The naming of a country is an important task. Besides a flag and a national anthem, names like America and France can help define an entire national identity. Country names can be inspired by all sorts of things. Algeria roughly translates to 'the islands,' Cape Verde to 'green cape' and Costa Rica to 'rich coast.'
However, this gallery is about people who are so important that they have an entire country named after them. You might be surprised to learn that some of the world's largest countries are named after real people or historical figures.
Click through the gallery to discover these countries and the people who inspired their names.