-stan

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".

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)
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 ()
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)
Lojbanistan (hypothetical country using Lojban as its native language)
Sixpakistan (Fictional country mentioned in The Simpsons)
Soviet Canuckistan

-Stan

Countries that end in -stan

Other regions

Parodic -stans

See also