List of alternative country names
Most sovereign states have alternative names. Some countries have also undergone name changes for political or other reasons. This article attempts to give all known alternative names and initialisms for all nations, countries, and sovereign states, in English and any predominant or official languages of the country in question.
Countries are listed alphabetically by their description, the most common name or term that is politically neutral and unambiguous. This may be followed by a note as to the status of the description used.
A[]
| Alpha-3 code | Description | Other name(s) or older name(s) |
|---|---|---|
 Abkhazia (common, English) |
Republic of Abkhazia (official, English), Aphsny Axwynthkharra (official, Abkhaz), Respublika Abkhaziya (official, Russian), Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia (Internationally recognized, English) | |
| AFG |  Afghanistan (common, English) |
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (de-jure official, English), Da Afġānistān Islāmī Jumhoryat (de-jure official, Pashto), Jomhūrīyyeh Eslāmīyyeh Afġānestān (de-jure official, Dari), Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (de-facto official, English), Da Afġānistān Islāmī Amārāt (de-facto official, Pashto) |
| ALB |  Albania (common, English) |
Republic of Albania (official, English), Republika e Shqipërisë (official, Albanian), Arnavutluk (Turkish), Arbanon (former, English), People's Socialist Republic of Albania (former official, English), Republika Popullore Socialiste e Shqipërisë (former official, Albanian), Albanian Kingdom (former official, English), Mbretnija Shqiptare (former official, Albanian) |
| DZA |  Algeria (common, English) |
People's Democratic Republic of Algeria (official, English), al-Jazā’ir (common, Arabic), al Jumhuriyya al Jazaa'iriyya ad-Dīmuqrāţiyya ash Sha'biyya (official, Arabic) |
| AND |  Andorra (common, English) |
Principality of Andorra (official, English), Principat d'Andorra (official, Catalan), Principality of the Valleys of Andorra (alternate, English) |
| AGO |  Angola (common, English)
|
Republic of Angola (official, English), República de Angola (official, Portuguese) |
| ATG |  Antigua and Barbuda (common, English)
|
Antigua and Barbuda (official, English), Wadadli (The island of Antigua was originally called by Arawaks and is locally known by that name today) |
| ARG |  Argentina (common, English) |
Argentine Republic (official, English), la Argentina (colloquial, Spanish), the Argentine (archaic, English), Argentine Nation (official and legally preferred, English), United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (former official, English), Argentine Confederation (former official, English) |
| ARM |  Armenia (common, English) |
Republic of Armenia (official, English), Hayastan (transliterated Armenian, original: Հայաստան), Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն (official, Armenian), Hayastani Hanrapetut’yun (official, transliterated Armenian) |
| AUS |  Australia (common, English) |
Commonwealth of Australia (official, English), New Holland (former name, English) |
| AUT |  Austria (common, English) |
Republic of Austria (official, English), Republik Österreich (official, German), Österreich (common, German), Federal Republic of Austria (former official, English), Cisleithania (former, English), Cisleithanien (former, German) |
| AZE |  Azerbaijan (common, English) |
Republic of Azerbaijan (official, English), Azərbaycan Respublikası (official, Azerbaijani), Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (former official, English), Azerbaijan SSR (former short, English), Азәрбајҹан Совет Сосиалист Республикасы (former official, Azerbaijani) |
B[]
| Alpha-3 code | Description | Other name(s) or older name(s) |
|---|---|---|
| BHS |  The Bahamas (common, English) |
Commonwealth of The Bahamas (official, English), Commonwealth of the Bahama Islands (former official, English), Bahama Islands (colloquial, English) |
| BHR |  Bahrain (common, English) |
Kingdom of Bahrain (official, English), Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn (official, Arabic), State of Bahrain (former official, English) |
