ICOW Historical State Names data set
The ICOW historical state names data set includes alternative names (or alternative spellings of names) for each nation-state in the COW interstate system. The primary purpose of this data set is to assist data coders (or other researchers using historical sources), who can often be confused by references to entity names that no longer exist or are no longer used (leading to a risk of ignored or miscoded data). The data set attempts to list all relatively common alternative names that have been used to refer to each state over the past two centuries, so that the researcher can determine easily that "New Granada" actually refers to Colombia rather than risking data loss or errors.
This data set is made available to assist researchers who encounter non-standard or non-current names for states or other entities in their research. Although many of these names appear to be obvious (as with spellings that differ by one letter from the common usage), others are not obvious at all (such as Colombia's previous name of Nueva/New Granada), and unaware coders may ignore or mis-code data as a result. This problem can be especially severe when using older sources for historical research, because many nation-states did not take their current names until the late nineteenth or twentieth centuries and were historically known by very different names, either as autonomous entities or as possessions of other states.
This can also be useful in designing search queries for searching news archives. Rather than just using the current name of the country, the user might try a search string that includes historical or alternative names or spellings, as well as proper adjectives and perhaps capital cities, in case a relevant news story didn't use the current spelling of the country's name. For example, rather than just searching for "Zimbabwe" the user might search for "(Zimbabwe OR Zimbabwean OR Rhodesia OR Rhodesian OR Harare)".
This web page will be updated with the latest version of this data set (beginning with version 1.0, which was the first version to be presented as a web page in HTML format). This offers important advantages to users, because one almost always has access to a web browser, while a specific spreadsheet may not always be handy.
Sources Consulted:
- Gideon Biger (1995), Encyclopedia of World Boundaries
- CIA World Factbook
- Columbia-Lippincott Gazetteer of the World (1962)
- Columbia Viking Desk Encyclopedia (1953)
- EnglishClub.com, Countries and Nationality Vocabulary
- 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
- Wikipedia, List of Alternative Country Names
- Wikipedia, List of Country Names in Various Languages
- Wikipedia, List of Country Names in Native Languages
- Wikipedia, List of Current National Capitals
- Wikipedia, List of Historical National Capitals
- WorldStatesmen.org
- Additional historical sources (books, journal articles, and other historical dictionaries or gazetteers) were consulted for individual cases.
Project Participants
- Principal Investigator: Paul Hensel
- Research Assistants: (none)
Current Status
- Future Plans: add more details on colonial entity names (once the next version of the ICOW Colonial History data set has been completed).
- Version 1.3: released in 2018; add colonial rulers (drawing from ICOW Colonial History data set), noted Macedonia name change to North/Northern Macedonia and Swaziland name change to eSwatini.
- Version 1.2: released in 2016; added country-related proper adjectives, noted Czech Republic name change to Czechia.
- Version 1.1: released in 2013; added South Sudan and updated some earlier material.
- Version 1.0: released in 2011 in HTML format on this web page (for easier searching and usage); added Kosovo and Montenegro; added capital cities.
- Version 0.4: released in August 2006 as a PDF document.
- Versions 0.1-0.3: earlier versions, released between 1997-2004 as Excel spreadsheets and/or PDF documents.
Data Set References
This data set has not been described in any published research, so it should be cited as an electronic resource:
- Paul R. Hensel (2016). "ICOW Historical State Names Data Set, version 1.3." Available at <http://www.paulhensel.org/icownames.html>.
Contact Information
The ICOW Historical State Names data set is collected and maintained by Paul Hensel at the University of North Texas. Please contact him with any questions about the data set:
Historical State Names
Explanation of Columns
- Num: Correlates of War (COW) project country code for this state (from the COW interstate system)
- Name: state name (generally taken from the COW system list, although occasionally modified where necessary for clarity or historical accuracy)
- Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities: alternative names or spellings that are/were used to refer to most or all of this entity (generally listed in alphabetical order rather than trying to determine the chronological order of usage or the most frequent usage)
- Primary Colonial Ruler: The colonial or imperial power that was most responsible for shaping the development of the entity (or entities) that became this modern state. This is typically the state that ruled over the majority of this territory (for cases where multiple colonial powers held parts of what became the modern state) or the state that ruled over this territory for the longest time (for cases where the colony changed hands one or more times before independence). Note that this may not be the state from which this entity received its independence, which is covered by a separate set of variables in the data set. For example, although the UK and France took possession of Ottoman territories in the Middle East as League of Nations mandated territories after World War I, the states that resulted are coded as having been part of the Ottoman Empire. [from ICOW Colonial History data set]
- Capital(s) since 1800: capital city/cities of this state since 1800 (useful to researchers since some historians refer to countries by the name of their capital cities)
- Adjective(s): proper adjectives used to refer to the country or its citizens (useful to researchers writing search queries for electronic sources, because some new stories refer to "French troops" or "the French government" but not to "France")
Note about Accent Marks
Many of these alternative names use various accent marks in non-English languages. I have generally left those accent marks out of this table for several reasons. First, they do not display equally well in all web browsers on all operating systems, so including them would likely make this page less useful because of all of the error codes or unexpected characters that would show up on some users' screens. Furthermore, one of the main uses for this page is searching for a text string to determine which country is being referred to (whether through a search engine like Google or, once the page is loaded, through the browser's Find command). Most users will not enter the accented character (and even if they did it may not translate correctly, depending on their web browser and operating system), so including those accent marks would only make the page less useful for its primary audience.
