Definitions for "Turkestan"
a historical region of central Asia that was a center for trade between the East and the West
Turkestan (; also spelled Turkistan or Türkistan in Turkish, which literally means "Land of the Turks" in Persian) is a region in Central Asia, which today is largely inhabited by Turkic people. It has been referenced in many Turkic and Persian sagas and is an integral part of Turan (though Turan dwarfs Turkestan in area). Oghuz Turks (also known as Turkmens), Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Khazars, Kyrgyz and Uygurs are some of the Turkic inhabitants of the region who, as history progressed, have spread further into Eurasia forming such Turkic nations as Turkey, Azerbaijan and Tatarstan.