| BGD |  Bangladesh (common, English) |
People's Republic of Bangladesh (official, English), বাংলাদেশ Bangladesh (common name, meaning the country of Bengal), গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ Gônôprôjatôntri Bangladesh (long official name in Bengali), বাংলা Bangla (alternative name meaning the geographical land of Bengal), বঙ্গ Bônggô (Bongo, historical name for geographical area of Bengal), গঙ্গাঋদ্ধি Gônggarriddhi (ancient name for Bengal region), Bengal Presidency (former political name), পূর্ববঙ্গ Purbô Bônggô (former political name), East Bengal (former political name), পূর্ব পাকিস্তান Purbô Pakistan (former political name), East Pakistan (former political name). |
| BRB |  Barbados (common, English) |
Barbados (official, English), Bim (nickname), Bimshire (nickname), Little England (nickname), The Rock (nickname) |
| BLR |  Belarus (common, English) |
Republic of Belarus (official, English), Gudija (Lithuanian), Byelorussia (former name), White Russia (outdated) |
| BEL |  Belgium (common, English)
|
Kingdom of Belgium (official, English), Koninkrijk België (official, Dutch), Royaume de Belgique (official, French), Königreich Belgien (official, German), Belgique (common, French), België (common, Dutch), Belgien (common, German) |
| BLZ |  Belize (common, English) |
Belize (official, English), British Honduras (former, English) |
| BEN |  Benin (common, English) |
Republic of Benin (official, English), Dahomey (former name), République du Bénin (official, French) |
| BTN |  Bhutan (common, English) |
Kingdom of Bhutan (official, English), Druk Gyal Khap (official, Dzongkha) |
| BOL |  Bolivia (common, English) |
Plurinational State of Bolivia (official, English), Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia (official, Spanish), Republic of Bolívar (former official, English), Republic of Bolivia (former official, English) |
| BIH |  Bosnia and Herzegovina (common, English) |
Bosnia and Herzegovina (official, English), Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (former official, English), Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (former official, English), Bosnia (colloquial, English) |
| BWA |  Botswana (common, English) |
Republic of Botswana (official, English), Bechuanaland (former, English), |
| BRA |  Brazil (common, English) |
Federative Republic of Brazil (official, English), Pindorama (in Tupi and Guarani, native languages), Terra de Santa Cruz (early Portuguese colonization), Ilha de Vera Cruz (former, Portuguese), Empire of Brazil (former, English), United States of Brazil (former, English), República Federativa do Brasil (official, Portuguese), Terra di Papaga (former, Italian) |
| BRN |  Brunei (common, English) |
Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace (official, English), State of Brunei (colonial name, English), Negara Brunei Darussalam (Malay), Brunei Darussalam (Malay), نڬارا بروني دارالسلام (Jawi) |
| BGR |  Bulgaria (common, English) |
Republic of Bulgaria (official, English), Република България (official, Bulgarian), People's Republic of Bulgaria (former official, English) |
| BFA |  Burkina Faso (common, English) |
Burkina Faso (official, English), Upper Volta (former name, English), Haute-Volta (former name, French), Bourkina-Fasso (unofficial French form in the first few days after the 1984 change from Upper Volta until the government clarified the official spelling) |
| BDI |  Burundi (common, English) |
Republic of Burundi (official, English), Republika y'Uburundi (official, Kirundi), République du Burundi (official, French), Kingdom of Burundi (former official, English) |
C[]
| Alpha-3 code | Description | Other name(s) or older name(s) |
|---|---|---|
| KHM |  Cambodia (common, English)
|
Kingdom of Cambodia (official, English), Royaume du Cambodge (official, French), Kampuchea (former officially sanctioned common name in the English language and transliteration from Khmer language), Khmer Republic (former official), Democratic Kampuchea (former official), People's Republic of Kampuchea (former official), State of Cambodia (former official) |
| CMR |  Cameroon (common, English)
