Names of Countries in Their Own Languages

Presently, there are more than 190 member states of the United Nations as well as Vatican City, which is also recognized as being sovereign. Aside from that, there are other countries that are not recognized or have limited recognition. Each of these countries has an English name as well as the native name depending on the national language. In some cases, a country can have more than one name if there is more than one national language or if there are multiple major groups with differing languages. For example, a country like Belgium has three names since it has three major languages namely Dutch, German, and French.
Select Country Names in the Their Only Languages
Bosnia and Herzegovina
This country has three official/native languages, which translates to three names for the nation. The three languages are Bosnian, Croatian (Cyrillic script), and Serbian. The three corresponding names for the country are Bosna i Hercegovina, Херцеговина, and Босна и. Aside from the common English variation, other names are Bosnia–Herzegovina or simply Bosnia (informal). At times, it can also be abbreviated to B&H. The nation is located in the southeastern region of Europe in the Balkan Peninsula.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo
This nation has four names based on the native languages, which are French, Kongo, Lingala, Swahili, and Luba-Katanga. Abbreviated as the DRC, its respective native names are République démocratique du Congo, Repubilika ya Kôngo ya Dimokalasi, Republíki ya Kongó Demokratíki, Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo, and Ditunga dia Kongu wa Mungalaata. Other names for it are DR Congo, the Congo, East Congo, DROC, and Congo-Kinshasa. The nation, which lies in Central Africa, may at times be referred to its former name of Zaire.
India
India is one of the largest countries in the world by population, which means it has several language groups spoken by the 1.3 billion people living there. Located in Asia, India has more than ten languages that use different scripts. Examples of these languages include Assamese, Tamil, Punjabi, Hindi, English, Gujarati, and others. This high number of languages also means an equally high number of names for the nation such as Bhārat, Bharôt, Bhāratadēsam, the Republic of India, Bhāratam, and others.
Saudi Arabia
Also located in Asia, Saudi Arabia (the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) only uses Arabic, which is part of the Arabic script. In Arabic, the name of the kingdom is Al-‘Arabiyyah as Sa‘ūdiyyah (المملكة العربية السعودية). In the Middle East region, this nation is the largest with an area of about 830,000 square miles.
The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland also has a number of languages namely English, Welsh, Scots, Scots Gaelic, Irish, and Cornish. Aside from the English name, the others include Y Deyrnas Unedig and Rìoghachd Aonaichte. Common English variations are simply Britain or the UK.
Name Variations
For most of the names in native languages, there are relationships between the names. The most notable example is the case of India whose names look similar even to an individual who does not understand the languages.
Names of Countries in Their Own Languages
Rank | Country Name (English) | Language(s) | Country Name (Native Tongue) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Afghanistan | Dari, Pashto | افغانستانAfghanestan | ||
2 | Albania | Albanian | Shqipëria | ||
3 | Algeria | Arabic, Berber | Dzayer | ||
4 | Andorra | Catalan | Andorra | ||
5 | Angola | Kongo, Portuguese | Angola | ||
6 | Antigua and Barbuda | English | Antigua and Barbuda | ||
