Historical country Names
Introduction
They are alternative names (or alternative spellings of names) for several countries. This information is often useful for legal and political researchers working with historical sources, because these sources used to refer to countries by different names than of current use.
Table of Historical country Names
Name | Alternative Spellings / Names |
United States of America | US/U.S./United States; USA/U.S.A. |
Canada | British possessions: British North America |
French possessions: New France | |
Bahamas | Bahama Islands; Lucayos |
Cuba | (None) |
Haiti | Ayiti (native); Hayti; Saint-Domingue |
Dominican Republic | Republica Dominicana; Saint Domingo; San Domingo; Santo Domingo |
Jamaica | St. Jago; Santiago; Xaymaca |
Trinidad & Tobago | Trinidad: Bella Forma; Trinity |
Tobago: Tapuago (native) | |
Barbados | Barbadoes |
Dominica | Isla Dominga |
Grenada | Concepcion; Granada; La Grenade |
Saint Lucia | Hewanorra (native); Sainte Lucie; Santa Lucia |
Saint Vincent & Grenadines | St. Vincent: Hairoun (native) |
Grenadines: Grenadilles | |
Antigua & Barbuda | Santa Maria de Antigua |
Saint Kitts & Nevis | St. Kitts-Nevis |
St. Kitts: Liamuiga (native); St. Christopher; San Cristobal | |
Mexico | Estados Unidos Mexicanos; Mejico; Mexican Empire; Mexican Republic; United Mexican States |
Belize | Balize; Belice; British Bay Settlement; British Honduras |
Guatemala | (none) |
Honduras | (none) |
El Salvador | Saint Salvador; Salvador; San Salvador |
Nicaragua | Nicarahua |
Costa Rica | Rich Coast |
Panama | Castilla de Oro/Castilla del Oro; State of the Isthmus |
Colombia | Columbia; Gran Colombia; Granadine Confederation; Great Colombia; Greater Colombia; Grenadine Confedaration; New Granada; Nueva Granada |
Venezuela | Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela |
Guyana | British Guiana; Guayana |
Included Berbice, Demerara, Essequibo | |
Suriname | Dutch Guiana; Netherlands Guiana; Surinam; Willoughbyland |
Ecuador | Estado del Ecuator; State of the Equator |
Peru | Perou; Peruvian Republic |
Part of Peru-Bolivia Confederation 1839-1839 | |
Brazil | Brasil |
Bolivia | Charcas; Upper Peru |
Part of Peru-Bolivia Confederation (1836-1839) | |
Paraguay | Guaira; Paraguai |
Chile | Chili, Chilli |
Argentina | Argentine Confederation; Argentine Nation; Argentine Republic; Platine Republic; United Provinces of La Plata; United Provinces of Rio de la Plata; United Provinces of South America |
Uruguay | Banda Oriental; Estado Oriental del Uruguay; Province of Montevideo; Provincia Oriental del Rio de la Plata; República Oriental del Uruguay |
United Kingdom | Albion; Britain; Britannia; England; Great Britain (1707+); UK/U.K.; United Kingdom of Great Britain (1707-1801); United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801-1927); United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1927+) |
Ireland | Eire (1937-1948); Erin; Hibernia; Irish Free State; Irish Republic; Saorstat Eireann |
Part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801-1922) | |
Netherlands | Batavian Republic / Batavian Comonwealth (1795-1806); Holland; Nederland; Republic of the United Provinces; United Netherlands (1813-1815) |
Part of the Low Countries or Nether Lands | |
Belgium | Belgie; Belgien; Belgique |
Part of the Low Countries or Nether Lands | |
Luxembourg | Letzebuerg; Luxemburg |
France | French Empire; French Republic; L’Hexagone; Republique Francaise |
