Discover the 7 Countries That End in ‘Stan’

The world is a big and amazing place filled with tons of different countries. Each country has something special about it. One thing that’s unique to every country in the world is the name. While there are many countries that might have similar-sounding names, no two countries have the same exact one. However, there is a trend amongst some countries to end in the suffix “-stan”. According to The Atlantic, the suffix ‘stan’ comes from the Persian language. In Persian, the root “istan” means land, which translates to the country being named the land of whichever country it’s after. In the central part of Asia, this is where all of the countries with this suffix are. There are seven countries in Asia that have this suffix.

Afghanistan Is a Country That Ends in ‘Stan’ in Asia

Afghanistan is one of the countries located in just about the middle of Asia. It borders Iran in the west, and makes its way all the way to the edge of China on the far east side. Some of the main animals that you might come across in this beautiful place are snow leopards, black bears, and deer. The capital and largest city that’s in Afghanistan is Kabul. Essentially everyone in this country is a practicing Islam – 99% of the population to be exact. If you were to ever to go there, you’d be need to learn how to speak either Pashto or Dari before arrival.

Pakistan

Pakistan is a country that’s also close to Afghanistan in the central part of Asia. Here, the largest city and capital aren’t one and the same. The largest city is Karachi and the capital is Islamabad. Pakistan has a whopping 241.5 million people living there, with the largest amount of Muslims. While in Pakistan, you’ll come across many of the same animals in Afghanistan, due to their close proximity to each other. You might also see cobra snakes and vipers. Before arriving in Pakistan, brush up on the Urdu language, as that’s the main language spoken.

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is one of the oldest known places in existence, and we have the ability to track its data back to 693. There are about 7 million people living there today. Like the other two countries listed above, the population of Kyrgyzstan predominately practices Islam. Those who live in the country are fluent in both Kyrgyz and Russian. Kyrgyzstan is known for having animals such as boars, goats, and deer walking around. These are a few of the more common animals you might find should you ever visit.

Kazakhstan Is Another Country That Ends in ‘Stan’ in Asia

Kazakhstan has one of the most beautiful coastlines that you’ll see around the globe. The western part of the country boarders the Caspian Sea. The population of the country is still decently large at 19 million people. There is so much land in Kazakhstan that it’s one of the least dense places in the world. Another very interesting thing about Kazakhstan is that while Islam is still the most common religion, there’s a good amount of practicing Christians who also live there. While visiting, you might see animals like antelope or even a golden eagle.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is another country that has data tracked to a time long ago in history. More specifically, it’s been tracked since 840. It’s also one of the most populated countries in the world with 36 million people making their home in Uzbekistan. Most of the population is practicing Islam, with the total being about 96%. If you ever find yourself in Uzbekistan, you might end up seeing animals such as vultures and lynx. These are the types of animals you want to be cautious around!

Turkmenistan

Just like Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan has about 7 million people living there. Still, it is one of the least dense countries in the world. There are about 37 people per square mile living in Turkmenistan. The capital city is also the largest city in Turkmenistan, with it being Ashgabat. Between 1990 and 1991, Turkmenistan gained independence from the Soviet Union and became its own country. About 93% of the population in Turkmenistan practices Islam. Animals such as hyenas and gazelles tend to be the more common creatures found in Turkmenistan.

Tajikistan Is the Last Country That Ends in ‘Stan’ in Asia

In terms of size, Tajikistan ranks 94th in the world in terms of total land area. With records going all the way back to the Samanid Empire in 819, Tajikistan is one of the oldest countries around. Both the capital and largest city in Tajikistan is Dushanbe. More than 96% of the population practices Islam as their religion. Due to the location of Tajikistan, many of the same animals you would find in the other countries listed are ones that you would find here as well. You might also find an ibex or a urial.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © dikobraziy/ via Getty Images