Note about Languages
This is not an effort to list country names in every major world language, as that would quickly lead this to become too long to be of much value. The primary goal is to list alternative or historical names that scholars or students are likely to run across in their research. As such, this data set emphasizes names or spellings that are (or were) typically used in the native language of the area, the language of the colonial ruler(s) if relevant, and any other common names or spellings that have typically been used in English-language sources at some point in the last two centuries.
Additions or Corrections?
Please let me know if you have any suggestions for additional names or spellings that are not included here yet, or any suggested corrections to information that is already here. It is always possible that the sources I consulted initially were mistaken or left out important information, so I always appreciate new information that will help improve the data set.
Num | Name | Alternative Spellings / Names / Related Entities | Primary Colonial Ruler | Capital(s) since 1800 | Adjective(s) |
2 | United States of America | US/U.S./United States; USA/U.S.A. | 200 UK | Washington D.C. | American |
20 | Canada | British possessions: British North America French possessions: New France |
200 UK | Ottawa (Kingston 1841-1843, Montreal 1843-1849, Toronto 1849-1859, Quebec City 1859-1865) | Canadian |
31 | Bahamas | Bahama Islands; Lucayos | 200 UK | Nassau | Bahaman, Bahamian |
40 | Cuba | (None) | 230 Spain | Havana | Cuban |
41 | Haiti | Ayiti (native); Hayti; Saint-Domingue | 220 France | Port-au-Prince | Haitian |
42 | Dominican Republic | Republica Dominicana; Saint Domingo; San Domingo; Santo Domingo | 230 Spain | Santo Domingo (renamed as Ciudad Trujillo from 1930-1967 until Trujillo's death) | Dominican, Santo Domingan |
51 | Jamaica | St. Jago; Santiago; Xaymaca | 200 UK | Kingston (Santiago de la Vega in colonial times) | Jamaican |
52 | Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad: Bella Forma; Trinity Tobago: Tapuago (native) |
200 UK | Port-of-Spain | Trinidadian, Tobagonian, Tobagan |
53 | Barbados | Barbadoes | 200 UK | Bridgetown | Barbadan, Barbadian, Bajan |
54 | Dominica | Isla Dominga | 200 UK | Roseau | Dominican |
55 | Grenada | Concepcion; Granada; La Grenade | 200 UK | St. George's | Grenadan, Grenadian |
56 | Saint Lucia | Hewanorra (native); Sainte Lucie; Santa Lucia | 200 UK | Castries | St. Lucian, Saint Lucian, Santa Lucian |
57 | Saint Vincent and Grenadines | St. Vincent: Hairoun (native) Grenadines: Grenadilles |
200 UK | Kingstown | St. Vincentian, Saint Vincentian, Vincentian, Grenadine |
58 | Antigua and Barbuda | Santa Maria de Antigua | 200 UK | St. John's | Antiguan, Barbudan |
60 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | St. Kitts-Nevis St. Kitts: Liamuiga (native); St. Christopher; San Cristobal |
200 UK | Basseterre | Kittitian, Nevisian |
70 | Mexico | Estados Unidos Mexicanos; Mejico; Mexican Empire; Mexican Republic; United Mexican States | 230 Spain | Mexico City | Mexican |
80 | Belize | Balize; Belice; British Bay Settlement; British Honduras | 200 UK | Belmopan (Belize City until 1970) | Belizean, Belizian |
90 | Guatemala | (none) | 230 Spain | Guatemala City | Guatemalan |
91 | Honduras | (none) | 230 Spain | Tegucigalpa | Honduran |
92 | El Salvador | Saint Salvador; Salvador; San Salvador | 230 Spain | San Salvador | Salvadoran |
93 | Nicaragua | Nicarahua | 230 Spain | Managua | Nicaraguan |
94 | Costa Rica | Rich Coast | 230 Spain | San Jose | Costa Rican, Tico |
95 | Panama | Castilla de Oro/Castilla del Oro; State of the Isthmus | 230 Spain | Panama City | Panamanian |