Monaco | Fort-Hecule/Fort Hecule |
Included Menton and Roquebrone | |
Liechtenstein | (none) |
Switzerland | Helvetia; Helvetica; Helvetic Republic or Helvetian Republic (under Napoleon); Schweiz; Suisse; Svizzera; Svizra; Swiss Confederation |
Spain | Espainia; Espana; Espanya |
Andorra | (none) |
Portugal | (none) |
Hanover | Hannover |
Bavaria | Bayern |
Germany | Deutsches Reich; Deutschland; German Empire |
The COW project and many scholars consider Prussia (Preussen) to be the predecessor of Germany before unification. | |
German Federal Republic | Federal Republic of Germany (FRG); West Germany |
German Democratic Republic | Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR); East Germany; German Democratic Republic (GDR) |
Baden | Aquae Panoniae; Baden bei Wien |
Saxony | Sachsen |
Wuerttemburg | Wurttemburg |
Hesse Electoral | Electoral Hesse; Hesse/Hessen – Kassel/Cassel; Kurhessen |
Hesse Grand Ducal | Ducal Hesse; Hesse/Hessen – Darmstadt |
Mecklenburg Schwerin | (none) |
Poland | Polska; Rceczypospolita Polska |
Austria-Hungary | Dual Monarchy; Hapsburg/Habsburg Empire |
Austria | Osterreich |
Hungary | Magyar Nepkoxtarsasag; Magyar Republic; Magyarorszag; Ungarn |
Czechoslovakia | Ceskoslovensko; Czecho-Slovakia |
Czech Republic | Bohemia and Moravia; Ceska Republika; Czechia |
Slovakia | Slovak Republic; Slovenska Republika; Slovensko |
Italy | Italia |
The COW project and many scholars consider Piedmont-Sardinia (Savoy/Savoie/Savoia, Sardinia/Sardegna, Piedmont/Piemonte, or Piedmont-Sardinia/Sardinia-Piedmont) to be the predecessor of Italy before unification. | |
Papal States | Lo Stato della Chiesa; Roman Republic; States of the Church; Stati Pontificii |
Two Sicilies | Included Sicily and Naples |
San Marino | (none) |
Modena | (none) |
Parma | (none) |
Tuscany | Toscana |
Malta | (none) |
Albania | Shqiperi; Shqipni; Shqipri |
Montenegro | Crno Gora; Tsernagora |
Macedonia | Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM); Makedonija |
Croatia | Hrvatska |
Yugoslavia | Serbia (pre-1919 and 2006+); Serbia & Montenegro (1990s); Srbija i Crna Gora |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bosna i Hercegovina / BiH; Bosnia and Hercegovina |
Kosovo | Kosova; Kossovo |
Slovenia | Slovenija |
Greece | Ellada; Ellas; Hellas |
Cyprus | Kibris; Kypros |
Bulgaria | Balgarija; Republika Bulgariya |
Moldova | Bessarabia; Moldau; Moldavia; Moldavian Republic |
Romania | Dacia (ancient); Roumania; Rumania |
Russia | Rossija; Rossiya; Rus; Russian Federation; Soviet Union; Union of Soviet Socialist Republics/USSR/CCCP |
Estonia | Eesti; Esthonia |
Latvia | Latvija; Lettland |
Lithuania | Lietuva |
Ukraine | Ukrajina; Ukrayina |
Belarus | Belarus; Belarusia; Bielarus; Bielorussia; Byelorussia; White Russia |
Armenia | Hayasdan; Hayastan |
Georgia | Gruziya; Sakartvelo |
Azerbaijan | Azerbaidjan; Azerbaycan |
Finland | Suome Tasavalta; Suomi |
Sweden | Sverige |
Norway | Noreg; Norge |
Denmark | Danmark |
Iceland | Island |
Cape Verde | Cabo Verde; Ilhas do Cabo Verde |
Sao Tome and Principe | Sao Tome e Principe |
Guinea-Bissau | Guine-Bissau; Portuguese Guinea |
Equatorial Guinea | Guinea Ecuatorial; Spanish Guinea |
Gambia | Part of Senegambia confederation (1982-89) |
Mali | French Sudan; Haut Senegal; Sudanese Republic (1958-60); Upper Senegal; Upper Senegal & Niger (through 1920) |
Senegal | Saint Louis |
Part of Senegambia confederation (1982-89) | |
Benin | Dahomey |
Mauritania | Mauretania; Mauritanie; Muritaniyyah |
