Country name
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| Afghanistan | conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan conventional short form: Afghanistan local long form: Jamhuri-ye Islami-ye Afghanistan local short form: Afghanistan former: Republic of Afghanistan etymology: the name "Afghan" originally referred to the Pashtun people (today it is understood to include all the country's ethnic groups), while the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country"; so Afghanistan literally means the "Land of the Afghans" |
| Akrotiri | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Akrotiri etymology: named for the village that lies within the Western Sovereign Base Area on Cyprus |
| Albania | conventional long form: Republic of Albania conventional short form: Albania local long form: Republika e Shqiperise local short form: Shqiperia former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania etymology: the English-language country name seems to be derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Albani; the native name "Shqiperia" is derived from the Albanian word "Shqiponje" ("Eagle") and is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the Eagles" |
| Algeria | conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria conventional short form: Algeria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah local short form: Al Jaza'ir etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Algiers |
| American Samoa | conventional long form: American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS etymology: the meaning of Samoa is disputed; some modern explanations are that the "sa" connotes "sacred" and "moa" indicates "center," so the name can mean "Holy Center"; alternatively, some assertions state that it can mean "place of the sacred moa bird" of Polynesian mythology; the name, however, may go back to Proto-Polynesian (PPn) times (before 1000 B.C.); a plausible PPn reconstruction has the first syllable as "sa'a" meaning "tribe or people" and "moa" meaning "deep sea or ocean" to convey the meaning "people of the deep sea" |
| Andorra | conventional long form: Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d'Andorra local short form: Andorra etymology: the origin of the country's name is obscure; the name may derive from the Arabic "ad-darra" meaning "the forest," a reference to its location as part of the Spanish March (defensive buffer zone) against the invading Moors in the 8th century |
| Angola | conventional long form: Republic of Angola conventional short form: Angola local long form: Republica de Angola local short form: Angola former: People's Republic of Angola etymology: name derived by the Portuguese from the title "ngola" held by kings of the Ndongo (Ndongo was a kingdom in what is now northern Angola) |
| Anguilla | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Anguilla etymology: the name Anguilla means "eel" in various Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French) and likely derives from the island's lengthy shape |
| Antarctica | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antarctica etymology: name derived from two Greek words meaning "opposite to the Arctic" or "opposite to the north" |
| Antigua and Barbuda | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda etymology: "antiguo" is Spanish for "ancient" or "old"; the island was discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and, according to tradition, named by him after the church of Santa Maria la Antigua (Old Saint Mary's) in Seville; "barbuda" is Spanish for "bearded" and the adjective may refer to the alleged beards of the indigenous people or to the island's bearded fig trees |
| Arctic Ocean | etymology: the name Arctic comes from the Greek word "arktikos" meaning "near the bear" or "northern," and that word derives from "arktos," meaning "bear"; the name refers either to the constellation Ursa Major, the "Great Bear," which is prominent in the northern celestial sphere, or to the constellation Ursa Minor, the "Little Bear," which contains Polaris, the North (Pole) Star |
| Argentina | conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina etymology: originally the area was referred to as Tierra Argentina, i.e., "Land beside the Silvery River" or "silvery land," which referred to the massive estuary in the east of the country, the Rio de la Plata (River of Silver); over time the name shortened to simply Argentina or "silvery" |
| Armenia | conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun local short form: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, Armenian Republic etymology: the etymology of the country's name remains obscure; according to tradition, the country is named after Hayk, the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and the great-great-grandson of Noah; Hayk's descendant, Aram, purportedly is the source of the name Armenia |
| Aruba | conventional long form: Country of Aruba conventional short form: Aruba local long form: Land Aruba (Dutch); Pais Aruba (Papiamento) local short form: Aruba etymology: the origin of the island's name is unclear; according to tradition, the name comes from the Spanish phrase "oro huba" (there was gold), but in fact no gold was ever found on the island; another possibility is the native word "oruba," which means "well-situated" |
| Ashmore and Cartier Islands | conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands etymology: named after British Captain Samuel ASHMORE, who first sighted his namesake island in 1811, and after the ship Cartier, from which the second island was discovered in 1800 |
| Atlantic Ocean | etymology: name derives from the Greek description of the waters beyond the Strait of Gibraltar, Atlantis thalassa, meaning "Sea of Atlas" |
| Australia | conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia etymology: the name Australia derives from the Latin "australis" meaning "southern"; the Australian landmass was long referred to as "Terra Australis" or the Southern Land |
| Austria | conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich etymology: the name Oesterreich means "eastern realm" or "eastern march" and dates to the 10th century; the designation refers to the fact that Austria was the easternmost extension of Bavaria, and, in fact, of all the Germans; the word Austria is a Latinization of the German name |
| Azerbaijan | conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan conventional short form: Azerbaijan local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi local short form: Azarbaycan former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name translates as "Land of Fire" and refers to naturally occurring surface fires on ancient oil pools or from natural gas discharges |
| Bahamas, The | conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas etymology: name derives from the Spanish "baha mar," meaning "shallow sea," which describes the shallow waters of the Bahama Banks |
| Bahrain | conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn former: Dilmun, Tylos, Awal, Mishmahig, Bahrayn, State of Bahrain etymology: the name means "the two seas" in Arabic and refers to the water bodies surrounding the archipelago |
| Bangladesh | conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh local long form: Gana Prajatantri Bangladesh local short form: Bangladesh former: East Bengal, East Pakistan etymology: the name - a compound of the Bengali words "Bangla" (Bengal) and "desh" (country) - means "Country of Bengal" |
| Barbados | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados etymology: the name derives from the Portuguese "as barbadas," which means "the bearded ones" and can refer either to the long, hanging roots of the island's bearded fig trees or to the alleged beards of the native Carib inhabitants |
| Belarus | conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Byelarus'/Respublika Belarus' local short form: Byelarus'/Belarus' former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name is a compound of the Belarusian words "bel" (white) and "Rus" (the Old East Slavic ethnic designation) to form the meaning White Rusian or White Ruthenian |
| Belgium | conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique (French)/Koninkrijk Belgie (Dutch)/Koenigreich Belgien (German) local short form: Belgique/Belgie/Belgien etymology: the name derives from the Belgae, an ancient Celtic tribal confederation that inhabited an area between the English Channel and the west bank of the Rhine in the first centuries B.C. |
| Belize | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras etymology: may be named for the Belize River, whose name possibly derives from the Maya word "belix," meaning "muddy-watered" |
| Benin | conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local long form: Republique du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey, People's Republic of Benin etymology: named for the Bight of Benin, the body of water on which the country lies |
| Bermuda | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands etymology: the islands making up Bermuda are named after Juan de BERMUDEZ, an early 16th century Spanish sea captain and the first European explorer of the archipelago |
| Bhutan | conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan local long form: Druk Gyalkhap local short form: Druk Yul etymology: named after the Bhotia, the ethnic Tibetans who migrated from Tibet to Bhutan; "Bod" is the Tibetan name for their land; the Bhutanese name "Druk Yul" means "Land of the Thunder Dragon" |
| Bolivia | conventional long form: Plurinational State of Bolivia conventional short form: Bolivia local long form: Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia local short form: Bolivia etymology: the country is named after Simon BOLIVAR, a 19th-century leader in the South American wars for independence |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina local long form: none local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina abbreviation: BiH etymology: the larger northern territory is named for the Bosna River; the smaller southern section takes its name from the German word "herzog," meaning "duke," and the ending "-ovina," meaning "land," forming the combination denoting "dukedom" |
| Botswana | conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana local long form: Republic of Botswana local short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland etymology: the name Botswana means "Land of the Tswana" - referring to the country's major ethnic group |
