TURKISTAN', "the country of the Turks," called also Jagatai, and by the Persians Turan, is an extensi7e region of Central Asia. stretching from the Caspian sea eastward to beyond Lob-nor (long. e.), and from Siberia and Dzungaria southward to Persia Afghanistan, and Thibet. Until quite recently, it was supposed that the Bolor Tagil (q.v.), a mountain chain of the first magnitude, running n. and s., divided it into two parts. English explorers entering Turkistan from the s., and Russians from the n., have shown that no such range exists. Its place is taken so far; however, by a lofty table-land, the Pamir Steppe, which, sloping gently toward the e. and w., separates the rivers running eastward to the desert of Gobi from those which run to the sea of Aral. It separates Turkistan into a western and eastern portion.
WES'rEnN TunittsrAN, Great Dukharia, or simply Turkistan, or Turan, consists of the great hollow plain of the Caspian and Aral seas, which occupies its w. and renter, and of the hilly and well-watered districts formed by the ramifications of the Titian shan mountains and Hindu Kush. The plain is composed of deserts of loose shifting sand, interspersed with oases where a subsoil of clay renders the formation of lakelets of rain possible; strips of fertile land along the banks of rivers, and occasional tracts clad with coarse thin grass; the eastern districts abound in valleys of remarkable fertility. The climate varies on the plains from extreme cold to burning beat, and though, in the eastern highlands, the cold is almost as intense in winter, the heat of summer is much less. The rivers of Turkistan are the Sir-Daria (see Jaxmerus) and Amu-Daria (see Oxus); the Zer-Afshan, which rises on the s. of the Asfera-tag, and flows westward for 400 m., terminating in a small salt lake or natal-sit near Bokhara; and the Murghab, which rises in the mountains of Ghur, and after a w.n.w. course of 450 m., loses itself in a marsh beyond 3Ier‘s. The vegetable products of the country are fruits, grain, cotton, flax, hemp, and tobacco. Silk is also produced in considerable amount. Forests can hardly be said to be at all represented in this extensive region. Salt is abundant, large tracts of desert being strongly impregnated and even crusted over with it; and sal ammoniac is common. Agriculture, and the breeding of the domestic animals, are the occupations of the great mass of the population but manufacturing industry is also con siderable. The produce consists of cotton, silk, linen, and woolen goods, shagreen (superior to that manufactured in Europe) and other kinds of leather, paper made of raw silk. carpets, and a few sabers, knives, and rifles.
Turkistan is divided into Khokan (q.v.), now the Russian province of Ferghana, in the n.e. ; Khiva (q.v.), part of which is now Russian territory, in the w.; Bokhara (q.v.) in the c. and center; Kunduz or Badakshan (q.v.) and Balkh (q.v.) in the s.e. ; and the tracts lying, n. of the Persian frontier. The population of 1Vc stern Turkistan has Leen estimated at 4,000,000. It consists of various races—Uzbeks (q.v.). the dominant race, Tur•omans, Karakalpaks. Kirghis (q.v.), Sorts or Tajiks, Persians, Kiptchaks, and a few Arabs. Hindus, and Jews. Of these the Farts or Tajiks, the original inhabitants of the cities, arc of ancient Persian stock, and along with the Uzbeks, Hindus, and Jews form the settled population; the Persians are either slaves, or, being introduced into Turkistan as such, have obtained their freedom, and settled in the country; the other races are mostly nomad and predatory. The prevalent religion is and most of the tribes are Sunnites. A few Sheealts, Sufis, and Buddhists are also found.
Turkistan has played an important part in Asiatic history from the very earliest times. The contests between the Iranian and Turanian races occupy a prominent place in •irdusi's sketch of the rem i-mythical traditions of Persia; and the earliest light of his tory slums us Bact•iana (Balkh) and Sogdiana (Lokhara)as well-cultivated and populous countries, generally attached to the Persian empire, and inhabited by Persians, to whom most of the prominent cities of Turkistan owe their origin. With Persia, Turkistan
passed into the hands of the Macedonians, who made &a•ia an independent Greek kingdom, while the rest was in possession of the Parthians. Under the Sassanieles, the Persian boundary was again advanced to the Jaxartes; but the gradual gathering of Turkish tribes ft out the n.e. on the right bank of that river, led to a constant state of warfare on the frontier, which ultimately resulted in the occupation of Mayer-a 'idler ("the country between the rivers"—i.e., the. Oxus and Jaxartcs) and of Klamezm (Khiva) by the invaders. In the St h c, of the Christian era, the Arabs possessed tilt selves of Turkistan, and during the decline of the caliphate, it became the seat of various mint r dynasties, as the &Matti (q.v.) in Mawer-ul-neher, and the shahs of tied after it brier union with the E'eljult empire in Persia, was mostly united to Khaurezin, and along with it overrun by the .1.ongel hordes under Genghis Kbau (q.v.). on whose death it became cne of the tour divisions of his vest empire, and was allotted to his sett Jagatai. On the decline cf Jacatai's dynasty, Tinicir (q.v.) rose to supreme authority in Turkistan, and in the eonrse of a 35 years' reign, made it the center of an immense empire, which stretched from the Hellespont to the frontiers of China, and From Moscow to the Ganges. This period was the golden age of Turkistan; its powerful monarch was never weary of adorning its cities with the sin its of victory; colonies of learned men, skilled artisans, and all whose knowledge or abilities could he of service to his subjects, were either transferred to Turkistan from the countries he had conquered, or induced by the most munificent offers to settle there; till under him and his more immediate successors. Samarkand became a focus of enlightenment and learning. But after the death of shah llokh, Timftr's youngest son, the empire was split up into numerous fragments; and after a time a new dynasty snatched P rsia front Titan's family, while the Uzbeks, under Sheibani Khan, drove them (1500) from the country n. of the Amu-Daria; one of the expelled princes, Mina Baber, who had ruled in Ferghona (the s. half of Khoisan), subsequently founding the " Great Mogul " empire in Hindustan. The Uzbek empire generally included Badakshan, Herat, and Meshed; but these were lost on its division in 1658 into various independent Mutilates. Khiva was conquered by Nadir Shah in 1710, and Bokhara limited to the n. bank of the Amu-Darla; but the Kirghis of the Little Horde restored the independence of Khiva, which they ruled till 1792, when the present Uilick dynasty obtained the throne; and shah Tilurad (1E06-22), celebrated under the appellation of Begger Jan, effectually re-established its former extensive sway to the Bokhariot scepter. Kholcan. after emancipating itself from the authority of Sheibani's successors, was incorporated with Bukhara; hut afterward united with the states of eastern Turkistan; and on their conquest by China, resumed its independence. The recent history of Turkistan records a series of wars between Bokhara and Klickan, and Bokhara and Kbiva, in which the Bokharints had generally the advantage, owing to the aid of the Turkomans of the southern desert, whom they subsidize; the raids of the Turkomans along the northern frontier of Persia; the aeNsinee of the Afghans from the s.e.; and the progress of Russian conquest from the n, and west. To explain the Turkoman raids, a few additional words on the geography of Turkistan are necessary. Between the deserts of Turkistan and those of Persia lies a long and fertile tract running from these. of the Caspian to Herat, the "key to India;" over it pass the great routes from western to eastern Asia. North of it, chiefly in the deserts, dwell the Turkomans, a population of 1,000,000 of savage brigands and man-stealers.