Niger | (none) |
Ivory Coast | Cote d’Ivoire; Ivory Coast |
Guinea | French Guinea; Guine; Guinea-Conacri/Conakri/Conakry; Guinee; Rivieres du Sud |
Burkina Faso | Bourkina-Fasso/Bourkina Fasso; Haute-Volta/Haute Volta; Upper Volta (through 1984); Voltaic Republic |
Liberia | Cape Mesurado Colony; Grain Coast |
Sierra Leone | Freedom Province |
Ghana | Gold Coast (includes British Togoland) |
Togo | French Togo/French Togoland (British Togoland became part of Ghana); Togoland; Togolese Republic |
Cameroon | British Cameroons / French Cameroons; Cameroons; Cameroun; Kamerun |
Nigeria | Federation of Nigeria; Niger Coast Protectorate; Oil Rivers Protectorate |
Gabon | Gabonese Republic; Gaboon; Gabun; Republique Gabonaise |
Central African Republic | Central African Empire/CAE/C.A.E.; CAR/C.A.R.; Kodorosese ti Beafrika; Oubangi-Chari; Republique Centrafricaine; Ubangi-Shari |
Chad | Bornu (pre-colonial); Tasad; Tchad |
Congo | Congo-Brazzaville; French Congo; Middle Congo; Moyen Congo; Republic of the Congo |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Belgian Congo; Congo-Kinshasa; DRC; Zaire (1971-97) |
Uganda | (none) |
Kenya | British East Africa Protectorate; Kenia |
Tanzania | German East Africa; Tanganyika (1920-64) |
Zanzibar | (none) |
Burundi | Uburundi; Urundi |
Rwanda | Ruanda |
Somalia | British Somaliland/Somaliland Protectorate; Italian Somaliland (Somalia Italiana)/Somaliland Trust Territory; Soomalia |
Djibouti | French Somaliland; French Territory of the Afars & Issas; Jibuti |
Ethiopia | Abyssinia; Ityop’iya/Ityopiya |
Eritrea | Erithrea; Ertra; Iritriya |
Angola | Portuguese West Africa |
Mozambique | Mocambique; Portuguese East Africa |
Zambia | Northern Rhodesia |
Zimbabwe | Rhodesia (through 1980); Southern Rhodesia |
Malawi | British Central Africa Protectorate; Nyasaland |
South Africa | Mzantsi Afrika; Ningizimu Africa; Republiek van Suid-Afrika; Suid-Afrika/Suid Afrika |
Namibia | German West Africa; South-West Africa |
Lesotho | Basutoland |
Botswana | Bechuanaland |
Swaziland | eSwatini |
Madagascar | Madagasikara; Malagasy Republic; Malgache Republic |
Comoros | Comores; Comoro Islands; Iles Comores; Komori; Qumur |
Mauritius | Ile de France; Maurice |
Seychelles | Sesel |
Morocco | al Magrib; Al-Mamlakah al-Maghribiyah; French Morocco; Maroc; Marruecos |
Algeria | Algerie; Al-Jazair/Al-Jaza’ir |
Tunisia | Tunis; Tunisie |
Libya | Libia; Libiyah; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya |
Included Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Fezzan | |
Sudan | Anglo-Egyptian Sudan; As-Sudan; Jumhuriyat as-Sudan; Soudan |
Iran | Persia |
Turkey | Osmanli Empire; Ottoman Empire; Turkiye |
Iraq | Al-?Iraq; Irak; Mesopotamia |
Egypt | Misr; United Arab Republic/UAR/U.A.R. (1958-1971) |
Syria | Ash Sham / Esh Sham; Syrie / La Syrie; Suriyyah |
Part of United Arab Republic 1958-1961 | |
Lebanon | Grand Liban; Great Lebanon Liban; Lubnan; Mount Lebanon |
Part of Levant States with Syria | |
Jordan | Al-Urdunn; Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Transjordan; Transjordania |
Israel | Israil; Palestine (until 1948); Yisra’el |
Saudi Arabia | Al-Mamlakah al-Arabiyah as-Saudiyah; Hejaz and Nejd/Hijaz and Nejd; Saudia; Wahabbid Empire |
Included Hejaz/Hedjaz/Hijaz/Al-Hijaz and Nejd/Nejed/Najd | |
Yemen Arab Republic | North Yemen; Sanaa/Sana’a/Sana |
Yemen | Al-Yaman |