| Bouvet Island | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bouvet Island etymology: named after the French naval officer Jean-Baptiste Charles BOUVET who discovered the island in 1739 note: pronounced boo-vay i-land |
| Brazil | conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil conventional short form: Brazil local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil local short form: Brasil etymology: the country name derives from the brazilwood tree that used to grow plentifully along the coast of Brazil and that was used to produce a deep red dye |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT etymology: self-descriptive name specifying the territory's affiliation and location |
| British Virgin Islands | conventional long form: none conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI etymology: the myriad islets, cays, and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded explorer Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes) |
| Brunei | conventional long form: Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam local short form: Brunei etymology: derivation of the name is unclear; according to legend, MUHAMMAD SHAH, who would become the first sultan of Brunei, upon discovering what would become Brunei exclaimed "Baru nah," which roughly translates as "there" or "that's it" |
| Bulgaria | conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria conventional short form: Bulgaria local long form: Republika Bulgaria local short form: Bulgaria former: Kingdom of Bulgaria, People's Republic of Bulgaria etymology: named after the Bulgar tribes who settled the lower Balkan region in the 7th century A.D. |
| Burkina Faso | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Burkina Faso local long form: none local short form: Burkina Faso former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta etymology: name translates as "Land of the Honest (Incorruptible) Men" |
| Burma | conventional long form: Union of Burma conventional short form: Burma local long form: Pyidaungzu Thammada Myanma Naingngandaw (translated as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar) local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma, Union of Myanmar etymology: both "Burma" and "Myanmar" derive from the name of the majority Burman (Bamar) ethnic group note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma and the current parliamentary government have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; the US Government has not officially adopted the name |
| Burundi | conventional long form: Republic of Burundi conventional short form: Burundi local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi local short form: Burundi former: Urundi, German East Africa, Ruanda-Urundi, Kingdom of Burundi etymology: name derived from the pre-colonial Kingdom of Burundi (17th-19th century) |
| Cambodia | conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia conventional short form: Cambodia local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic transliteration) local short form: Kampuchea former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia etymology: the English name Cambodia is an anglicization of the French Cambodge, which is the French transliteration of the native name Kampuchea |
| Cameroon | conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon former: Kamerun, French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon etymology: in the 15th century, Portuguese explorers named the area near the mouth of the Wouri River the Rio dos Camaroes (River of Prawns) after the abundant shrimp in the water; over time the designation became Cameroon in English; this is the only instance where a country is named after a crustacean |
| Canada | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Canada etymology: the country name likely derives from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word "kanata" meaning village or settlement |
| Cayman Islands | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands etymology: the islands' name comes from the native Carib word "caiman," describing the marine crocodiles living there |
| Central African Republic | conventional long form: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Centrafricaine local short form: none former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR etymology: self-descriptive name specifying the country's location on the continent; "Africa" is derived from the Roman designation of the area corresponding to present-day Tunisia "Africa terra," which meant "Land of the Afri" (the tribe resident in that area), but which eventually came to mean the entire continent |
| Chad | conventional long form: Republic of Chad conventional short form: Chad local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad local short form: Tchad/Tshad etymology: named for Lake Chad, which lies along the country's western border; the word "tsade" means "large body of water" or "lake" in several local native languages note: the only country whose name is composed of a single syllable with a single vowel |
| Chile | conventional long form: Republic of Chile conventional short form: Chile local long form: Republica de Chile local short form: Chile etymology: derivation of the name is unclear, but it may come from the Mapuche word "chilli" meaning "limit of the earth" or from the Quechua "chiri" meaning "cold" |
| China | conventional long form: People's Republic of China conventional short form: China local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo local short form: Zhongguo abbreviation: PRC etymology: English name derives from the Qin (Chin) rulers of the 3rd century B.C., who comprised the first imperial dynasty of ancient China; the Chinese name Zhongguo translates as "Central Nation" or "Middle Kingdom" |
| Christmas Island | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island conventional short form: Christmas Island etymology: named by English Captain William MYNORS for the day of its rediscovery, Christmas Day (25 December 1643); the island had been sighted by Europeans as early as 1615 |
| Clipperton Island | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Clipperton Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Clipperton former: sometimes referred to as Ile de la Passion or Atoll Clipperton etymology: named after an 18th-century English pirate who supposedly used the island as a base |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands etymology: the name refers to the abundant coconut trees on the islands and to English Captain William KEELING, the first European to sight the islands in 1609 |
| Colombia | conventional long form: Republic of Colombia conventional short form: Colombia local long form: Republica de Colombia local short form: Colombia etymology: the country is named after explorer Christopher COLUMBUS |
| Comoros | conventional long form: Union of the Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local long form: Udzima wa Komori (Comorian), Union des Comores (French), Jumhuriyat al Qamar al Muttahidah (Arabic) local short form: Komori (Comorian), Comores (French), Juzur al Qamar (Arabic) etymology: name derives from the Arabic designation "Juzur al Qamar" meaning "Islands of the Moon" |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the | conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: DRC local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: RDC former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DRC (or DROC) etymology: named for the Congo River, most of which lies within the DRC; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom that occupied its mouth at the time of Portuguese discovery in the late 15th century and whose name stems from its people the Bakongo, meaning "hunters" |
| Congo, Republic of the | conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: Congo former: French Congo, Middle Congo, People's Republic of the Congo, Congo/Brazzaville etymology: named for the Congo River, which makes up much of the country's eastern border; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom that occupied its mouth at the time of Portuguese discovery in the late 15th century and whose name stems from its people the Bakongo, meaning "hunters" |
| Cook Islands | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Hervey Islands etymology: named after Captain James COOK, the British explorer who visited the islands in 1773 and 1777 |
| Coral Sea Islands | conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands etymology: self-descriptive name to reflect the islands' position in the Coral Sea off the northeastern coast of Australia |
| Costa Rica | conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica conventional short form: Costa Rica local long form: Republica de Costa Rica local short form: Costa Rica etymology: the name means "rich coast" in Spanish and was first applied in the early colonial period of the 16th century |
| Cote d'Ivoire | conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire local short form: Cote d'Ivoire former: Ivory Coast etymology: name reflects the intense ivory trade that took place in the region from the 15th to 17th centuries note: pronounced coat-div-whar |
| Croatia | conventional long form: Republic of Croatia conventional short form: Croatia local long form: Republika Hrvatska local short form: Hrvatska former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia etymology: name derives from the Croats, a Slavic tribe who migrated to the Balkans in the 7th century A.D. |
| Cuba | conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba local short form: Cuba etymology: name derives from the Taino Indian designation for the island "coabana" meaning "great place" |
| Curacao | conventional long form: Country of Curacao conventional short form: Curacao local long form: Land Curacao (Dutch); Pais Korsou (Papiamento) local short form: Curacao (Dutch); Korsou (Papiamento) former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies etymology: the most plausible name derivation is that the island was designated Isla de la Curacion (Spanish meaning "Island of the Cure" or "Island of Healing") or Ilha da Curacao (Portuguese meaning the same) to reflect the locale's function as a recovery stop for sick crewmen |
| Cyprus | conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus conventional short form: Cyprus local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti local short form: Kypros/Kibris etymology: the derivation of the name "Cyprus" is unknown, but the extensive mining of copper metal on the island in antiquity gave rise to the Latin word "cuprum" for copper note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern part of the island, refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" or "TRNC" ("Kuzey Kibris Turk Cumhuriyeti" or "KKTC") |
