Have you ever wondered why so many countries have the same suffix? Many countries in Asia end with the suffix -stan. The suffix -stan comes from a Persian word, meaning land of or settlement. Pakistan (Land of the pure), Afghanistan (Land of the Afghans), and Kazakhstan (Land of the independent) are just a few countries in Asia that use this suffix. In fact, many countries have been named in a similar way, including Ireland, England, Scotland, Poland, and Finland. Don’t stop there! There’s also Thailand, New Zealand, and Swaziland. Let’s not forgot Switzerland and the Netherlands!