Clear The Confusion: The Names Of Countries That Have Changed

By:
Mabel Fatokun

In clearing the confusion about some countries, Travellers must be certain of the names of their locations in order to dispel misconceptions regarding some nations. Let us assist you with the names of countries that have changed from what they were to what they are now in order to prevent any needless issues or delays on your travels.

These countries have changed their names. Dont confuse them with their old names

  • Macedonia changed to North Macedonia
  • Czech Republic changed name to Czechia
  • Swaziland name changed to Eswatini
  • Burma changed to Myanmar in 1989
  • Persia to Iran
  • Turkey is also Turkiye

Past Alterations to Nations’ Names

  • Snæland → Iceland (874)
  • Terra de Santa Cruz → Brasil (1530)
  • Temasik → Singapore (1819)
  • New Spain → Mexico (1821)
  • Upper Peru → Bolivia (1825)
  • Duchy of Brabant → Burgundian Netherlands (1384) → Habsburg Netherlands (1482) → Spanish Netherlands (1581) → Austrian Netherlands(1713) → United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815) → Belgium (1830)
  • United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia → Romania (1859)
  • New Granada → Colombia (1819) → New Granada (1831) → Colombia (1863)
  • North German Confederation → Germany (1870)
  • Spanish East Indies → Philippines (1898)
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland → United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1927)
  • Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd → Saudi Arabia (1932)
  • British Mandate of Mesopotamia (1920) → Iraq (1932)
  • Persia → Iran (1935)
  • Ireland → Southern Ireland (1921) → Irish Free State (1922) → Ireland (1937)
  • Abyssinia → Ethiopia (1941)
  • Dutch East Indies → Indonesia (1945 or 1949)
  • Transjordan → Jordan (1946)
  • Siam → Thailand (1949)
  • Gold Coast → Ghana (1957)
  • French Sudan → Mali (1960)
  • Nyasaland → Malawi (1964)
  • Northern Rhodesia → Zambia (1964)
  • Bechuanaland → Botswana (1966)
  • Basutoland → Lesotho (1966)
  • Spanish Guinea → Equatorial Guinea (1968)
  • Sultanate of Muscat and Oman → Oman (1970)
  • Eastern Bengal and Assam → East Bengal (1947) → East Pakistan (1955) → Bangladesh (1971)
  • The Trucial States of the Coast of Oman → United Arab Emirates (1971)
  • Ceylon → Sri Lanka (1972)
  • British Honduras → Belize (1973)
  • Portuguese Guinea → Guinea-Bissau (1974)
  • Dutch Guiana → Suriname (1975)
  • Dahomey → Benin (1975)
  • Republic of Côte d’Ivoire → Ivory Coast (1975 as another official name)
  • Spanish Sahara → Western Sahara (1975) → Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (1976; disputed)
  • French Somaliland → Territory of the Afars and the Issas (1967) → Djibouti (1977)
  • Ellice Islands → Tuvalu (1978)
  • Gilbert Islands → Kiribati (1979)
  • Ubangi-Shari → Central African Republic (1958) → Central African Empire (1976) → Central African Republic (1979)
  • Southern Rhodesia → Rhodesia (1965) → Zimbabwe-Rhodesia (1979) → Zimbabwe (1980)
  • New Hebrides → Vanuatu (1980)
  • Upper Volta → Burkina Faso (1984)
  • Burma → Myanmar (1989; disputed)
  • German Southwest Africa → Southwest Africa (1915) → Namibia (1990)
  • Bessarabia → Moldavian SSR (1940) → Moldova (1991)
  • Khmer Republic → Kampuchea (1975) → Cambodia (1991)
  • Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) (1960) → Zaire (1971) → Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997)
  • Portuguese Timor → East Timor (1975) → Timor-Leste (2002 as another official name)
  • Hungarian Republic → Hungary (2012 as another official name)
  • Libya → State of Libya (2013 unofficial)
  • Cape Verde → Cabo Verde (2013 as another official name)
  • Czech Republic → Czechia (2016 as another official name)
  • Republic of The Gambia → Islamic Republic of The Gambia (2015) → Republic of The Gambia (2017)
  • Swaziland → Eswatini (2018)
  • Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes → Yugoslavia (1929–2003) {→ Slovenia, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro (1992–2006) → Slovenia, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro (2006) → Slovenia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro (2019)
  • People’s Republic of Macedonia → Socialist Republic of Macedonia (1963) → Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1991) → North Macedonia(2019)

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