| Denmark | conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Denmark local long form: Kongeriget Danmark local short form: Danmark etymology: the name derives from the words "Dane(s)" and "mark"; the latter referring to a march (borderland) or forest |
| Dhekelia | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Dhekelia |
| Djibouti | conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti local long form: Republique de Djibouti/Jumhuriyat Jibuti local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti former: French Somaliland, French Territory of the Afars and Issas etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Djibouti |
| Dominica | conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica etymology: the island was named by explorer Christopher COLUMBUS for the day of the week on which he spotted it, Sunday ("Domingo" in Latin), 3 November 1493 |
| Dominican Republic | conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: The Dominican local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: La Dominicana etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Santo Domingo (Saint Dominic) |
| Ecuador | conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador local short form: Ecuador etymology: the country's position on the globe, straddling the Equator, accounts for its Spanish name |
| Egypt | conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt conventional short form: Egypt local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah local short form: Misr former: United Arab Republic (with Syria) etymology: the English name "Egypt" derives from the ancient Greek name for the country "Aigyptos"; the Arabic name "Misr" can be traced to the ancient Akkadian "misru" meaning border or frontier |
| El Salvador | conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador etymology: name is an abbreviation of the original Spanish conquistador designation for the area "Provincia de Nuestro Senor Jesus Cristo, el Salvador del Mundo" (Province of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World), which became simply "El Salvador" (The Savior) |
| Equatorial Guinea | conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee Equatoriale local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee Equatoriale former: Spanish Guinea etymology: the country is named for the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel; the "equatorial" refers to the fact that the country lies just north of the Equator |
| Eritrea | conventional long form: State of Eritrea conventional short form: Eritrea local long form: Hagere Ertra local short form: Ertra former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia etymology: the country name derives from the ancient Greek appellation "Erythra Thalassa" meaning Red Sea, which is the major water body bordering the country |
| Estonia | conventional long form: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local long form: Eesti Vabariik local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the country name may derive from the Aesti, an ancient people who lived along the eastern Baltic Sea in the first centuries A.D. |
| Ethiopia | conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia conventional short form: Ethiopia local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik local short form: Ityop'iya former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa abbreviation: FDRE etymology: the country name derives from the Greek word "Aethiopia," which in classical times referred to lands south of Egypt in the Upper Nile region |
| Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) etymology: the archipelago takes its name from the Falkland Sound, the strait separating the two main islands; the channel itself was named after the Viscount of Falkland, who sponsored an expedition to the islands in 1690; the Spanish name for the archipelago derives from the French "Iles Malouines," the name applied to the islands by French explorer Louis-Antoine de BOUGAINVILLE in 1764 |
| Faroe Islands | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar etymology: the archipelago's name may derive from the Old Norse word "faer," meaning sheep |
| Fiji | conventional long form: Republic of Fiji conventional short form: Fiji local long form: Republic of Fiji/Matanitu ko Viti local short form: Fiji/Viti etymology: the Fijians called their home Viti, but the neighboring Tongans called it Fisi, and in the Anglicized spelling of the Tongan pronunciation - promulgated by explorer Captain James COOK - the designation became Fiji |
| Finland | conventional long form: Republic of Finland conventional short form: Finland local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland local short form: Suomi/Finland etymology: name may derive from the ancient Fenni peoples who are first described as living in northeastern Europe in the first centuries A.D. |
| France | conventional long form: French Republic conventional short form: France local long form: Republique francaise local short form: France etymology: name derives from the Latin "Francia" meaning "Land of the Franks"; the Franks were a group of Germanic tribes located along the middle and lower Rhine River in the 3rd century A.D. who merged with Gallic-Roman populations in succeeding centuries and to whom they passed on their name |
| French Polynesia | conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: Establishments in Oceania, French Establishments in Oceania etymology: the term "Polynesia" is an 18th-century construct composed of two Greek words, "poly" (many) and "nesoi" (islands), and refers to the more than 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean |
| French Southern and Antarctic Lands | conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises abbreviation: TAAF etymology: self-descriptive name specifying the territories' affiliation and location in the Southern Hemisphere |
| Gabon | conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique Gabonaise local short form: Gabon etymology: name originates from the Portuguese word "gabao" meaning "cloak," which is roughly the shape that the early explorers gave to the estuary of the Komo River by the capital of Libreville |
| Gambia, The | conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia conventional short form: The Gambia etymology: named for the Gambia River that flows through the heart of the country |
| Gaza Strip | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita' Ghazzah etymology: named for the largest city in the region, Gaza, whose settlement can be traced back to at least the 15th century B.C. (as "Ghazzat") |
| Georgia | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Georgia local long form: none local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the Western name may derive from the Persian designation "gurgan" meaning "Land of the Wolves"; the native name "Sak'art'velo" means "Land of the Kartvelians" and refers to the core central Georgian region of Kartli |
| Germany | conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany conventional short form: Germany local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland local short form: Deutschland former: German Reich etymology: the Gauls (Celts) of Western Europe may have referred to the newly arriving Germanic tribes who settled in neighboring areas east of the Rhine during the first centuries B.C. as "Germani," a term the Romans adopted as "Germania"; the native designation "Deutsch" comes from the Old High German "diutisc" meaning "of the people" |
| Ghana | conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast etymology: named for the medieval West African kingdom of the same name but whose location was actually further north than the modern country |
| Gibraltar | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar etymology: from the Spanish derivation of the Arabic "Jabal Tariq," which means "Mountain of Tariq" and which refers to the Rock of Gibraltar |
| Greece | conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Hellenic State, Kingdom of Greece etymology: the English name derives from the Roman (Latin) designation "Graecia," meaning "Land of the Greeks"; the Greeks call their country "Hellas" or "Ellada" |
| Greenland | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat note: named by Norwegian adventurer Erik THORVALDSSON (Erik the Red) in A.D. 985 in order to entice settlers to the island |
| Grenada | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada etymology: derivation of the name remains obscure; some sources attribute the designation to Spanish influence (most likely named for the Spanish city of Granada), with subsequent French and English interpretations resulting in the present-day Grenada; in Spanish "granada" means "pomegranate" |
| Guam | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Guam local long form: none local short form: Guahan abbreviation: GU etymology: the native Chamorro name for the island "Guahan" (meaning "we have" or "ours") was changed to Guam in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, whereby Spain relinquished Guam, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the US |
| Guatemala | conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala etymology: the Spanish conquistadors used many native Americans as allies in their conquest of Guatemala; the site of their first capital (established in 1524), a former Maya settlement, was called "Quauhtemallan" by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means "land of trees" or "forested land", but which the Spanish pronounced "Guatemala"; the Spanish applied that name to a re founded capital city three years later and eventually it became the name of the country |
| Guernsey | conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey former: Norman Isles etymology: the name is of Old Norse origin, but the meaning of the root "Guern(s)" is uncertain; the "-ey" ending means "island" |
| Guinea | conventional long form: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea etymology: the country is named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel |
| Guinea-Bissau | conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau local short form: Guine-Bissau former: Portuguese Guinea etymology: the country is named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel; "Bissau," the name of the capital city, distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea |
| Guyana | conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana etymology: the name is derived from Guiana, the original name for the region that included British Guiana, Dutch Guiana, and French Guiana; ultimately the word is derived from an indigenous Amerindian language and means "Land of Many Waters" (referring to the area's multitude of rivers and streams) |
| Haiti | conventional long form: Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Haiti local long form: Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d Ayiti local short form: Haiti/Ayiti etymology: the native Taino name means "Land of High Mountains" and was originally applied to the entire island of Hispaniola |
| Heard Island and McDonald Islands | conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands abbreviation: HIMI etymology: named after American Captain John HEARD, who sighted the island on 25 November 1853, and American Captain William McDONALD, who discovered the islands on 4 January 1854 |
| Holy See (Vatican City) | conventional long form: The Holy See (Vatican City State) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: La Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) etymology: "holy" comes from the Greek word "hera" meaning "sacred"; "see" comes from the Latin word "sedes" meaning "seat," and refers to the episcopal chair; the term "Vatican" derives from the hill Mons Vaticanus on which the Vatican is located and which comes from the Latin "vaticinari" (to prophesy), referring to the fortune tellers and soothsayers who frequented the area in Roman times |
| Honduras | conventional long form: Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Honduras local long form: Republica de Honduras local short form: Honduras etymology: the name means "depths" in Spanish and refers to the deep anchorage in the northern Bay of Trujillo |
| Hong Kong | conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong local long form: Heung Kong Takpit Hangching Ku (Eitel/Dyer-Ball) local short form: Heung Kong (Eitel/Dyer-Ball) abbreviation: HK etymology: probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor" |
| Hungary | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Hungary local long form: none local short form: Magyarorszag former: Kingdom of Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic, Hungarian Soviet Republic, Hungarian Republic etymology: the Byzantine Greeks refered to the tribes that arrived on the steppes of Eastern Europe in the 9th century as the "Oungroi," a name that was later Latinized to "Ungri" and which became "Hungari"; the name originally meant an "[alliance of] ten tribes"; the Hungarian name "Magyarorszag" means "Country of the Magyars"; the term may derive from the most prominent of the Hungarian tribes, the Megyer |
| Iceland | conventional long form: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lydveldid Island local short form: Island etymology: Floki VILGERDARSON, an early explorer of the island (9th century), applied the name "Land of Ice" after spotting a fjord full of drift ice to the north and spending a bitter winter on the island; he eventually settled on the island, however, after he saw how it greened up in the summer and that it was, in fact, habitable |
| India | conventional long form: Republic of India conventional short form: India local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya local short form: India/Bharat etymology: the English name derives from the Indus River; the Indian name "Bharat" may derive from the "Bharatas" tribe mentioned in the Vedas of the second millennium B.C.; the name is also associated with Emperor Bharata, the legendary conqueror of all of India |
| Indian Ocean | etymology: named for the country of India, which makes up much of its northern border |
| Indonesia | conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia conventional short form: Indonesia local long form: Republik Indonesia local short form: Indonesia former: Netherlands East Indies, Dutch East Indies etymology: the name is an 18th-century construct of two Greek words, "Indos" (India) and "nesoi" (islands), meaning "Indian islands" |
| Iran | conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran conventional short form: Iran local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran local short form: Iran former: Persia etymology: name derives from the Avestan term "aryanam" meaning "Land of the Noble [Ones]" |
| Iraq | conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local long form: Jumhuriyat al-Iraq/Komar-i Eraq local short form: Al Iraq/Eraq former: Mesopotamia, Mandatory Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq etymology: the name probably derives from "Uruk" (Biblical "Erech"), the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian city on the Euphrates River |
| Ireland | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire etymology: the modern Irish name "Eire" evolved from the Gaelic "Eriu," the name of the matron goddess of Ireland (goddess of the land); the names "Ireland" in English and "Eire" in Irish are direct translations of each other |
| Israel | conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local long form: Medinat Yisra'el local short form: Yisra'el etymology: named after the ancient Kingdom of Israel; according to Biblical tradition, the Jewish patriarch Jacob received the name "Israel" ("He who struggles with God") after he wrestled an entire night with an angel of the Lord; Jacob's 12 sons became the ancestors of the Israelites, also known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel, who formed the Kingdom of Israel |
| Italy | conventional long form: Italian Republic conventional short form: Italy local long form: Repubblica Italiana local short form: Italia former: Kingdom of Italy etymology: derivation is unclear, but the Latin "Italia" may come from the Oscan "Viteliu" meaning "[Land] of Young Cattle" (the bull was a symbol of southern Italic tribes) |
| Jamaica | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica etymology: from the native Taino word "haymaca" meaning "Land of Wood and Water" or possibly "Land of Springs" |
| Jan Mayen | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jan Mayen etymology: named after Dutch Captain Jan Jacobszoon MAY, one of the first explorers to reach the island in 1614 |
| Japan | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan local long form: Nihon-koku/Nippon-koku local short form: Nihon/Nippon etymology: the English word for Japan comes via the Chinese name for the country "Cipangu"; both Nihon and Nippon mean "where the sun originates" and are frequently translated as "Land of the Rising Sun" |
| Jersey | conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey conventional short form: Jersey former: Norman Isles etymology: the name is of Old Norse origin, but the meaning of the root "Jer(s)" is uncertain; the "-ey" ending means "island" |
| Jordan | conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan conventional short form: Jordan local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah local short form: Al Urdun former: Transjordan etymology: named for the Jordan River, which makes up part of Jordan's northwest border |
| Kazakhstan | conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan conventional short form: Kazakhstan local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy local short form: Qazaqstan former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name "Kazakh" derives from the Turkic word "kaz" meaning "to wander," recalling the Kazakh's nomadic lifestyle; the Persian suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so the word Kazakhstan literally means "Land of the Wanderers" |
| Kenya | conventional long form: Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya local long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri ya Kenya local short form: Kenya former: British East Africa etymology: named for Mount Kenya; the meaning of the name is unclear but may derive from the Kikuyu, Embu, and Kamba words "kirinyaga," "kirenyaa," and "kiinyaa" - all of which mean "God's resting place" |
| Kiribati | conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Kiribati local long form: Republic of Kiribati local short form: Kiribati former: Gilbert Islands etymology: the name is the local pronunciation of "Gilberts," the former designation of the islands; originally named after explorer Thomas GILBERT, who mapped many of the islands in 1788 note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss |
| Korea, North | conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea conventional short form: North Korea local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk local short form: Choson abbreviation: DPRK etymology: derived from the Chinese name for Goryeo, which was the Korean dynasty that united the peninsula in the 10th century A.D.; the North Korean name "Choson" means "[Land of the] Morning Calm" |
| Korea, South | conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min'guk local short form: Han'guk abbreviation: ROK etymology: derived from the Chinese name for Goryeo, which was the Korean dynasty that united the peninsula in the 10th century A.D.; the South Korean name "Han'guk" derives from the long form, "Taehan-min'guk," which is itself a derivation from "Daehan-je'guk," which means "the Great Empire of the Han"; "Han" refers to the "Sam'han" or the "Three Han Kingdoms" (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla from the Three Kingdoms Era, 1st-7th centuries A.D.) |
| Kosovo | conventional long form: Republic of Kosovo conventional short form: Kosovo local long form: Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosovo) local short form: Kosove (Kosovo) etymology: name derives from the Serbian "kos" meaning "blackbird," an ellipsis (linguistic omission) for "kosove polje" or "field of the blackbirds" |
| Kuwait | conventional long form: State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt etymology: the name derives from the capital city, which is from Arabic "al-Kuwayt" a diminutive of "kut" meaning "fortress," possibly a reference to a small castle built on the current location of Kuwait City by the Beni Khaled tribe in the 17th century |
| Kyrgyzstan | conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: Kyrgyzstan former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: a combination of the Turkic words "kyrg" (forty) and "-yz" (tribes) with the Persian suffix "-stan" (country) creating the meaning "Land of the Forty Tribes"; the name refers to the 40 clans united by the legendary Kyrgyz hero, MANAS |
| Laos | conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: Mueang Lao (unofficial) etymology: name means "Land of the Lao [people]" |
| Latvia | conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.) |
| Lebanon | conventional long form: Lebanese Republic conventional short form: Lebanon local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah local short form: Lubnan former: Greater Lebanon etymology: derives from the Semitic root "lbn" meaning "white" and refers to snow-capped Mount Lebanon |
| Lesotho | conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho local short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland etymology: the name translates as "Land of the Sesotho Speakers" |
| Liberia | conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia etymology: name derives from the Latin word "liber" meaning "free"; so named because the nation was created as a homeland for liberated African-American slaves |
| Libya | conventional long form: State of Libya conventional short form: Libya local long form: Dawiat Libiya local short form: Libiya etymology: name derives from the Libu, an ancient Libyan tribe first mentioned in texts from the 13th century B.C. |
| Liechtenstein | conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein etymology: named after the Liechtenstein dynasty that purchased and united the counties of Schellenburg and Vaduz and that was allowed by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1719 to rename the new property after their family; the name in German means "light (bright) stone" |
| Lithuania | conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania conventional short form: Lithuania local long form: Lietuvos Respublika local short form: Lietuva former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: meaning of the name "Lietuva" remains unclear; it may derive from the Lietava, a stream in east central Lithuania |
| Luxembourg | conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg etymology: the name derives from the Celtic "lucilem" (little) and the German "burg" (castle or fortress) to produce the meaning of the "little castle"; the name is actually ironic, since for centuries the Fortress of Luxembourg was one of Europe's most formidable fortifications; the name passed to the surrounding city and then to the country itself |
| Macau | conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Macau official long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) official short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese) etymology: name is thought to derive from the A-Ma Temple - built in 1488 and dedicated to Mazu, the goddess of seafarers and fishermen - which is referred to locally as "Maa Gok" - and in Portuguese became "Macau"; the Chinese name Aomen means "inlet gates" |
| Madagascar | conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara former: Malagasy Republic etymology: the name "Madageiscar" was first used by the 13th-century Venetian explorer Marco POLO, as a corrupted transliteration of Mogadishu, the Somali port with which POLO confused the island |
| Malawi | conventional long form: Republic of Malawi conventional short form: Malawi local long form: Dziko la Malawi local short form: Malawi former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland etymology: named for the East African Maravi Kingdom of the 16th century; the word "maravi" means "fire flames" |
| Malaysia | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia local long form: none local short form: Malaysia former: Federation of Malaya etymology: the name means "Land of the Malays" |
| Maldives | conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje etymology: archipelago apparently named after the main island (and capital) of Male; the word "Maldives" means "the islands (dives) of Male"; alternatively, the name may derive from the Sanskrit word "maladvipa" meaning "garland of islands"; Dhivehi Raajje in Dhivehi means "Kingdom of the Dhivehi people" |
| Mali | conventional long form: Republic of Mali conventional short form: Mali local long form: Republique de Mali local short form: Mali former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic etymology: name derives from the West African Mali Empire of the 13th to 16th centuries A.D. |
| Malta | conventional long form: Republic of Malta conventional short form: Malta local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta local short form: Malta etymology: the ancient Greeks called the island "Melite" meaning "honey-sweet" from the Greek word "meli" meaning "honey" and referring to the island's honey production |
| Marshall Islands | conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands conventional short form: Marshall Islands local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands local short form: Marshall Islands former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District abbreviation: RMI etymology: named after British Captain John MARSHALL, who charted many of the islands in 1788 |
| Mauritania | conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania conventional short form: Mauritania local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah local short form: Muritaniyah etymology: named for the ancient kingdom of Mauretania (3rd century B.C. to 1st century A.D.) and the subsequent Roman province (1st-7th centuries A.D.), which existed further north in present-day Morocco; the name derives from the Mauri (Moors), the Berber-speaking peoples of northwest Africa |
| Mauritius | conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Mauritius local long form: Republic of Mauritius local short form: Mauritius etymology: island named after Prince Maurice VAN NASSAU, stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, in 1598 note: pronounced mah-rish-us |
| Mexico | conventional long form: United Mexican States conventional short form: Mexico local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos local short form: Mexico etymology: named after the capital city, whose name stems from the Mexica, the largest and most powerful branch of the Aztecs; the meaning of the name is uncertain |
| Micronesia, Federated States of | conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none local long form: Federated States of Micronesia local short form: none former: New Philippines; Caroline Islands; Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts abbreviation: FSM etymology: the term "Micronesia" is a 19th-century construct of two Greek words, "micro" (small) and "nesoi" (islands), and refers to thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean |
| Moldova | conventional long form: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldova local short form: Moldova former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: named for the Moldova River in neighboring eastern Romania |
| Monaco | conventional long form: Principality of Monaco conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco local short form: Monaco etymology: founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C., the name derives from two Greek words "monos" (single, alone) and "oikos" (house) to convey the sense of a people "living apart" or in a "single habitation" |
| Mongolia | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Mongolia local long form: none local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic etymology: the name means "Land of the Mongols" in Latin; the Mongolian name Mongol Uls translates as "Mongol State" |
| Montenegro | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montenegro local long form: none local short form: Crna Gora former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro etymology: the country's name locally as well as in most Western European languages means "black mountain" and refers to the dark coniferous forests on Mount Lovcen and the surrounding area |
| Montserrat | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat etymology: island named by explorer Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 after the Benedictine abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat, near Barcelona, Spain |
| Morocco | conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco conventional short form: Morocco local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah local short form: Al Maghrib former: French Protectorate in Morocco, Spanish Protectorate in Morocco, Spanish Sahara, Western Sahara etymology: the English name "Morocco" derives from, respectively, the Spanish and Portuguese names "Marruecos" and "Marrocos," which stem from "Marrakesh" the Latin name for the former capital of ancient Morocco; the Arabic name "Al Maghrib" translates as "The West" |
| Mozambique | conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: Mozambique local long form: Republica de Mocambique local short form: Mocambique former: Portuguese East Africa, People's Republic of Mozambique etymology: named for the offshore island of Mozambique; the island was apparently named after Mussa al-BIK, an influential Arab slave trader who set himself up as sultan on the island in the 15th century |
| Namibia | conventional long form: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia local long form: Republic of Namibia local short form: Namibia former: German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Suedwestafrika), South-West Africa etymology: named for the coastal Namib Desert; the name "namib" means "vast place" in the Nama/Damara language |
| Nauru | conventional long form: Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Nauru local long form: Republic of Nauru local short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island etymology: the island name may derive from the Nauruan word "anaoero" meaning "I go to the beach" |
| Navassa Island | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island etymology: the flat island was named "Navaza" by some of Christopher COLUMBUS' sailors in 1504; the name derives from the Spanish term "nava" meaning "flat land, plain, or field" |
| Nepal | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Nepal local long form: none local short form: Nepal etymology: the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas apparently gave their name to the country; the terms "Nepal," "Newar," "Nepar," and "Newal" are phonetically different forms of the same word |