Yemen People’s Republic | Aden; Aden Colony; Federation of South Arabia; People’s Democratic Rep. of Yemen; People’s Rep. of Southern Yemen; South Yemen |
Kuwait | al-Kuwayt; Koweit; Kuweit; Kuwayt |
Bahrain | al-Ba?rayn; Bahrein |
Qatar | Katar |
United Arab Emirates | Al-Imarat Al-Arabiyah Al-Muttahidah; Trucial Coast; Trucial Oman; Trucial States |
Oman | Muscat/Musqat/Masqat; Muscat and Oman; ‘Umman |
Afghanistan | Afganestan; Afganistan |
Turkmenistan | Turkmen; Turkmenia; Turkoman Republic |
Part of Russian Turkestan | |
Tajikistan | Tadjikistan; Tadzhikistan; Tajik Tojokiston; Tojokistan |
Kyrgyzstan | Kirgizia; Kirghizstan; Kirgizstan; Kyrgyz Republic; Kyrgyzstan |
Uzbekistan | Ozbekistan; Uzbek Republic; Uzbekiston |
Kazakhstan | Kazachstan; Kazakh Republic; Kazakstan; Qazakstan |
China | Chungkuo; “Communist China”; Jhongguo; “Mainland China”; People’s Republic of China (PRC); “Red China”; Zhongguo |
Mongolia | Mongol Uls; Mongolian People’s Republic; Outer Mongolia |
Taiwan | Chinese Taipei; Formosa; “Free China”; “Nationalist China”; Republic of China (ROC); Taipei; T’aiwan |
Korea | Chosen; Choson; Tae Han |
North Korea | Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK); Choson |
South Korea | Republic of Korea (ROK); Hanguk |
Japan | Nihon; Niphon; Nippon |
India | Bharat; Bharata; British India; Intiy |
Bhutan | Druk yul/Druk-yul |
Pakistan | West Pakistan |
Bangladesh | Bangla Desh; Banglades; East Bengal (1947-1955); East Pakistan (1955-1971) |
Myanmar | Burma (through 1989); Myanmar (1989+); Myanma |
Sri Lanka | Ceylon (through 1972); Llankai |
Maldive Islands | Divehi Rajje; Maldives |
Nepal | (none) |
Thailand | Muang Thai; Prathe?t Thai/Prathet Thai |
Cambodia | Cambodge; Camboja; Kampuchea; Khmer Republic (1970-75) |
Laos | Lao |
Vietnam | Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV)/North Vietnam (until 1975); Viet Nam |
Republic of Vietnam | Republic of Vietnam (RVN); South Vietnam |
Malaysia | Federated Malay States; Federation of Malaya; Malaya; Malayan Union |
Singapore | Cinkappur; Singapura; Xinjiapo |
Brunei | Brunei Darussalam |
Philippines | Filipinas; Islas Filipinas; Pilipinas; Republica de Filipinas; Republika ng Pilipinas |
Indonesia | Dutch East Indies; Netherlands East Indies; Netherlands Indies |
East Timor | Portuguese Timor; Timor L’este/Timor Leste; Timor Lorosa’e |
Australia | (none) |
Papua New Guinea | Included Papua (British New Guinea) and Trust Territory of New Guinea (German New Guinea) |
New Zealand | Aotearoa |
Vanuatu | New Hebrides (through 1980) |
Solomon Islands | (none) |
Kiribati | (none) |
Tuvalu | (none) |
Fiji | Fiji Islands |
Tonga | Friendly Islands |
Nauru | Naoero |
Marshall Islands | (none) |
Palau | Belau; Pelew |
Federated States of Micronesia | (none) |
Samoa | Western Samoa |
Part of Navigators Islands (included both Western and American Samoa) |
References and Further Reading
Gideon Biger (1995), Encyclopedia of World Boundaries
CIA World Factbook
Columbia-Lippincott Gazetteer of the World (1962)
Columbia Viking Desk Encyclopedia (1953)
International Geographic Encyclopedia and Atlas (1979)
Lippincott’s Pronouncing Gazetteer of the World (1880)
Merriam Webster’s Geographical Dictionary, 3rd edition (1997)
Rulers.org
Victor Showers (1979), World Facts and Figures
UN FAO (1978/1984), Systematic Index of International Water Resources Treaties
Conclusion
Notes
See Also
References and Further Reading
About the Author/s and Reviewer/s
Author: international
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