|
Republic of Cameroon (official, English), United Republic of Cameroon (former official, English), Kamerun (former colonial, German) |
| CAN |  Canada (common, English) |
Canada (official, English), Dominion of Canada (historical long form, English), Dominion du Canada (historical long form, French), Acadia (French colony), Francisca (as labeled on an old map) |
| CPV |  Cape Verde (common, English) |
Republic of Cabo Verde (official, English), República de Cabo Verde (official, Portuguese), Repúblika di Kabu Verdi (official, Cape Verdean Creole), Cabo Verde (official, Portuguese and English; the Government of Cabo Verde now uses that form for official purposes in English as well as Portuguese) |
| CAF |  Central African Republic (common, English) |
Central African Republic (official, English), Oubangui-Chari (former, French), Ubangi-Shari (English), République Centrafricaine (official, French), Empire Centrafricain (former official, French), Central African Empire (English) |
| TCD |  Chad (official, English) |
Republic of Chad (official, English), République du Tchad (official, French), Jumhūrīyat Tashād (official, Arabic) |
| CHL |  Chile (common, English) |
Republic of Chile (official, English), Chilli (Mapuche), Chili (Quechua), Reyno de Chile (colonial Spanish), Capitania general de Chile (colonial Spanish) |
| CHN |  China (common, English) |
People's Republic of China (official, English), 中华人民共和国, PRC (initialism), China 中国 (common, ambiguous), Communist China (colloquial, mainly used by Western countries), Red China (colloquial, mainly derogatory), 中共 (colloquial and mainly derogatory, mainly used by the ROC with a cognate used in Vietnam), Mainland China/中国大陆/中国內地 (colloquial, refers to the area that the PRC Government administers since the end of the Chinese Civil War), New China/新中国 (colloquial, pro-Communist), Shenzhou/神州, Ch'in Empire, Cathay (obsolete, now mainly used poetically), Zhongguo is the name for China in Chinese language. |
| COL |  Colombia (common, English) |
Republic of Colombia (official, English), República de Colombia (official, Spanish), Estados Unidos de Colombia (former official, Spanish), Confederación Granadina (former official, Spanish), República de la Nueva Granada (former official, Spanish) |
| COM |  Comoros (common, English) |
Union of the Comoros (official, English), Union des Comores (official, French), Udzima wa Komori (official, Swahili), al-Ittiḥād al-Qumurī (official, Arabic), United Republic of the Commoros (official, English) |
| COG |  Congo (common, English) |
Republic of the Congo (official, English), Congo-Brazzaville (common, English), Congo Republic (common, English), République du Congo (official, French), Repubilika ya Kôngo (official, Kituba), Republíki ya Kongó (official, Lingala) |
| CRI |  Costa Rica (common, English) |
Republic of Costa Rica (official, English), República de Costa Rica (official, Spanish) |
| CIV |  Côte d'Ivoire (common, French and English)
|
Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (official, English), Ivory Coast (common, English), the Ivory Coast (common English),, République de Côte d'Ivoire (official, French) |
| HRV |  Croatia (common, English)
|
Republic of Croatia (official, English), Republika Hrvatska (official, Croatian), Hrvatska (common, Croatian; also in Serbian, Bosnian and Montenegrin), Hrvaška (Slovenian) |
| CUB |  Cuba (common, English) |
Republic of Cuba (official, English), República de Cuba (official, Spanish) |
| CYP |  Cyprus (common, English) |
Republic of Cyprus (official, English), Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία (official, Greek), Kypriaki Dimokratia (official, transliterated Greek), Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti (official, Turkish), Κύπρος (common, Greek), Kypros (common, transliterated Greek), Kıbrıs (common, Turkish), Island of Venus (nickname, English) |
| CZE |  Czech Republic (common, English)
|