100 | Colombia | Columbia; Gran Colombia; Granadine Confederation; Great Colombia; Greater Colombia; Grenadine Confedaration; New Granada; Nueva Granada | 230 Spain | Bogota | Colombian, Columbian |
101 | Venezuela | Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela | 230 Spain | Caracas | Venezuelan |
110 | Guyana | British Guiana; Guayana Included Berbice, Demerara, Essequibo |
200 UK | Georgetown | Guyanan, Guyanese |
115 | Suriname | Dutch Guiana; Netherlands Guiana; Surinam; Willoughbyland | 210 Netherlands | Paramaribo | Surinamese |
130 | Ecuador | Estado del Ecuator; State of the Equator | 230 Spain | Quito | Ecuadoran, Ecuadorean, Ecuadorian |
135 | Peru | Perou; Peruvian Republic Part of Peru-Bolivia Confederation (1836-1839) |
230 Spain | Lima | Peruvian |
140 | Brazil | Brasil | 235 Portugal | Brasilia (Rio de Janeiro until 1960) | Brazilian |
145 | Bolivia | Charcas; Upper Peru Part of Peru-Bolivia Confederation (1836-1839) |
230 Spain | Sucre (official), La Paz (administrative) | Bolivian |
150 | Paraguay | Guaira; Paraguai | 230 Spain | Asuncion | Paraguayan |
155 | Chile | Chili, Chilli | 230 Spain | Santiago (official), Valparaiso (legislative) | Chilean |
160 | 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 | 230 Spain | Buenos Aires | Argentine, Argentinian |
165 | Uruguay | Banda Oriental; Estado Oriental del Uruguay; Province of Montevideo; Provincia Oriental del Rio de la Plata; República Oriental del Uruguay | 230 Spain | Montevideo | Uruguayan |
200 | 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+) | (none) | London | British, English |
205 | 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) |
200 UK | Dublin | Irish |
210 | Netherlands | Batavian Republic / Batavian Commonwealth (1795-1806); Holland; Nederland; Republic of the United Provinces; United Netherlands (1813-1815) Part of the Low Countries or Nether Lands |
(none) | Amsterdam (official); The Hague (administrative, legislative, and judicial) | Dutch |
211 | Belgium | Belgie; Belgien; Belgique Part of the Low Countries or Nether Lands |
(none) | Brussels | Belgian |
212 | Luxembourg | Letzebuerg; Luxemburg | (none) | Luxembourg City | Luxembourgian, Luxemburgian |
220 | France | French Empire; French Republic; L'Hexagone; Republique Francaise | (none) | Paris (Vichy was the capital of the Vichy French regime from 1940-1942, while the rest of France was occupied by Germany) | French |
221 | Monaco | Fort-Hecule/Fort Hecule Included Menton and Roquebrone |
(none) | Monaco | Monacan, Monegasque |
223 | Liechtenstein | (none) | (none) | Vaduz | (none) |
225 | Switzerland | Helvetia; Helvetica; Helvetic Republic or Helvetian Republic (under Napoleon); Schweiz; Suisse; Svizzera; Svizra; Swiss Confederation | (none) | Bern | Swiss |
230 | Spain | Espainia; Espana; Espanya | (none) | Madrid (San Sebastian served as 19th Century summer capital; Valencia served as government of the Second Spanish Republic in the Spanish Civil War from 1936-1939) | Spanish |
232 | Andorra | (none) | (none) | Andorra la Vella | Andorran |
235 | Portugal | (none) | (none) | Lisbon (Rio de Janeiro 1808-1821 while leaders fled to Brazil) | Portuguese |
240 | Hanover | Hannover | (none) | Hannover | Hanoverian |
245 | Bavaria | Bayern | (none) | Munich | Bavarian |
255 | Germany | Deutsches Reich; Deutschland; German Empire The COW project and many scholars consider Prussia (Preussen) to be the predecessor of Germany before unification. |
(none) | Berlin (Bonn briefly after unification in 1990?) | German |
260 | German Federal Republic | Federal Republic of Germany (FRG); West Germany | (none) | Bonn | West German |