7 | Argentina | Spanish | Argentina | ||
8 | Armenia | Armenian | Hayastán | ||
9 | Australia | English | Australia | ||
10 | Austria | German | Österreich | ||
11 | Azerbaijan | Azerbaijani | Azərbaycan | ||
12 | The Bahamas | English | The Bahamas | ||
13 | Bahrain | Arabic, Berber | البحرينAl-Bahrayn | ||
14 | Bangladesh | Bengali | Bangladesh বাংলাদেশ | ||
15 | Barbados | English | Barbados | ||
16 | Belarus | Belarusian | Bielaruś, Беларусь | ||
17 | Belgium | Dutch, French, German | België, Belgique, Belgien | ||
18 | Belize | English | Belize | ||
19 | Benin | French | Bénin | ||
20 | Bhutan | Dzongkha | Druk Yul, འབྲུག་ཡུལ | ||
21 | Bolivia | Aymara, Guaraní, Quechua, Spanish | Wuliwya, Volívia, Buliwya, Bolivia | ||
22 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian | Bosnia I Hercegovína, Босна и Херцеговина | ||
23 | Botswana | English, Tswana | Botswana | ||
24 | Brazil | Portuguese | Brasil | ||
25 | Brunei | Malay | Brunei بروني | ||
26 | Bulgaria | Bulgarian | Bulgariya, България | ||
27 | Burkina Faso | French | Burkina Faso | ||
28 | Burundi | French, Kirundi | Burundi, Uburundi | ||
29 | Cambodia | Khmer | Kampuchea កម្ពុជា | ||
30 | Cameroon | English, French | Cameroon, Cameroun | ||
31 | Canada | English, French | Canada | ||
32 | Cape Verde | Portuguese | Cabo Verde | ||
33 | Central African Republic | French, sango | République Centrafricaine, Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka | ||
34 | Chad | Arabic, French | Tchad, تشاد | ||
35 | Chile | Spanish | Chile | ||
36 | China | Mandarin Chinese | Zhōngguó 中国 | ||
37 | Colombia | Spanish | Colombia | ||
38 | Comoros | Arabic, French, Shikomor | جزر القمر Comores Koromi | ||
39 | Republic of the Congo | French, Lingala | République du Congo, Republíki ya Kongó | ||
40 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | French, Lingala, Swahili | République démocratique du Congo, Republíki ya Kongó, Demokratíki Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo | ||
41 | Costa Rica | Spanish | Costa Rica | ||
42 | Côte d'Ivoire | French | Côte d'Ivoire | ||
43 | Croatia | Croatian | Hrvatska | ||
44 | Cuba | Spanish | Cuba | ||
45 | Cyprus | Greek, Turkish | Κύπρος Kıbrıs | ||
46 | Czechia | Czech | Česko | ||
47 | Denmark | Danish | Danmark | ||
48 | Djibuti | Arabic, French | جيبوتي Djibouti | ||
49 | Dominica Republic | Spanish | República Dominicana | ||
50 | East Timor | Portuguese, Tetum | Timor-Lester, Timor Lorosa'e | ||
51 | Ecuador | Spanish | Ecuador | ||
52 | Egypt | Arabic | مصرMisr | ||
53 | El Salvador | Spanish | El Salvador | ||
54 | Equatorial Guinea | Spanish | Guinea Ecuatorial | ||
55 | Eritrea | Arabic, Tigrinya | Iritriya إرتريا Ertra | ||
56 | Estonia | Estonian | Eesti | ||
57 | Eswatini | English, Swazi | Eswatini, eSwatini | ||
58 | Ethiopia | Amharic | Ityop'ia ኢትዮጵያ | ||
59 | Fiji | English, Fijian, Fiji Hindi | Fiji, Viti, फ़िजी | ||
60 | Finland | Finnish, Swedish | Suomi, Finland | ||
61 | France | French | France | ||
62 | Gabon | French | République gabonaise | ||
63 | The Gambia | English | The Gambia | ||
64 | Georgia | Georgian | Sak'art'velo საქართველო | ||
65 | Germany | German | Deutschland | ||
66 | Ghana | Akan, English, Ewe, Twi | Gaana, Ghana, Gana, Gana | ||
67 | Greece | Greek | Hellas Ελλάς | ||
68 | Grenada | English | Grenada | ||
69 | Guatemala | Spanish | Guatemala | ||
70 | Guinea | French, Manika, Pular | Guinée, Gine, Gine | ||
71 | Guyana | English | Guyana | ||
72 | Haiti | French, Haitian Creole | Haïti, Ayiti | ||
73 | Honduras | Spanish | Honduras | ||
74 | Hong Kong | English, Cantonese | Hong Kong, Heung Gong, 香港 | ||
75 | Hungary | Hungarian | Magyarország | ||
76 | Iceland | Icelandic | Ísland | ||