Czech Republic (official, English), Czechia (official shortform name, English), Česká republika (official, Czech, Slovak), Česko (common, Czech, Slovak), ČR (Czech initialism), CR (English initialism), Bohemia (former, English), Czechland (unofficial, English), the Czechlands (unofficial, English), České země (Czech for "Bohemian lands" or "Czech lands"). Former Česká socialistická republika (Czech for the "Czech Socialist Republic"), ČSR (Czech initialism), CSR (English initialism), (Protektorát) Čechy a Morava (Czech for the "(Protectorate of) Bohemia and Moravia"), Země Koruny české (Czech for the "Lands of the Bohemian Crown"), Koruna česká (Czech for the "Bohemian Crown"), Česká konfederace (Czech for the "Bohemian Confederation") |
D[]
| Alpha-3 code | Description | Other name(s) or older name(s) |
|---|---|---|
| DNK |  Denmark (common, English) |
Kingdom of Denmark (official, English), Danmark (common, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian), Kongeriget Danmark (official, Danish), Dania (antiquated, Latin) |
| COD |  Democratic Republic of Congo (common, English) |
Democratic Republic of the Congo (official, English), Zaire (former official name, 1971 to 1997; still occasionally used to distinguish it from Republic of the Congo), DRC (initialism), Congo Kinshasa (used in contrast to "Congo Brazzaville"), Belgian Congo (former name during Belgian colonization, 1908 to 1960, English), Congo belge (former name, French), Congo Free State (former name, 1885 to 1908), Republic of the Congo (former name, 1960 to 1964, during which time both Congos had identical official names) |
| DJI |  Djibouti (common, English) |
Republic of Djibouti (official, English), French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, French Somaliland, Obock Territory (former names, English), Territoire français des Afars et des Issas, Côte française des Somalis, Territoire d'Obock (former names, French), République de Djibouti (official, French) |
| DMA |  Dominica (common, English) |
Commonwealth of Dominica (official, English), Dominique (common, French), Dominik (common, Dominican Creole French), Wai‘tu kubuli (common, Kalinago language) |
| DOM |  Dominican Republic (common, English) |
Dominican Republic (official, English), República Dominicana (Spanish) |
E[]
| Alpha-3 code | Description | Other name(s) or older name(s) |
|---|---|---|
| TLS |  East Timor (common, English)
|
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (official, English), Timor-Leste (official shortform name, English, Portuguese), Portuguese Timor (former, English) |
| ECU |  Ecuador (common, English)
|
Republic of Ecuador (official, English), República del Ecuador (official Spanish), Ikwadur Ripuwlika (Quechua), Ekuatur Nunka (Shuar) |
| EGY |  Egypt (common, English) |
Arab Republic of Egypt (official, English), Miṣr (formal shortened, Arabic), Meṣr (common, Arabic), Aegyptus (former, Latin), Kīmi (Coptic) |
| SLV |  El Salvador (common, English) |
Republic of El Salvador (official, English), República de El Salvador (official, Spanish) |
| GNQ |  Equatorial Guinea (common, English) |
Republic of Equatorial Guinea (official, English), República de Guinea Ecuatorial (official, Spanish), République de Guinée équatoriale (official, French), República da Guiné Equatorial (official, Portuguese), Guinea Ecuatorial (common, Spanish), Guinée équatoriale (common, French), Guiné Equatorial (common, Portuguese) |
| ERI |  Eritrea (common, English) |
State of Eritrea (official, English), Italian Eritrea (former, English) |
| EST |  Estonia (common, English) |
Republic of Estonia (official, English), Esthonia (archaic, English), Eesti (common, Estonian), Eesti Vabariik (official, Estonian), Viru (poetic, Estonian), Viro (common, Finnish), Estland (common, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch), Maarjamaa (Terra Mariana poetic, Estonian), Igaunija (common, Latvian) |
| SWZ |  Eswatini (common, English)
|
Kingdom of Eswatini (official, English), Swaziland (common, former), eSwatini (Swazi), |
| ETH |  Ethiopia (common, English) |
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (official, English), Abyssinia (former), Habeshastan (Turkish), Ethiopië (common, Dutch), Al-Habasha (Arabic) |
F[]
| Alpha-3 code | Description | Other name(s) or older name(s) |
|---|---|---|
| FJI |  Fiji (common, English) |
