainly the areas of central Portugal where former Prime Minister Cavaco Silva had more votes in the decade 1985-1995. Sometimes still used nowadays.
• Donundestan, capital Rillirillibad — fictional country in the Middle East in A Prairie Home Companion.
• Doofistan — mentioned in Ziggy in an April 2002 panel: Ziggy stares at his television and says "Doofistan? Now I know they're making this stuff up."
• Douchebagistan — fictional member of the U.N. mentioned by the Gregory Brothers in Autotune the News
• Dreckistan —
• Durkadurkastan — used in various online boards to describe all of the middle eastern countries, where the word itself implies they are retarded.
• Electistan — fictional and satirical term used with Incumbistan.
• Ethniclashistan — sometimes used satirically to describe countries in which multiple ethnic groups were thrown together, who then began fighting each other, e.g. Yugoslavia, the former Soviet Union. It was featured in the satirical The Onion newspaper in June, 2001 as being placed in the West Bank in the article Northern Irish, Serbs, Hutus Granted Homeland In West Bank (here spelled Ethniklashistan)
• Hollandistan — sometimes used to describe the rise of Islam in the Netherlands it is a combination of Holland and -istan
• Hotdogestan — Fictional country in the Middle East in A Prairie Home Companion.
• Incumbistan — introduced by columnist Mark Steyn to refer to the efforts of politicians of all parties to unite to enact rules seen as assuring their continued reelection.
• Londonistan — the British/English capital of London was given this sobriquet by French counter-terrorism agents.
• Nukehavistan — fictional country created by The Onion that has nuclear weapons.
• Pindostan (Пиндостан) - derogatory slang term used for the USA on the Russian Internet (an alternative equivalent is "Pindosya").
• The three Jetlag parody travel guides contain faux ads for guides to other countries, each with a -stan reference. Molvanîa contains an ad for "Surviving Moustaschistan" (mentioning also "Carpetstan"), Phaic Tăn contains an ad for "Sherpastan", and San Sombrèro contains an ad for "Tyranistan".
• Various -stans appearing on different versions of the Jesusland map
  • Jesusistan
  • Northeastistan
  • Pacificstan
  • Realistan
  • Redstateistan
  • Redneckistan

Other

• Bimaristan, a kind of hospital in medieval Persia and the medieval Islamic world.
  • Muristan, a complex of streets and shops in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.
• Dondestan, an album by Robert Wyatt. Sounds like ¿Dónde están? (Where are they?) in Spanish.
• Hamastan, a concept of a Palestinian Islamic government with Sharia as law.
• Hunestan/Hunistan/Honestan, a settlement in Ostan-e Semnan, Iran.
• Islamistan, means 'Land of Islam', used in various contexts.
• Paganistan: the pagan/neo-pagan community of Minneapolis-Saint Paul in Minnesota
• Paristan or Pari-estan (Persian: پریستان‎) is a name of a fairyland in the folklore of Middle East, South Asia and Central Asia.
• Qabristan, a cemetery or graveyard. Qabr means grave.
• Registan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
• Shahrestan (several meanings)
• Skateistan, a skateboarding/educational organization based in Kabul, Afghanistan.
• Rajamangalakeelastan, the national stadium of Thailand

See also

• Dera
• -land

External links

• Indo-European root *stā- (from the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition)