Tartary

Tartary was a historical region in Central and Northern Asia, covering vast areas that included parts of modern-day Russia, Central Asia, and Mongolia. During the 16th to 19th centuries, European maps labeled unexplored or poorly understood territories as "Tartary," often based on limited information and traditional beliefs. It was not a unified nation but a broad, somewhat imaginary designation for diverse cultures, peoples, and lands inhabited by various Turkic, Mongolic, and other groups. Today, "Tartary" is obsolete, replaced by specific country names and regions as exploration and understanding of Asia advanced.