History Main / Countrystan

Central Asia had historical significance, being the homelands of many HordesFromTheEast, yet also a melting pot for the Silk Road. Why we now associate Central Asia with {{Ruritania}} and {{Qurac}} even though they are more closely related to UsefulNotes/TheFarEast culturally and ethnically is because of the Russian and Muslim influence there; in particular, most of the RealLife Countrystans were formerly part of the UsefulNotes/SovietUnion. Thus InterchangeableAsianCultures takes effect and the -stan suffix is also sometimes applied to Middle Eastern and even Eastern European countries in fiction, even though there are few such places in RealLife (UsefulNotes/{{Kurdistan}} being the only Middle Eastern exception, and some republics of Russia for Eastern Europe).

Central Asia had historical significance, being the homelands of many HordesFromTheEast, yet also a melting pot for the Silk Road. Why we now associate Central Asia with {{Ruritania}} and {{Qurac}} even though they are more closely related to UsefulNotes/TheFarEast culturally and ethnically, especially to UsefulNotes/{{Mongolia}}, is because of the Russian and Muslim influence there; in particular, most of the RealLife Countrystans were formerly part of the UsefulNotes/SovietUnion. Thus InterchangeableAsianCultures takes effect and the -stan suffix is also sometimes applied to Middle Eastern and even Eastern European countries in fiction, even though there are few such places in RealLife (UsefulNotes/{{Kurdistan}} being the only Middle Eastern exception, and some republics of Russia for Eastern Europe).

Central Asia had historical significance, being the homelands of many HordesFromTheEast, yet also a melting pot for the Silk Road. Why we now associate Central Asia with {{Ruritania}} and {{Qurac}} even though it is more culturally and ethnically related to UsefulNotes/TheFarEast, especially to UsefulNotes/{{Mongolia}}, is because of the Russian and Muslim influence there; in particular, most of the RealLife Countrystans were formerly part of the UsefulNotes/SovietUnion. Thus InterchangeableAsianCultures takes effect and the -stan suffix is also sometimes applied to Middle Eastern and even Eastern European countries in fiction, even though there are few such places in RealLife (UsefulNotes/{{Kurdistan}} being the only Middle Eastern exception, and some republics of Russia for Eastern Europe).

* There are seven countries with this name in RealLife: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Central Asian Ex-Soviet countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have on occasion been collectively referred to as "The Stans".

* There are seven countries with this name in RealLife: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Central Asian Ex-Soviet countries of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan have on occasion been collectively referred to as "The Stans".

When a story is set in a FictionalCountry, you have to come up with a foreign-sounding name. The easy way is to take a MeaningfulName, a random word, or a stereotypically Central Asian-sounding name and slap a "-stan" at the end. Expect to see a primarily Islamic [[DirtyCommunists Dirty Commie]]-style regime with a cool climate, possibly complete with a "WhyWeAreBummedCommunismFell" attitude, led by a dictator who is [[PermanentElectedOfficial kept in office]] via a rigged election. If the dictator dies, they may be [[{{Nepotism}} suceeded by a living relative]]. The official language is usually Russian or has a Cyrillic or [[TheBackwardsR faux-Cyrillic]] script. It may be a PuppetState of Russia or a Western country.

* ''ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}}'' has Uncle Duke's public relations firm hired to improve the image of the brutal lout Trff Bmzklfrpz, President-for-life of Berserkistan. No amount of spin-doctoring can save Trff's case; he ends up deposed, and living with Duke.

* ''Series/TheBlacklistRedemption'' has Kyrkistan, located at the eastern part of Turkey, which borders Armenia. Its leader is an {{Expy}} of President Erdogan, complete with a crackdown on all forms of opposition. It's depicted to have Arabic as a main language despite the fact that it's located in Central Asia and is right next to Armenia.

* {{Discussed|Trope}} by the [[WebVideo/TwoBestFriendsPlay Super Best Friends Zaibatsu]] in certain videos, with the name "Fakelandistan". It's brought up again in a podcast episode, when they are discussing an attempt by the president of Kazakhstan to change the name to avert this trope. Pat theorizes that the negative reputation of certain countries with this nomenclature may be the reason.

* There are seven countries with this name in RealLife: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Central Asian Ex-Soviet countries of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan have on occasion been collectively referred to as "The Stans".

* Despite its association with Central Asia and Islamic countries, there are some languages where -stan refers to non-Islamic or European countries than Islamic or Central Asian ones. For instance, Turkish alone has Yunanistan (Greece), Bulgaristan (Bulgaria), Hirvatistan (Croatia), Macaristan (Hungary), Gurcistan (Georgia), Ermenistan (Armenia) and Hindistan (India).
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Central Asia had historical significance, being the homelands of many HordesFromTheEast, yet also a melting pot for the Silk Road. Why we now associate Central Asia with {{Ruritania}} and {{Qurac}} is because of the Russian and Muslim influence there; in particular, most of the RealLife Countrystans were formerly part of the UsefulNotes/SovietUnion. Thus InterchangeableAsianCultures takes effect and the -stan suffix is also sometimes applied to Middle Eastern and even Eastern European countries in fiction, even though there are few such places in RealLife (UsefulNotes/{{Kurdistan}} being the only Middle Eastern exception, and some republics of Russia for Eastern Europe), and Central Asia is more culturally and ethnically related to UsefulNotes/TheFarEast, particularly to UsefulNotes/{{Mongolia}}.

