40 Modern Countries and Their Old Names

by Writersroom Boardwalk: Info/Editorials

Forty modern countries, and every single one of them has a former name sitting behind it. The United States was once the Thirteen Colonies and British America. Brazil had two: Terra de Santa Cruz and Terra do Brasil. Mexico answers to Anáhuac and New Spain in the history books. Argentina was the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. Japan went by Yamato or Nippon. Germany is listed with the German Empire. China carried Zhongguo or Cathay. The United Kingdom was Great Britain prior to the 1801 union. India was Bharat. Turkey was the Ottoman Empire. Iran was Persia. Italy was the Kingdom of Sardinia. Australia was New Holland. Indonesia was the Dutch East Indies. South Africa was the Union of South Africa. Nigeria was British Nigeria, also the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Poland was the Polish, Lithuanian Commonwealth. Thailand was Siam. The United Arab Emirates were the Trucial States. Egypt was Kemet. New Zealand was Aotearoa. Portugal was Lusitania. Greece was Hellas. Malaysia was Malaya. Singapore was Temasek. Vietnam was Annam. Sri Lanka was Ceylon. The Philippines was Las Islas Filipinas. Iraq was Mesopotamia. Bangladesh was East Pakistan. Pakistan was part of British India. Israel was Palestine. Ghana was the Gold Coast. Ethiopia was Abyssinia. DR Congo was Zaire. Zimbabwe was Rhodesia. Kenya was British East Africa. Tanzania was Tanganyika. Benin was Dahomey. Namibia was South West Africa. Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica and historical records are the sources behind the list.