Republic of Fiji (official, English), Matanitu Tugalala o Viti (official, Fijian) |
| FIN |  Finland (common, English and Swedish) |
Republic of Finland (official, English), Suomi (common, Finnish), Suomen tasavalta (official, Finnish), Republiken Finland (official, Swedish), Suomenmaa (poetic, Finnish), Suopma and Suoma dásseváldi (North Sami, official), Lääˊddjânnam and Lääˊddjânnam tääˊssväˊldd (Skolt Sami, official), Suomâ and Suomâ täsiväldi (official, Inari Sami), Финля́ндия (Finlyandiya) and Великое княжество Финляндское (Velikoye knyazhestvo Finlyandskoye) (Russian, as Grand Duchy of Finland), Soome (common, Estonian) |
| FRA |  France (common, English and French) |
French Republic (official, English), République Française (official, French), L'Hexagone (often journalistic, colloquial French), Gaul (former name, English), Gaule (former name, French), Γαλλία (Gallia) (Contemporary Greek name), Farança (common Arabic), Tsarfat (common Hebrew) |
G[]
| Alpha-3 code | Description | Other name(s) or older name(s) |
|---|---|---|
| GAB |  Gabon (common, English) |
Gabonese Republic (official, English) |
| GMB |  Gambia (common, English) |
Republic of The Gambia (official, English) |
| GEO |  Georgia (common, English) |
Georgia (official, English), Sakartvelo (transliterated Georgian, original: საქართველო), Iberia (former, English, East Georgia), Colchis (former, English, West Georgia), Iveria (usually used as Christian name), Republic of Georgia (former, English, before the 1995 Constitution), საქართველოს რესპუბლიკა (former, Georgian), Sakartvelos Respublika (former, transliterated Georgian), گرجستان (Gorjestan) (Persian) |
| DEU |  Germany (common, English) |
Federal Republic of Germany (official, English), Bundesrepublik Deutschland (official, German*), Deutschland (common, German*), BRD (German initialism*), FRG (English initialism*) [along with the common English "Germany," the names marked with an asterisk formerly referred only to West Germany, but following German reunification now apply to the united country], German Empire (former, 1871–1918), Weimar Republic (former, 1918–1933). Duitsland (common, Dutch), Allemagne (common, French), Alemania (common, Spanish), Germania (common, Italian), Německo (common, Czech), Niemcy (common, Polish), Németország (common, Hungarian) [the common name for Germany in some Romance languages is a variant of the place name Alemannia and in many Slavic languages is a variant of Nemacia (old Slavic for outsiders, literally "those who cannot speak our language"). Other languages use pars pro toto names such as Bavaria or the former Prussia to refer to Germany, for instance Saksa (common, Finnish), derived from the place name Saxony]. Former East Germany (unofficial, English): Deutsche Demokratische Republik (official, German), German Democratic Republic (official, English), DDR (German initialism), GDR (English initialism). |
| GHA |  Ghana (common, English) |
Republic of Ghana (official, English), Gold Coast (colonial, English), United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), Ghana Tiŋzuɣu (Dagbon), Gaana (Akan) |
| GRC |  Greece (common, English) |
Hellenic Republic (official, English), Hellas (official and common name), Ελλάδα ("Hellada" common name in Greek), Ελλάς ("Hellas" official description in Greek), Yunanistan (Turkish), Ελληνική Δημοκρατία (official name of Greek state, Greek), Kingdom of the Hellenes (1863–1924 and 1935–1967), Yavan (common Hebrew) |
| GRD |  Grenada (common, English) |
Grenada (official, English), Gwenad (common, Grenadian Creole French) |
| GNB |  Guinea-Bissau (common, English) |
Republic of Guinea-Bissau (official, English), Portuguese Guinea (former, English), Guiné-Bissao (archaic, Portuguese), Guinea (shorthand, used when context clearly distinguishes Guinea-Bissau from the neighboring Republic of Guinea) |
| GTM |  Guatemala (common, English)
|
Republic of Guatemala (official, English), República de Guatemala (official, Spanish) |
| GIN |  Guinea (common, English)
|
Republic of Guinea (official, English), République de Guinée (official, French), Gine (Mandinka), ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫ (N'Ko script), Republik bu Gine (Fula),
|