| Netherlands | conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden local short form: Nederland abbreviation: NL etymology: the country name literally means "the lowlands" and refers to the geographic features of the land being both flat and down river from higher areas (i.e., at the estuaries of the Scheldt, Meuse, and Rhine Rivers; only about half of the Netherlands is more than 1 meter above sea level) |
| New Caledonia | conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie etymology: British explorer Captain James COOK discovered and named New Caledonia in 1774; he used the appellation because the northeast of the island reminded him of Scotland (Caledonia is the Latin designation for Scotland) |
| New Zealand | conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ etymology: Dutch explorer Abel TASMAN was the first European to reach New Zealand in 1642; he named it Staten Landt, but Dutch cartographers renamed it Nova Zeelandia in 1645 after the Dutch province of Zeeland; British explorer Captain James COOK subsequently anglicized the name to New Zealand when he mapped the islands in 1769 |
| Nicaragua | conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua etymology: Nicarao was the name of the largest indigenous settlement at the time of Spanish arrival; conquistador Gil GONZALEZ Davila, who explored the area (1622-23), combined the name of the community with the Spanish word "agua" (water), referring to the two large lakes in the west of the country (Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua) |
| Niger | conventional long form: Republic of Niger conventional short form: Niger local long form: Republique du Niger local short form: Niger etymology: named for the Niger River that passes through the southwest of the country; from a native term "Ni Gir" meaning "River Gir" note: pronounced nee-zher |
| Nigeria | conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria etymology: named for the Niger River that flows through the west of the country to the Atlantic Ocean; from a native term "Ni Gir" meaning "River Gir" |
| Niue | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island etymology: the origin of the name is obscure; in Niuean, the word supposedly translates as "behold the coconut" note: pronunciation falls between nyu-way and new-way, but not like new-wee |
| Norfolk Island | conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island conventional short form: Norfolk Island etymology: named by British explorer Captain James COOK after Mary HOWARD, Duchess of Norfolk, in 1774 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District abbreviation: CNMI etymology: formally claimed and named by Spain in 1667 in honor of the Spanish Queen, MARIANA of Austria |
| Norway | conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge etymology: derives from the Old Norse words "nordr" and "vegr" meaning "northern way" and refers to the long coastline of western Norway |
| Oman | conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Sultanate of Muscat and Oman etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain, but it apparently dates back at least 2,000 years since an "Omana" is mentioned by Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.) and an "Omanon" by Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.) |
| Pacific Ocean | etymology: named by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand MAGELLAN during the Spanish circumnavigation of the world in 1521; encountering favorable winds upon reaching the ocean, he called it "Mar Pacifico," which means "peaceful sea" in both Portuguese and Spanish |
| Pakistan | conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan local short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan etymology: the word "pak" means "pure" in Persian or Pashto, while the Persian suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so the word Pakistan literally means "Land of the Pure" |
| Palau | conventional long form: Republic of Palau conventional short form: Palau local long form: Beluu er a Belau local short form: Belau former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District etymology: from the Palauan name for the islands, Belau, which likely derives from the Palauan word "beluu" meaning "village" |
| Panama | conventional long form: Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama etymology: named after the capital city which was itself named after a former indigenous fishing village |
| Papua New Guinea | conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea conventional short form: Papua New Guinea local short form: Papuaniugini former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea abbreviation: PNG etymology: the word "papua" derives from the Malay "papuah" describing the frizzy hair of the Melanesians; Spanish explorer Ynigo ORTIZ de RETEZ applied the term "Nueva Guinea" to the island of New Guinea in 1545 after noting the resemblance of the locals to the peoples of the Guinea coast of Africa |
| Paracel Islands | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands etymology: Portuguese navigators began to refer to the "Ilhas do Pracel" in the 16th century as a designation of low lying islets, sandbanks, and reefs scattered over a wide area; over time the name changed to "parcel" and then "paracel" |
| Paraguay | conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay etymology: the precise meaning of the name Paraguay is unclear, but it seems to derive from the river of the same name; one explanation has the name meaning "water of the Payagua" (an indigenous tribe that lived along the river) |
| Peru | conventional long form: Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: Republica del Peru local short form: Peru etymology: exact meaning is obscure, but the name may derive from a native word "biru" meaning "river" |
| Philippines | conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines conventional short form: Philippines local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas local short form: Pilipinas etymology: named in honor of King PHILLIP II of Spain by Spanish explorer Ruy LOPEZ de VILLALOBOS, who visited some of the islands in 1543 |
| Pitcairn Islands | conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands etymology: named after Midshipman Robert PITCAIRN who first sighted the island in 1767 |
| Poland | conventional long form: Republic of Poland conventional short form: Poland local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska local short form: Polska former: Polish People's Republic etymology: name derives from the Polanians, a west Slavic tribe that united several surrounding Slavic groups (9th-10th centuries A.D.) and who passed on their name to the country; the name of the tribe likely comes from the Slavic "pole" (field or plain), indicating the flat nature of their country |
| Portugal | conventional long form: Portuguese Republic conventional short form: Portugal local long form: Republica Portuguesa local short form: Portugal etymology: name derives from the Roman designation "Portus Cale" meaning "Port of Cale"; Cale was an ancient Celtic town and port in present-day northern Portugal |
| Puerto Rico | conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico conventional short form: Puerto Rico abbreviation: PR etymology: Christopher COLUMBUS named the island San Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist) and the capital city and main port Cuidad de Puerto Rico (Rich Port City); over time, however, the names were shortened and transposed and the island came to be called Puerto Rico and its capital San Juan |
| Qatar | conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain, but it dates back at least 2,000 years since a term "Catharrei" was used to describe the inhabitants of the peninsula by Pliny the Elder (1st century A.D.), and a "Catara" peninsula is depicted on a map by Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.) note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation is gattar or cottar |
| Romania | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Romania local long form: none local short form: Romania former: Kingdom of Romania, Romanian People's Republic, Socialist Republic of Romania etymology: the name derives from the Latin "Romanus" meaning "citizen of Rome" and was used to stress the common ancient heritage of Romania's three main regions - Moldavia, Transylvania, and Wallachia - during their gradual unification between the mid-19th century and early 20th century |
| Russia | conventional long form: Russian Federation conventional short form: Russia local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya local short form: Rossiya former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic etymology: Russian lands were generally referred to as Muscovy until PETER I officially declared the Russian Empire in 1721; the new name sought to invoke the patrimony of the medieval eastern European Rus state centered on Kyiv in present-day Ukraine; the Rus were a Varangian (eastern Viking) elite that imposed their rule and eventually their name on their Slavic subjects |
| Rwanda | conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda conventional short form: Rwanda local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda local short form: Rwanda former: Ruanda, German East Africa etymology: the name translates as "domain" in the native Kinyarwanda language |
| Saint Barthelemy | conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy local short form: Saint-Barthelemy abbreviation: Saint-Barth (French); St. Barts or St. Barths (English) etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island in honor of his brother Bartolomeo's namesake saint in 1493 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis etymology: Saint Kitts was, and still is, referred to as Saint Christopher and this name was well established by the 17th century (although who first applied the name is unclear); in the 17th century a common nickname for Christopher was Kit or Kitt, so the island began to be referred to as "Saint Kitt's Island" or just "Saint Kitts"; Nevis is derived from the original Spanish name "Nuestra Senora de las Nieves" (Our Lady of the Snows) and refers to the white halo of clouds that generally wreathes Nevis Peak note: Nevis is pronounced neevis |
| Saint Lucia | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia etymology: named after Saint LUCY of Syracuse by French sailors who were shipwrecked on the island on 13 December 1502, the saint's feast day; Saint Lucia is the only country named specifically after a woman note: pronounced saynt-looshya |
