-stan

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"Istan" redirects here. For the municipality in Andalusia (Spain), see Istán.
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The suffix -stan or -sthan [st̪aːn] is Persian for "land of" and Sanskrit for "place".

It appears in the names of many countries and regions, especially in Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent which are the areas where ancient Indo-Iranian people were first established. Persian and related languages have been cited as having significant influence. "-Sthan" is the equivalent to the Latin ending -ia and the Germanic -land.

The "sthān"(a), as found in place names like Rajasthan, expressing "place" or "where one stands". This, was derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *sta, "to stand" (which is the source of the English word "stand" and, via Latin, "state").

-stan form of the suffix is spelled ـستان in the Perso-Arabic script and स्तान in the Devanāgarī script. It is derived from a suffix of Indo-Iranian root.

-stan is also the source of the Russian word стан (stan) meaning "settlement" or "semi-permanent camp" (although it is used exclusively in reference to semi-nomadic settlements encountered in certain areas of Central Asia).

Contents

[edit] Countries

[edit] Regions

[edit] Micronations

  • Lizbekistan, a popular Internet-based project created by Australian artist Liz Stirling.

[edit] 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. [2]
  • 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.
  • 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)
  • Franistan - fictional country referred to in the television show I Love Lucy.
  • Hamastan - concept of a Palestinian Islamist theocracy with Sharia as government law
  • Helmajistan - fictional area from the anime Full Metal Panic!.
  • Gopostan - a Tatar slang for underprivileged areas of city
  • Iranistan - an oriental region of Hyborea (Conan the Barbarian stories).
  • Istan - a fictional island state in the online role-playing game, Guild Wars Nightfall
  • Jafastan - nickname for Auckland.
  • Kabulistan - humorous name given to Fremont, California because of its large population of Afghans.
  • Katsapstan - humorous name given to Russia, derivative from Ukrainian nickname for Russians.
  • Kikistan - Anti-Semitic name for Israel.
  • Kreplachistan - fictional country in the movie Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. ("Kreplach" -- Eastern European Jewish dish consisting of meat-filled dumplings.)
  • Lojbanistan - hypothetical country using Lojban as its native language.
  • Londonistan - the British capital of London was given this sobriquet by French counter-terrorism agents.
  • Långtbortistan - in Swedish, a common placeholder name for "far away from here" (literally "Far-away-stan").
  • 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.
  • Pretendistan - metasyntactic variable for a country, compare John Smith and foo.
  • 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").

[edit] See also

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