77 | India | Assamese, Bengali, English, Hindi, Kannada, Konkai, Malayalam, Marthi, Nepalese, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu | Bharôt ভাৰত, Bharôt ভারত, India, Bhārat ભારત, Bhārat भारत, Bhārata ಭಾರತ, Bhārat भारत, Bhāratam ഭാരതം, Bhārat भारत, Bhārat भारत, Bharôtô ଭାରତ, Bhārat ਭਾਰਤ, Bhāratam भारतम्, Bārata பாரதம், Bhāratadēsam భారత దేశం | ||
78 | Indonesia | Bahasa Indonesia | Indonesia | ||
79 | Iran | Persian | Īrān ایران | ||
80 | Iraq | Arabic, Kurdish | Al-'Iraq العراق | ||
81 | Ireland | English, Irish | Ireland, Éire | ||
82 | Israel | Arabic, Hebrew | Israʼiyl إسرائيل, Yisra'el ישראל | ||
83 | Italy | Italian | Italia | ||
84 | Jamaica | English | Jamaica | ||
85 | Japan | Japanese | Nippon 日本 | ||
86 | Jordan | Arabic | Al-'Urdun الأردن | ||
87 | Kazakhstan | Kazakh, Russian | Qazaqstan Қазақстан, Kazakhstán Казахстан | ||
88 | Kenya | English, Swahili | Kenya | ||
89 | North Korea | Korean | Chosŏn 조선 Bukchosŏn 북조선 | ||
90 | South Korea | Korean | Hanguk 한국 Namhan 남한 | ||
91 | Kosovo | Albanian, Serbian | Kosova, Косово | ||
92 | Kuwait | Arabic | Dawlat ul-Kuwayt دولة الكويت | ||
93 | Kyrgyzstan | Kyrgyz, Russian | Kyrgyzstan Кыргызстан, Kirgizija Киргизия | ||
94 | Laos | Lao | Lao ປະເທດລາວ | ||
95 | Latvia | Latvia | Latvija | ||
96 | Lebanon | Arabic, French | Lubnān لبنان, Liban | ||
97 | Lesotho | English, Sesotho | Lesotho | ||
98 | Libya | Berber, Arabic | Libya, Lībiyā ليبيا | ||
99 | Liechtenstein | German | Liechtenstein | ||
100 | Lithuania | Lithuanian | Lietuva | ||
101 | Luxembourg | French, German, Luxembourgish | Luxembourg, Luxemburg, Lëtezebuerg | ||
102 | Madagascar | French, Malagasy | Madagascar, Madagasikara | ||
103 | Malawi | Chichewa, English | Malaŵi, Malawi | ||
104 | Malaysia | Mandarin Chinese, Malay, Tamil | Mǎláixīyà 马来西亚, Malaysia, மலேசியா | ||
105 | Maldives | Dhivehi | Dhivehi Raajje | ||
106 | Mali | Bambara, French | Mali, Mali | ||
107 | Malta | English, Maltese | Malta, Malta | ||
108 | Marshall Islands | English, Marshallese | Marshall Islands, Aorōkin M̧ajeļ | ||
109 | Mauritania | Arabic, Berer | Muritan / Agawec, Mūrītānyā موريتانيا | ||
110 | Mauritius | English, French, Mauritian Creole | Mauritius, Maurice, Moris | ||
111 | Mexico | Nahuatl, Spanish | Mēxihco, México | ||
112 | Federated States of Micronesia | English | Federated States of Micronesia | ||
113 | Moldova | Romanian | Moldova | ||
114 | Monaco | French, Monégasque | Monaca, Múnegu | ||
115 | Mongolia | Mongolia | Mongol Uls Монгол Улс | ||
116 | Montenegro | Montenegrin | Crna Gora Црна Гора | ||
117 | Morocco | Arabic, Berber | Al-maɣréb المغرب, Amerruk / Elmeɣrib | ||
118 | Mozambique | Portuguese | Moçambique | ||
119 | Myanmar | Burmese | Myanma မြန်မာ | ||
120 | Namibia | Afrikaans, Engish, Damara, German, Herero | Namibia, Namibia, Namibia, Namibia, Namibia | ||
121 | Nepal | Davanagari, Nepalese | Nepāl नेपाल | ||
122 | The Netherlands | Dutch, West Frisian | Nederland, Nederlân | ||
123 | New Zealand | English, Māori | New Zealand, Aotearoa | ||
124 | Nicaragua | Spanish | Nicaragua | ||
125 | Niger | French | Niger | ||
126 | Nigeria | English, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba | Nigeria, Nijeriya, Naigeria, Nàìjíríà | ||
127 | North Macedonia | Macedonian | Severna Makedonija Северна Македонија | ||
128 | Norway | Norwegian | Norge | ||
129 | Oman | Arabic | ‘Umān عُمان | ||
130 | Pakistan | English, Urdu | Pākistān پاکستان | ||
131 | Palau | English, Palauan | Palau, Belau | ||
132 | Palestine | Arabic | Filasṭīn فلسطين | ||
133 | Panama | Spanish | Panamá | ||
134 | Papua New Guinea | English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin | Papua New Guinea, Papua Niugini, Papua Giugini | ||