265 | German Democratic Republic | Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR); East Germany; German Democratic Republic (GDR) | (none) | East Berlin | East German |
267 | Baden | Aquae Panoniae; Baden bei Wien | (none) | Karlsruhe | Badenese |
269 | Saxony | Sachsen | (none) | Dresden | Saxon |
271 | Wuerttemburg | Wurttemburg | (none) | Stuttgart | Wuerttemburgian, Wurttemburgian |
273 | Hesse Electoral | Electoral Hesse; Hesse/Hessen - Kassel/Cassel; Kurhessen | (none) | Kassel/Cassel | Hessian |
275 | Hesse Grand Ducal | Ducal Hesse; Hesse/Hessen - Darmstadt | (none) | Darmstadt | Hessian |
280 | Mecklenburg Schwerin | (none) | (none) | Schwerin (Ludwigslust from 1765-1837) | Mecklenburgian |
290 | Poland | Polska; Rceczypospolita Polska | 255 Germany | Warsaw (govt in exile during WWII: Paris 1939-1940, London 1940-1990; de facto capital: Lublin 1944-1945, Lodz 1945-1947) | Polish |
300 | Austria-Hungary | Dual Monarchy; Hapsburg/Habsburg Empire | (none) | Vienna | Austrian, Hungarian, Hapsburg, Habsburg |
305 | Austria | Osterreich | (none) | Vienna | Austrian |
310 | Hungary | Magyar Nepkoxtarsasag; Magyar Republic; Magyarorszag; Ungarn | (none) | Budapest | Hungarian |
315 | Czechoslovakia | Ceskoslovensko; Czecho-Slovakia | 300 Austria-Hungary | Prague | Czechoslovakian, Czech |
316 | Czechia / Czech Republic | Bohemia and Moravia; Ceska Republika | 300 Austria-Hungary | Prague | Czech |
317 | Slovakia | Slovak Republic; Slovenska Republika; Slovensko | 300 Austria-Hungary | Bratislava | Slovakian, Slovak |
325 | 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. |
(none) | Rome (Torino 1861-1865, Florence 1865-1871) | Italian (previously Piedmontese, Sardinian) |
327 | Papal States | Lo Stato della Chiesa; Roman Republic; States of the Church; Stati Pontificii | (none) | Rome | Papal, Roman |
329 | Two Sicilies | Included Sicily and Naples | (none) | Naples | Sicilian, Neapolitan |
331 | San Marino | (none) | (none) | San Marino | San Marinese, Sammarinese |
332 | Modena | (none) | (none) | Modena | Modenese |
335 | Parma | (none) | (none) | Parma | Parmese, Parmesan |
337 | Tuscany | Toscana | (none) | Florence | Tuscan |
338 | Malta | (none) | 200 UK | Valletta | Maltese |
339 | Albania | Shqiperi; Shqipni; Shqipri | 640 Ottoman Empire | Tirana (Vlore from 1912-1920) | Albanian |
341 | Montenegro | Crno Gora; Tsernagora | 640 Ottoman Empire | Podgorica (Cetinje until 1946) | Montenegrin |
343 | North Macedonia | Northern Macedonia; Macedonia (until 2018); Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM); Makedonija | 640 Ottoman Empire | Skopje | Macedonian |
344 | Croatia | Hrvatska | 300 Austria-Hungary | Zagreb | Croatian, Croat |
345 | Yugoslavia | Serbia (pre-1919 and 2006+); Serbia and Montenegro (1990s); Srbija i Crna Gora; Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (official name 1918-29); Jugoslavia | 640 Ottoman Empire | Belgrade | Yugoslavian, Yugoslav, Serbian, Serb |
346 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bosna i Hercegovina / BiH; Bosnia and Hercegovina | 640 Ottoman Empire | Sarajevo | Bosnian, Herzegovinian |
347 | Kosovo | Kosova; Kossovo | 640 Ottoman Empire | Pristina | Kosovan, Kosovar |
349 | Slovenia | Slovenija | 300 Austria-Hungary | Ljubljana | Slovenian, Slovene |
350 | Greece | Ellada; Ellas; Hellas | 640 Ottoman Empire | Athens (Nafplion 1821-1836) | Greek |
352 | Cyprus | Kibris; Kypros | 200 UK | Nicosia | Cypriot |
355 | Bulgaria | Balgarija; Republika Bulgariya | 640 Ottoman Empire | Sofia | Bulgarian |
359 | Moldova | Bessarabia; Moldau; Moldavia; Moldavian Republic | 640 Ottoman Empire | Chisinau (Iasi capital of Moldavia until 1862 when unified with Wallachia to form Romania) | Moldovan |