* A mean-spirited meme about North American politics does this. The most common version of this joke is pro-liberal, it labels all the USA states that voted Democrat ("blue states") along with Canada the United States of Canada, and the states that voted Republican ("red states") Dumbfuckistan. The more uncommon pro-conservative version labels the red states (and occasionally the more conservative Canadian territories) the United States of America and the blue states and Canada as NAMBLAstan.

* Sometimes, Western cities with a large Muslim population will have a nickname with a "-stan" or "-istan" suffix, such as "Londonistan" and "Dearbornistan".

* A particularly blunt example in Film/LondonHasFallen:

* The 2011 revival of ''Series/YesMinister'' renamed Quram, the original show's {{Qurac}}, as Kuramistan.

** The game features Takistan, a mash-up of Iraq and Afghanistan, ruled under obvious Saddam Hussein expy Muhammed R. Aziz.

* ''ComicBook/DastardlyAndMuttley'' features an incredibly stereotypical {{Qurac}} called "Unliklistan", which is implied to have been created out of whole cloth as an effect on Unstabilium turning the world into a toon.

* In the Literature/{{Discworld}}, Klatchistan serves as the JustForFun/FantasyCounterpart of Afghanistan.

* Hindustan ("land of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_River Sindhu]]") is the Persian name for India. The Hindu and Urdu languages are thus collectively known as Hindustani.

* Hindustan is the Persian name for India. The Hindu and Urdu languages are thus collectively known as Hindustani.

Central Asia had historical significance, being the homelands of many HordesFromTheEast, yet also a melting pot for the Silk Road. Why we now associate Central Asia with {{Ruritania}} and {{Qurac}} is because of the Russian and Muslim influence there; in particular, most of the RealLife Countrystans were formerly part of the UsefulNotes/SovietUnion. Thus InterchangeableAsianCultures takes effect and the -stan suffix is also sometimes applied to Middle Eastern and even Eastern European countries in fiction, even though there are few such places in RealLife (UsefulNotes/{{Kurdistan}} being the only Middle Eastern exception, and some republics of Russia for Eastern Europe), and Central Asia is more culturally and ethnically related to UsefulNotes/TheFarEast, particularly UsefulNotes/{{Mongolia}}.

Central Asia had historical significance, being the homelands of many HordesFromTheEast, yet also a melting pot for the Silk Road. Why we now associate Central Asia with {{Ruritania}} and {{Qurac}} is because of the Russian and Muslim influence there; in particular, most of the RealLife Countrystans were formerly part of the UsefulNotes/SovietUnion. Thus InterchangeableAsianCultures takes effect and the -stan suffix is also sometimes applied to Middle Eastern and even Eastern European countries in fiction, even though there are few such places in RealLife (UsefulNotes/{{Kurdistan}} being the only Middle Eastern exception, and some republics of Russia for Eastern Europe), and Central Asia is more culturally and ethnically related to UsefulNotes/TheFarEast.

When a story is set in a FictionalCountry, you have to come up with a foreign-sounding name. The easy way is to take a MeaningfulName, a random word, or a stereotypically Central Asian-sounding name and slap a "-stan" at the end. Expect to see a primarily Islamic {{DirtyCommie|s}}-style regime with a cool climate, possibly complete with a "WhyWeAreBummedCommunismFell" attitude, led by a dictator who is [[PermanentElectedOfficial kept in office]] via a rigged election. If the dictator dies, they may be [[{{Nepotism}} suceeded by a living relative]]. The official language is usually Russian or has a Cyrillic or [[TheBackwardsR faux-Cyrillic]] script. It may be a PuppetState of Russia or a Western country.

Central Asia had historical significance, being the homelands of many HordesFromTheEast, yet also a melting pot for the Silk Road. Why we now associate Central Asia with {{Ruritania}} and {{Qurac}} is because of the Russian and Muslim influence there; in particular, most of the RealLife Countrystans were formerly part of the UsefulNotes/SovietUnion. Thus InterchangeableAsianCultures takes effect and the -stan suffix is also sometimes applied to Middle Eastern and even Eastern European countries in fiction, even though there are few such places in RealLife, and Central Asia is more culturally and ethnically related to UsefulNotes/TheFarEast.

Central Asia had historical significance, being the homelands of many HordesFromTheEast, yet also a melting pot for the Silk Road. Why we now associate Central Asia with {{Ruritania}} and {{Qurac}} is because of the Russian and Muslim influence there; in particular, most of the RealLife Countrystans were formerly part of the UsefulNotes/SovietUnion. Thus InterchangeableAsianCultures takes effect and the -stan suffix is also sometimes applied to Middle Eastern and even Eastern European countries in fiction, even though there are few such places in RealLife.

* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', the yaks live in a place called [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Yak Yak]]istan. It is a FictionalCounterpartCulture to Central Asia with some European elements like a festival called Yickslurbertfest.

The suffix ''-stan'' means "place of" or "country" in Persian, and is analogous to ''[[NamedworldAndNamedland -land]]'' in English and other Germanic languages, so for example "UsefulNotes/Afghanistan" literally means "land of the Afghans". It appears in various RealLife place names in Central and South Asia.