135 | Paraguay | Guaraní, Spanish | Paraguái, Paraguay | ||
136 | Peru | Aymara, Spanish | Piruw, Perú | ||
137 | Philippines | English, Filipino | Philippines, Pilipinas | ||
138 | Poland | Polish | Polska | ||
139 | Portugual | Portuguese | Portugal | ||
140 | Qatar | Arabic | Qaṭar قطر | ||
141 | Romania | Romanian | România | ||
142 | Russia | Russian | Rossiâ Россия | ||
143 | Rwanda | English, French, Kinyarwanda, Swahili | Rwanda | ||
144 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | English | Saint Kitts and Nevis | ||
145 | Saint Lucia | English | Saint Lucia | ||
146 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | English | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | ||
147 | Samoa | English, Samoan | Samoa, Sāmoa | ||
148 | San Marino | Italian | San Marino | ||
149 | São Tomé and Principe | Portuguese | São Tomé e Principe | ||
150 | Saudi Arabia | Arabic | Al-‘Arabiyyah as Sa‘ūdiyyah المملكة العربية السعودية | ||
151 | Senegal | French | Sénégal | ||
152 | Serbia | Serbian | Srbija Србија | ||
153 | Seychelles | English, French, Seychellois Creole | Seychelles, Seychelles, Sesel | ||
154 | Sierra Leone | English | Sierra Leone | ||
155 | Singapore | English, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, Tamil | Singapore, Singapura, 新加坡, சிங்கப்பூர் | ||
156 | Slovakia | Slovak | Slovensko | ||
157 | Slovenia | Slovene | Slovenija | ||
158 | Solomon Islands | Englih, Neo-Solomonic | Solomon Islands, Solomon Aelan | ||
159 | Somalia | Arabic, Somali | Soomaaliya aş-Şūmāl, الصومال | ||
160 | South Africa | Afrikaans, English, isiZulu, isiXhoas, Pedi, Sotho, Tswana, Venda, Tsonga, Swazi, Ndebele | Suid-Afrika, South Africa, iNingizimu Afrika, uMzantsi Afrika, Afrika-Borwa, Afrika Borwa, Aforika Borwa, Afurika Tshipembe, Afrika Dzonga, iNingizimu Afrika, iSewula Afrika | ||
161 | South Sudan | English, Dinka, Swahili | South Sudan, Paguot Thudän, Sudan Kusini | ||
162 | Spain | Spanish, Catalan, Basque | España, Espanya, Espainia | ||
163 | Sri Lanka | Sinhala, Tamil | Sri Lankā ශ්රී ලංකාව இலங்கை | ||
164 | Sudan | Arabic | As-Sudan السودان | ||
165 | Sweden | Swedish | Sverige | ||
166 | Switzerland | French, German, Italian, Romansh | Suisse, Schweiz, Svizzera, Svizra | ||
167 | Syria | Arabic | Suriyah سورية | ||
168 | Tajikistan | Tajiki-Persian | Tojikistan Тоҷикистон | ||
169 | Tanzania | English, Swahili | Tanzania | ||
170 | Thailand | Thai | Mueang Thai, Prathet Thai, Ratcha-anachak Thai เมืองไทย, ประเทศไทย, ราชอาณาจักรไทย | ||
171 | Togo | Ewe, French, Kabiye | Togo, Togo, Togo | ||
172 | Tonga | English, Tongan | Tonga | ||
173 | Trinidad and Tobago | English | Trinidad and Tobago | ||
174 | Tunisia | Arabic,Berber | Tunes, تونس | ||
175 | Turkmenistan | Turkmen | Türkiye | ||
176 | Tuvalu | English, Tuvaluan | Tuvalu | ||
177 | Uganda | Enlish, Swahili | Uganda | ||
178 | Ukraine | Ukrainian | Ukraїna Україна | ||
179 | United Arab Emirates | Arabic | Al-’Imārat Al-‘Arabiyyah Al-Muttaḥidah الإمارات العربيّة المتّحدة | ||
180 | United Kingdom | English, Welsh, Scots, Irish | United Kingdom, Y Deyrnas Unedig, Rìoghachd Aonaichte, Ríocht Aontaithe | ||
181 | United States | English, Spanish | United States, Estados Unidos | ||
182 | Uruguay | Spanish | Uruguay | ||
183 | Uzbekistan | Uzbek | O‘zbekiston Ўзбекистон | ||
184 | Vanuatu | French | Vanuatu | ||
185 | Vatican City | Italian, latin | Città del Vaticano, Civitas Vaticana | ||
186 | Venezuela | Spanish | Venezuela | ||
187 | Vietnam | Vietnamese | Việt Nam | ||
188 | Yemen | Arabic | Al-Yaman اليمن | ||
189 | Zambia | Bemba, Chewa, English | Zambia | ||
190 | Zimbabwe | English, Shona | Zimbabwe |