360 | Romania | Dacia (ancient); Roumania; Rumania | 640 Ottoman Empire | Bucharest (Iasi capital of Moldavia until 1862 when unified with Wallachia to form Romania; Bucharest was capital of Wallachia; Cluj capital of Transylvania until unified with Romania in 1918) | Romanian |
365 | Russia | Rossija; Rossiya; Rus; Russian Federation; Soviet Union; Union of Soviet Socialist Republics/USSR/CCCP | (none) | Moscow (Saint Petersburg 1712-1914 - renamed Petrograd 1914-1918) | Russian, Soviet |
366 | Estonia | Eesti; Esthonia | 365 Russia | Tallinn | Estonian |
367 | Latvia | Latvija; Lettland | 365 Russia | Riga | Latvian |
368 | Lithuania | Lietuva | 365 Russia | Vilnius (Kaunas 1922-1940) | Lithuanian |
369 | Ukraine | Ukrajina; Ukrayina | 365 Russia | Kyiv/Kiev | Ukrainian |
370 | Belarus | Belarus; Belarusia; Bielarus; Bielorussia; Byelorussia; White Russia | 365 Russia | Minsk | Belarusian, Belarusan, Byelorussian, White Russian |
371 | Armenia | Hayasdan; Hayastan | 640 Ottoman Empire | Yerevan | Armenian |
372 | Georgia | Gruziya; Sakartvelo | 365 Russia | Tbilisi | Georgian |
373 | Azerbaijan | Azerbaidjan; Azerbaycan | 365 Russia | Baku | Azerbaijani, Azeri |
375 | Finland | Suome Tasavalta; Suomi | (none) | Helsinki (Turku until 1812) | Finnish |
380 | Sweden | Sverige | (none) | Stockholm | Swedish |
385 | Norway | Noreg; Norge | (none) | Oslo (known as Christiania 1624-1924) | Norwegian |
390 | Denmark | Danmark | (none) | Copenhagen | Danish |
395 | Iceland | Island | (none) | Reykjavik | Icelandic |
402 | Cape Verde | Cabo Verde; Ilhas do Cabo Verde | 235 Portugal | Praia | Cape Verdean, Cabo Verdean |
403 | Sao Tome and Principe | Sao Tome e Principe | 235 Portugal | Sao Tome | Sao Tomean |
404 | Guinea-Bissau | Guine-Bissau; Portuguese Guinea | 235 Portugal | Bissau (Bolama 1879-1941, Boe 1973-1974) | Bissau-Guinean |
411 | Equatorial Guinea | Guinea Ecuatorial; Spanish Guinea | 230 Spain | Malabo | Equatorial Guinean, Equatoguinean |
420 | Gambia | Part of Senegambia confederation (1982-89) | 200 UK | Banjul | Gambian |
432 | Mali | French Sudan; Haut Senegal; Sudanese Republic (1958-60); Upper Senegal; Upper Senegal and Niger (through 1920) | 220 France | Bamako | Malian |
433 | Senegal | Saint Louis Part of Senegambia confederation (1982-89) |
220 France | Dakar | Senegalese |
434 | Benin | Dahomey | 220 France | Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (de facto) | Beninese |
435 | Mauritania | Mauretania; Mauritanie; Muritaniyyah | 220 France | Nouakchott | Mauritanian |
436 | Niger | (none) | 220 France | Niamey (Zinder 1899-1926) | Nigerien |
437 | Ivory Coast | Cote d'Ivoire; Ivory Coast | 220 France | Yamoussoukro (official), Abidjan (administrative) (Grand Bassam 1893-1900, Bingerville 1900-1933, Abidjan 1933-1983) | Ivorian, Ivoirian |
438 | Guinea | French Guinea; Guine; Guinea-Conacri/Conakri/Conakry; Guinee; Rivieres du Sud | 220 France | Conakry | Guinean |
439 | Burkina Faso | Bourkina-Fasso/Bourkina Fasso; Haute-Volta/Haute Volta; Upper Volta (through 1984); Voltaic Republic | 220 France | Ouagadougou | Burkinabe, Burkinese |
450 | Liberia | Cape Mesurado Colony; Grain Coast | (none) | Monrovia | Liberian |
451 | Sierra Leone | Freedom Province | 200 UK | Freetown | Sierra Leonean, Sierra Leonian |
452 | Ghana | Gold Coast (includes British Togoland) | 200 UK | Accra (Cape Coast until 1877) | Ghanaian |
461 | Togo | French Togo/French Togoland (British Togoland became part of Ghana); Togoland; Togolese Republic | 220 France | Lome (Aneho from 1880s-1897) | Togolese |
