Turkestan, a wide region in Central Asia, divided by the Pamir plateau into sections: (1) Western Turkestan, which embraces Russian Turkestan (3,342), the Khanates of Khiva (q. v.) and Bokhara (q. v.), and Afghan Turkestan. (2) Eastern Turkestan (600), formerly called Chinese Tartary; unproductive in many parts, and but sparsely populated; produces some gold, and a considerable quantity of silk, besides linens and cottons.