| Saint Martin | conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours because the 11 November 1493 day of discovery was the saint's feast day |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon etymology: Saint-Pierre is named after Saint PETER, the patron saint of fishermen; Miquelon may be a corruption of the Basque name Mikelon |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines etymology: Saint Vincent was named by explorer Christopher COLUMBUS after Saint VINCENT of Saragossa because the 22 January 1498 day of discovery was the saint's feast day |
| Samoa | conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa conventional short form: Samoa local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa local short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa etymology: the meaning of Samoa is disputed; some modern explanations are that the "sa" connotes "sacred" and "moa" indicates "center," so the name can mean "Holy Center"; alternatively, some assertions state that it can mean "place of the sacred moa bird" of Polynesian mythology; the name, however, may go back to Proto-Polynesian (PPn) times (before 1000 B.C.); a plausible PPn reconstruction has the first syllable as "sa'a" meaning "tribe or people" and "moa" meaning "deep sea or ocean" to convey the meaning "people of the deep sea" |
| San Marino | conventional long form: Republic of San Marino conventional short form: San Marino local long form: Repubblica di San Marino local short form: San Marino etymology: named after Saint MARINUS, who in A.D. 301 founded the monastic settlement around which the city and later the state of San Marino coalesced |
| Sao Tome and Principe | conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe etymology: Sao Tome was named after Saint THOMAS the Apostle by the Portuguese who discovered the island on 21 December 1470 (or 1471), the saint's feast day; Principe is a shortening of the original Portuguese name of "Ilha do Principe" (Isle of the Prince) referring to the Prince of Portugal to whom duties on the island's sugar crop were paid |
| Saudi Arabia | conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conventional short form: Saudi Arabia local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah etymology: named after the ruling dynasty of the country, the House of Saud; the name "Arabia" can be traced back many centuries B.C., the ancient Egyptians referred to the region as "Ar Rabi" |
| Senegal | conventional long form: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Senegal local long form: Republique du Senegal local short form: Senegal former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation etymology: named for the Senegal River that forms the northern border of the country; many theories exist for the origin of the river name; perhaps the most widely cited derives the name from "Azenegue," the Portuguese appellation for the Berber Zenaga people who lived north of the river |
| Serbia | conventional long form: Republic of Serbia conventional short form: Serbia local long form: Republika Srbija local short form: Srbija former: People's Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain, but seems to be related to the name of the West Slavic Sorbs who reside in the Lusatian region in present-day eastern Germany; by tradition, the Serbs migrated from that region to the Balkans in about the 6th century A.D. |
| Seychelles | conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles local long form: Republic of Seychelles local short form: Seychelles etymology: named by French Captain Corneille Nicholas MORPHEY after Jean Moreau de SECHELLES, the finance minister of France, in 1756 |
| Sierra Leone | conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone conventional short form: Sierra Leone local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone local short form: Sierra Leone etymology: the Portuguese explorer Pedro de SINTRA named the country "Serra Leoa" (Lion Mountains) for the impressive mountains he saw while sailing the West African coast in 1462 |
| Singapore | conventional long form: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Singapore local long form: Republic of Singapore local short form: Singapore etymology: name derives from the Sanskrit words "simha" (lion) and "pura" (city) to describe the city-state's leonine symbol |
| Sint Maarten | conventional long form: Country of Sint Maarten conventional short form: Sint Maarten local long form: Land Sint Maarten (Dutch); Country of Sint Maarten (English) local short form: Sint Maarten (Dutch and English) former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the island after Saint MARTIN of Tours because the 11 November 1493 day of discovery was the saint's feast day |
| Slovakia | conventional long form: Slovak Republic conventional short form: Slovakia local long form: Slovenska republika local short form: Slovensko etymology: may derive from the medieval Latin word "Slavus" (Slav), which had the local form "Sloven", used since the 13th century to refer to the territory of Slovakia and its inhabitants |
| Slovenia | conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia conventional short form: Slovenia local long form: Republika Slovenija local short form: Slovenija former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia etymology: the country's name means "Land of the Slavs" in Slovene |
| Solomon Islands | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands local long form: none local short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands etymology: Spanish explorer Alvaro de MENDANA named the isles in 1568 after the wealthy biblical King SOLOMON in the mistaken belief that the islands contained great riches |
| Somalia | conventional long form: Federal Republic of Somalia conventional short form: Somalia local long form: Jamhuuriyadda Federaalkaa Soomaaliya local short form: Soomaaliya former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic etymology: "Land of the Somali" (ethnic group) |
| South Africa | conventional long form: Republic of South Africa conventional short form: South Africa former: Union of South Africa abbreviation: RSA etymology: self-descriptive name from the country's location on the continent; "Africa" is derived from the Roman designation of the area corresponding to present-day Tunisia "Africa terra," which meant "Land of the Afri" (the tribe resident in that area), but which eventually came to mean the entire continent |
| South Sudan | conventional long form: Republic of South Sudan conventional short form: South Sudan etymology: self-descriptive name from the country's former position within Sudan prior to independence; the name "Sudan" derives from the Arabic "bilad-as-sudan" meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]" |
| Southern Ocean | etymology: the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) included the ocean and its definition as the waters south of 60 degrees south in its year 2000 revision, but this has not formally been adopted; the 2000 IHO definition, however, was circulated in a draft edition in 2002 and has acquired de facto usage by many nations and organizations, including the CIA |
| Spain | conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local long form: Reino de Espana local short form: Espana etymology: derivation of the name "Espana" is uncertain, but may come from the Phoenician term "span," related to the word "spy," meaning "to forge metals," so, "i-spn-ya" would mean "place where metals are forged"; the ancient Phoenicians long exploited the Iberian Peninsula for its mineral wealth |
| Spratly Islands | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands etymology: named after a British whaling captain Richard SPRATLY, who sighted Spratly Island in 1843; the name of the island eventually passed to the entire archipelago |
| Sri Lanka | conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka conventional short form: Sri Lanka local long form: Shri Lanka Prajatantrika Samajavadi Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu local short form: Shri Lanka/Ilankai former: Serendib, Ceylon etymology: the name means "resplendent island" in Sanskrit |
| Sudan | conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan conventional short form: Sudan local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan local short form: As-Sudan former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Sudan etymology: the name "Sudan" derives from the Arabic "bilad-as-sudan" meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]" |
| Suriname | conventional long form: Republic of Suriname conventional short form: Suriname local long form: Republiek Suriname local short form: Suriname former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana etymology: name may derive from the indigenous "Surinen" people who inhabited the area at the time of European contact |
| Svalbard | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitsbergen, the largest island in the archipelago) etymology: 12th century Norse accounts speak of the discovery of a "Svalbard" - literally "cold shores" - but they may have referred to Jan Mayen Island or eastern Greenland; the archipelago was traditionally known as Spitsbergen, but Norway renamed it Svalbard in the 1920s when it assumed sovereignty of the islands |
| Sweden | conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige etymology: name ultimately derives from the North Germanic Svear tribe, which inhabited central Sweden and is first mentioned in the first centuries A.D. |
| Switzerland | conventional long form: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh) local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh) abbreviation: CH etymology: name derives from the canton of Schwyz, one of the founding cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy that formed in the 14th century |
| Syria | conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic conventional short form: Syria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah local short form: Suriyah former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt) etymology: name ultimately derived from the ancient Assyrians who dominated northern Mesopotamia, but whose reach also extended westward to the Levant; over time, the name came to be associated more with the western area |
| Taiwan | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: Taiwan former: Formosa etymology: "Tayowan" was the name of the coastal sandbank where the Dutch erected their colonial headquarters on the island in the 17th century; the former name "Formosa" means "beautiful" in Portuguese |