471 | Cameroon | British Cameroons / French Cameroons; Cameroons; Cameroun; Kamerun | 220 France | Yaounde | Cameroonian |
475 | Nigeria | Federation of Nigeria; Niger Coast Protectorate; Oil Rivers Protectorate | 200 UK | Abuja (Lagos until 1991) | Nigerian |
481 | Gabon | Gabonese Republic; Gaboon; Gabun; Republique Gabonaise | 220 France | Libreville | Gabonese |
482 | Central African Republic | Central African Empire/CAE/C.A.E.; CAR/C.A.R.; Kodorosese ti Beafrika; Oubangi-Chari; Republique Centrafricaine; Ubangi-Shari | 220 France | Bangui | Central African |
483 | Chad | Bornu (pre-colonial); Tasad; Tchad | 220 France | N'Djamena | Chadian |
484 | Congo | Congo-Brazzaville; French Congo; Middle Congo; Moyen Congo; Republic of the Congo | 220 France | Brazzaville | Congolese |
490 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Belgian Congo; Congo-Kinshasa; DRC; Zaire (1971-97) | 211 Belgium | Kinshasa (Renamed from Leopoldville in 1966) | Congolese |
500 | Uganda | (none) | 200 UK | Kampala | Ugandan |
501 | Kenya | British East Africa Protectorate; Kenia | 200 UK | Nairobi | Kenyan |
510 | Tanzania | German East Africa; Tanganyika (1920-64) | 200 UK | Dodoma (official), Dar es Salaam (administrative) | Tanzanian, Tanganyikan |
511 | Zanzibar | (none) | 200 UK | Zanzibar City | Zanzibari |
516 | Burundi | Uburundi; Urundi | 211 Belgium | Bujumbura | Burundian |
517 | Rwanda | Ruanda | 211 Belgium | Kigali | Rwandan |
520 | Somalia | British Somaliland/Somaliland Protectorate; Italian Somaliland (Somalia Italiana)/Somaliland Trust Territory; Soomalia | 325 Italy | Mogadishu | Somali |
522 | Djibouti | French Somaliland; French Territory of the Afars and Issas; Jibuti | 220 France | Djibouti City | Djiboutian |
530 | Ethiopia | Abyssinia; Ityop'iya/Ityopiya | (none) | Addis Ababa | Ethiopian |
531 | Eritrea | Erithrea; Ertra; Iritriya | 325 Italy | Asmara | Eritrean |
540 | Angola | Portuguese West Africa | 235 Portugal | Luanda | Angolan |
541 | Mozambique | Mocambique; Portuguese East Africa | 235 Portugal | Maputo | Mozambican |
551 | Zambia | Northern Rhodesia | 200 UK | Lusaka | Zambian |
552 | Zimbabwe | Rhodesia (through 1980); Southern Rhodesia | 200 UK | Harare | Zimbabwean, Rhodesian |
553 | Malawi | British Central Africa Protectorate; Nyasaland | 200 UK | Lilongwe | Malawian |
560 | South Africa | Mzantsi Afrika; Ningizimu Africa; Republiek van Suid-Afrika; Suid-Afrika/Suid Afrika | 200 UK | Pretoria (official and adminstrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial) | South African |
565 | Namibia | German West Africa; South-West Africa | 200 UK | Windhoek | Namibian |
570 | Lesotho | Basutoland | 200 UK | Maseru | Basotho |
571 | Botswana | Bechuanaland | 200 UK | Gaborone | Botswanan, Batswana |
572 | eSwatini | Swaziland (through 2018) | 200 UK | Mbabane | Swazi |
580 | Madagascar | Madagasikara; Malagasy Republic; Malgache Republic | 220 France | Antananarivo | Madagascan |
581 | Comoros | Comores; Comoro Islands; Iles Comores; Komori; Qumur | 220 France | Moroni | Comoran, Comorian |
590 | Mauritius | Ile de France; Maurice | 220 France | Port Louis | Mauritian |
591 | Seychelles | Sesel | 200 UK | Victoria | Seychellois |
600 | Morocco | al Magrib; Al-Mamlakah al-Maghribiyah; French Morocco; Maroc; Marruecos | 220 France | Rabat | Moroccan |
615 | Algeria | Algerie; Al-Jazair/Al-Jaza'ir | 220 France | Algiers | Algerian |
616 | Tunisia | Tunis; Tunisie | 640 Ottoman Empire | Tunis | Tunisian |
620 | Libya | Libia; Libiyah; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Included Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Fezzan |
640 Ottoman Empire | Tripoli | Libyan |
