Explained! Countries that changed their names officially and why
Throughout history, it has been witnessed that countries have undergone various transformations, including changes to their names, which were mostly influenced by political, social, or cultural factors. Most of the countries that saw such name change aimed to bring a shift in their identity, or their historical narratives.
Here, we bring to you a list of countries that have undergone name change officially.
Turkey to Turkiye
Recently, this country underwent name change, and is now known as Turkiye. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced tweaking the country’s name and also stated that the country would be recognised as Turkiye internationally. He added that this decision will be impacting how public and foreign nations address the country. He further added that the term ‘Turkiye’ represents the country’s values, culture, and civilisation in the best way.
Czech Republic to Czechia
In April 2016, Czech Republic was changed to Czechia to facilitate the naming of the country for companies, and sporting events. If reports are to go by, this was in discussion for as long as 20 years, until it was finally decided.
Swaziland to Eswatini
In April 2018, the monarch of the African nation of Swaziland officially announced a change in the country’s name to Eswatini. Notably, this alteration was met with little surprise among the people since they had been using this name informally for some time. Furthermore, the switch to Eswatini was welcomed by many due to the previous name’s potential for confusion, as it was often mistaken for Switzerland.
Holland to the Netherlands
Well, Holland decided to undergo name change as a marketing move in January 2020. If reports are to go by, the official name of the Netherlands instead of Holland is now used for all promotional purposes. Another reason for this change is supposedly to present the country as an open, and inclusive country.
Republic of Macedonia to Republic of North Macedonia
This name change happened in February 2019 and, if reports are to go by, the main reason behind this change was to become a part of NATO. Reports add that the name change was also used to differentiate itself from Greece, which has a region named Macedonia.
Ceylon to Sri Lanka
If reports are to go by, Sri Lanka changed its name to break from colonial associations in 1972. In 2011, Sri Lanka officially changed the old colonial name Ceylon from government use.
Kampuchea to Cambodia
Although Cambodia never changed its name, its current name is derived from the Kampuchea, which is actually the English transliteration of Cambodia. In 1976, the communist government officially called the country Kampuchea, but finally after his regime came to an end, the country began to be officially called Cambodia.
Irish Free State to Ireland
The Irish Free State was created in 1922, with Dominion status, following the Anglo-Irish Treaty. However, a new constitution was formed in 1937, and it was renamed Ireland, and became a republic effectively, with an elected non-executive president.
Siam to Thailand
Thailand was known as Siam until 1939, which means the development did not happen just recently. Reports add that Siam’s name was changed to Thailand in 1939, before turning into Siam once again between 1946 and 1948. However, in 1948, it underwent the name change again to Thailand, and officially as the Kingdom of Thailand.
Burma to Myanmar
Historically known as Burma due to its association with the prominent Burman ethnic community, the country underwent a significant name alteration in 1989. This transformation occurred just one year following a harsh crackdown by the ruling junta on a pro-democracy revolt, leading the military leaders to rename it as Myanmar.