| Tajikistan | conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston local short form: Tojikiston former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the Persian suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so the word Tajikistan literally means "Land of the Tajik [people]" |
| Tanzania | conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania conventional short form: Tanzania local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania local short form: Tanzania former: German East Africa, Trust Territory of Tanganyika, United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar etymology: the country's name is a combination of the first letters of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, the two states that merged to form Tanzania in 1964 |
| Thailand | conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand conventional short form: Thailand local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai local short form: Prathet Thai former: Siam etymology: Land of the Tai [People]"; the meaning of "tai" is uncertain, but may originally have meant "human beings," "people," or "free people |
| Togo | conventional long form: Togolese Republic conventional short form: Togo local long form: Republique Togolaise local short form: none former: French Togoland etymology: derived from the Ewe words "to" (river) and "godo" (on the other side) to give the sense of "on the other side of the river"; originally, this designation applied to the town of Togodo (now Togoville) on the northern shore of Lake Togo, but the name was eventually extended to the entire nation |
| Tokelau | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau former: Union Islands, Tokelau Islands etymology: "tokelau" is a Polynesian word meaning "north wind" |
| Tonga | conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga local long form: Pule'anga Fakatu'i 'o Tonga local short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands etymology: "tonga" means "south" in the Tongan language and refers to the country's geographic position in relation to central Polynesia |
| Trinidad and Tobago | conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the larger island "La Isla de la Trinidad" (The Island of the Trinity) on 31 July 1498 on his third voyage; the tobacco grown and smoked by the natives of the smaller island or its elongated cigar shape may account for the "tobago" name, which is spelled "tobaco" in Spanish |
| Tunisia | conventional long form: Republic of Tunisia conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Tunis |
| Turkey | conventional long form: Republic of Turkey conventional short form: Turkey local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti local short form: Turkiye etymology: the name means "Land of the Turks" |
| Turkmenistan | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the suffix "-stan" means "place of" or "country," so Turkmenistan literally means the "Land of the Turkmen [people]" |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands abbreviation: TCI etymology: the Turks Islands are named after the Turk's cap cactus (native to the islands and appearing on the flag and coat of arms), while the Caicos Islands derive from the native term "caya hico" meaning "string of islands" |
| Tuvalu | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tuvalu local long form: none local short form: Tuvalu former: Ellice Islands etymology: "tuvalu" means "group of eight" or "eight standing together" referring to the country's eight traditionally inhabited islands |
| Uganda | conventional long form: Republic of Uganda conventional short form: Uganda etymology: from the name "Buganda," adopted by the British as the designation for their East African colony in 1894; Buganda had been a powerful East African state during the 18th and 19th centuries |
| Ukraine | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ukraine local long form: none local short form: Ukraina former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: name derives from the Old East Slavic word "ukraina" meaning "borderland or march (militarized border region)" and began to be used extensively in the 19th century; originally Ukrainians referred to themselves as Rusyny (Rusyns, Ruthenians, or Ruthenes), an endonym derived from the medieval Rus state (Kyivan Rus) |
| United Arab Emirates | conventional long form: United Arab Emirates conventional short form: none local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah local short form: none former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States abbreviation: UAE etymology: self-descriptive country name; the name "Arabia" can be traced back many centuries B.C., the ancient Egyptians referred to the region as "Ar Rabi"; "emirates" derives from "amir" the Arabic word for "commander," "lord," or "prince" |
| United Kingdom | conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - the island of Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales conventional short form: United Kingdom abbreviation: UK etymology: self-descriptive country name; the designation "Great Britain," in the sense of "Larger Britain," dates back to medieval times and was used to distinguish the island from "Little Britain," or Brittany in modern France; the name Ireland derives from the Gaelic "Eriu," the matron goddess of Ireland (goddess of the land) |
| United States | conventional long form: United States of America conventional short form: United States abbreviation: US or USA etymology: the name America is derived from that of Amerigo VESPUCCI (1454-1512) - Italian explorer, navigator, and cartographer - using the Latin form of his name, Americus, feminized to America |
| Uruguay | conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay local short form: Uruguay former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province etymology: name derives from the Spanish pronunciation of the Guarani Indian designation of the Uruguay River, which makes up the western border of the country and whose name later came to be applied to the entire country |
| Uzbekistan | conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: O'zbekiston Respublikasi local short form: O'zbekiston former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: a combination of the Turkic words "uz" (self) and "bek" (master) with the Persian suffix "-stan" (country) to give the meaning "Land of the Free" |
| Vanuatu | conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu local short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides etymology: derived from the words "vanua" (home or land) and "tu" (stand) that occur in several of the Austonesian languages spoken on the islands and which provide a meaning of "the land remains" but which also convey a sense of "independence" or "our land" |
| Venezuela | conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela conventional short form: Venezuela local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela local short form: Venezuela former: State of Venezuela, Republic of Venezuela, United States of Venezuela etymology: native stilt-houses built on Lake Maracaibo reminded early explorers Alonso de OJEDA and Amerigo VESPUCCI in 1499 of buildings in Venice and so they named the region "Venezuola," which in Italian means "Little Venice" |
| Vietnam | conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam conventional short form: Vietnam local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam local short form: Viet Nam abbreviation: SRV etymology: "Viet nam" translates as "Viet south," where "Viet" is an ethnic self identification dating to a second century B.C. kingdom and "nam" refers to its location in relation to other Viet kingdoms |
| Virgin Islands | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies abbreviation: VI etymology: the myriad islets, cays, and rocks surrounding the major islands reminded Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 of Saint Ursula and her 11,000 virgin followers (Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes), which over time shortened to the Virgins (las Virgenes) |
| Wake Island | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Wake Island etymology: although first discovered by British Captain William WAKE in 1792, the island is named after British Captain Samuel WAKE, who rediscovered the island in 1796 |
| Wallis and Futuna | conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna local short form: Wallis et Futuna former: Hoorn Islands is the former name of the Futuna Islands etymology: Wallis Island is named after British Captain Samuel WALLIS, who discovered it in 1767; Futuna is derived from the native word "futu," which is the name of the fish-poison tree found on the island |
| West Bank | conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank etymology: name refers to the location of the region - occupied and administered by Jordan after 1948 - that fell on the far side (west bank) of the Jordan River in relation to Jordan proper; the designation was retained following the 1967 Six-Day War and the subsequent changes in government |
| World | note: countries with names connected to animals include: Albania "Land of the Eagles," Anguilla (the name means "eel"), Bhutan "Land of the Thunder Dragon," Cameroon (the name derives from "prawns"), Cayman Islands (named after the caiman, a marine crocodile), Faroe Islands (from Old Norse meaning "sheep"), Georgia "Land of the Wolves," Italy "Land of Young Cattle," Kosovo "Field of Blackbirds," Sierra Leone "Lion Mountains," Singapore "Lion City" |
| Yemen | conventional long form: Republic of Yemen conventional short form: Yemen local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah local short form: Al Yaman former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen] etymology: name derivation remains unclear but may come from the Arab term "yumn" (happiness) and be related to the region's classical name "Arabia Felix" (Fertile or Happy Arabia); the Romans referred to the rest of the peninsula as "Arabia Deserta" (Deserted Arabia) |
| Zambia | conventional long form: Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia etymology: name derived from the Zambezi River, which flows through the western part of the country and forms its southern border with neighboring Zimbabwe |
| Zimbabwe | conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe-Rhodesia etymology: takes its name from the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (13th-15th century) and its capital of Great Zimbabwe, the largest stone structure in pre-colonial southern Africa |
Source: CIA Factbook