625 | Sudan | Anglo-Egyptian Sudan; As-Sudan; Jumhuriyat as-Sudan; Soudan | 200 UK | Khartoum | Sudanese |
626 | South Sudan | Southern Sudan | 200 UK | Juba | South Sudanese |
630 | Iran | Persia | (none) | Tehran / Teheran | Iranian, Persian |
640 | Turkey | Ottoman Empire; Osmanli Empire; Turkiye | (none) | Ankara (Istanbul/Constantinople is another major city that is sometimes used by writers to refer to Turkey or its predecessors) |
Turkish, Ottoman |
645 | Iraq | Al-ʿIraq; Irak; Mesopotamia | 640 Ottoman Empire | Baghdad | Iraqi |
651 | Egypt | Misr; United Arab Republic/UAR/U.A.R. (1958-1971) | 640 Ottoman Empire | Cairo | Egyptian |
652 | Syria | Ash Sham / Esh Sham; Syrie / La Syrie; Suriyyah Part of United Arab Republic 1958-1961 |
640 Ottoman Empire | Damascus | Syrian |
660 | Lebanon | Grand Liban; Great Lebanon Liban; Lubnan; Mount Lebanon Part of Levant States with Syria |
640 Ottoman Empire | Beirut | Lebanese |
663 | Jordan | Al-Urdunn; Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Transjordan; Transjordania | 640 Ottoman Empire | Amman | Jordanian |
666 | Israel | Israil; Palestine (until 1948); Yisra'el | 640 Ottoman Empire | Jerusalem (Tel Aviv temporarily from 5/1948-12/1948) Most states maintain embassies in Tel Aviv because they do not recognize Israeli sovereignty over all of Jerusalem) |
Israeli |
670 | 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 |
640 Ottoman Empire | Riyadh (Dariyah until 1818) | Saudi |
678 | Yemen Arab Republic | North Yemen; Sanaa/Sana'a/Sana | 640 Ottoman Empire | Sanaa/Sana'a/Sana (Taiz 1948-1962) | Yemeni, Yemenite |
679 | Yemen | Al-Yaman | 200 UK | Sanaa/Sana'a/Sana | Yemeni, Yemenite |
680 | 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 | 200 UK | Aden | Yemeni, Yemenite |
690 | Kuwait | al-Kuwayt; Koweit; Kuweit; Kuwayt | 200 UK | Kuwait City | Kuwaiti |
692 | Bahrain | al-Baḥrayn; Bahrein | 200 UK | Manama | Bahraini |
694 | Qatar | Katar | 200 UK | Doha | Qatari |
696 | United Arab Emirates | Al-Imarat Al-Arabiyah Al-Muttahidah; Trucial Coast; Trucial Oman; Trucial States | 200 UK | Abu Dhabi | Emirati |
698 | Oman | Muscat/Musqat/Masqat; Muscat and Oman; 'Umman | 235 Portugal | Muscat | Omani |
700 | Afghanistan | Afganestan; Afganistan | 200 UK | Kabul | Afghan, Afghani |
701 | Turkmenistan | Turkmen; Turkmenia; Turkoman Republic Part of Russian Turkestan |
365 Russia | Ashgabat | Turkmen, Turcoman |
702 | Tajikistan | Tadjikistan; Tadzhikistan; Tajik Tojokiston; Tojokistan | 365 Russia | Dushanbe | Tajikistani, Tajik |
703 | Kyrgyzstan | Kirgizia; Kirghizstan; Kirgizstan; Kyrgyz Republic; Kyrgyzstan | 365 Russia | Bishkek | Kyrgyz, Kyrgyzstani, Kirgiz, Kirgizstani |
704 | Uzbekistan | Ozbekistan; Uzbek Republic; Uzbekiston | 365 Russia | Tashkent (Samarkand from 1925-1930s) | Uzbekistani, Uzbek |
705 | Kazakhstan | Kazachstan; Kazakh Republic; Kazakstan; Qazakstan | 365 Russia | Astana (was Alma-Atta 1992-1993 / renamed Almaty 1993-1998) | Kazakhstani, Kazakh |
710 | China | Chungkuo; "Communist China"; Jhongguo; "Mainland China"; People's Republic of China (PRC); "Red China"; Zhongguo | (none) | Beijing | Chinese |
712 | Mongolia | Mongol Uls; Mongolian People's Republic; Outer Mongolia | 710 China | Ulaanbaatar | Mongolian |
713 | Taiwan | Chinese Taipei; Formosa; "Free China"; "Nationalist China"; Republic of China (ROC); Taipei; T'aiwan | (none) | Taipei | Taiwanese |
730 | Korea | Chosen; Choson; Tae Han | (none) | Seoul | Korean |
731 | North Korea | Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK); Choson | 740 Japan | Pyongyang | Korean, North Korean |
732 | South Korea | Republic of Korea (ROK); Hanguk | 740 Japan | Seoul | Korean, South Korean |
740 | Japan | Nihon; Niphon; Nippon | (none) | Tokyo (Kyoto until 1868) | Japanese |
750 | India | Bharat; Bharata; British India; Intiy | 200 UK | New Delhi (Calcutta 1772-1912; Simla was the summer capital under British rule) | Indian |
760 | Bhutan | Druk yul/Druk-yul | 200 UK | Thimphu | Bhutanese |
770 | Pakistan | West Pakistan | 200 UK | Islamabad (Karachi 1947-1959, Rawalpindi 1959-1967) | Pakistani |
771 | Bangladesh | Bangla Desh; Banglades; East Bengal (1947-1955); East Pakistan (1955-1971) | 200 UK | Dhaka | Bangladeshi |
775 | Myanmar | Burma (through 1989); Myanmar (1989+); Myanma | 200 UK | Pyinmana (Yangoon/Rangoon 1948-2005) | Burmese, Burman, Myanmarese |
780 | Sri Lanka | Ceylon (through 1972); Llankai | 200 UK | Colombo (official), Kotte (legislative and judicial) | Sri Lankan, Lankan |
781 | Maldive Islands | Divehi Rajje; Maldives | 200 UK | Male | Maldivian |
790 | Nepal | (none) | (none) | Kathmandu | Nepalese, Nepali |
800 | Thailand | Muang Thai; Prathet Thai; formerly Siam | (none) | Bangkok | Thai, Siamese |
811 | Cambodia | Cambodge; Camboja; Kampuchea; Khmer Republic (1970-75) | 220 France | Phnom Penh | Cambodian, Kampuchean, Khmer |
812 | Laos | Lao | 220 France | Vientiane | Laotian, Lao |
816 | Vietnam | Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV)/North Vietnam (until 1975); Viet Nam | 220 France | Hanoi | Vietnamese, North Vietnamese |
817 | Republic of Vietnam | Republic of Vietnam (RVN); South Vietnam | 220 France | Saigon | Vietnamese, South Vietnamese |
820 | Malaysia | Federated Malay States; Federation of Malaya; Malaya; Malayan Union | 200 UK | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysian, Malay |
830 | Singapore | Cinkappur; Singapura; Xinjiapo | 200 UK | Singapore | Singaporean |
835 | Brunei | Brunei Darussalam | 200 UK | Bandar Seri Begawan | Bruneian |
840 | Philippines | Filipinas; Islas Filipinas; Pilipinas; Republica de Filipinas; Republika ng Pilipinas | 230 Spain | Manila (Quezon City 1948-1976) | Filipino |
850 | Indonesia | Dutch East Indies; Netherlands East Indies; Netherlands Indies | 210 Netherlands | Jakarta | Indonesian |
860 | East Timor | Portuguese Timor; Timor L'este/Timor Leste; Timor Lorosa'e | 235 Portugal | Dili | Timorese |
900 | Australia | (none) | 200 UK | Canberra (Melbourne 1901-1927) | Australian |
910 | Papua New Guinea | Included Papua (British New Guinea) and Trust Territory of New Guinea (German New Guinea) | 200 UK | Port Moresby | New Guinean, Papuan, Guinean |
920 | New Zealand | Aotearoa | 200 UK | Wellington (Russell 1840-1841, Auckland 1841-1865) | New Zealand, (informal) Kiwi |
935 | Vanuatu | New Hebrides (through 1980) | 200 UK | Port Vila | Vanuatan |
940 | Solomon Islands | (none) | 200 UK | Honiara (Tulaghi 1896-1942) | Solomon Island, Solomon Islander |
946 | Kiribati | (none) | 200 UK | South Tarawa | I-Kiribati |
947 | Tuvalu | (none) | 200 UK | Funafuti | Tuvaluan |
950 | Fiji | Fiji Islands | 200 UK | Suva (Levuka under British rule from 1874-1877) | Fijian |
955 | Tonga | Friendly Islands | 200 UK | Nuku'alofa | Tongan |
970 | Nauru | Naoero | 900 Australia | None (Government offices in Yaren District) | Nauruan |
983 | Marshall Islands | (none) | 2 USA | Majuro | Marshallese |
986 | Palau | Belau; Pelew | 2 USA | Koror | Palauan |
987 | Federated States of Micronesia | (none) | 2 USA | Palikir | Micronesian |
990 | Samoa | Western Samoa Part of Navigators Islands (included both Western and American Samoa) |
920 New Zealand | Apia | Samoan, Western Samoan |
http://www.paulhensel.org/icownames.html
Last updated: 10 November 2018
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