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Australia
- This country was once known as New Holland and New South Wales.
© Getty Images
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Myanmar - The Southeast Asian country was once called Burma and this name is still used in some countries.
© iStock
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Philippines - This country was once part of the Spanish East Indies. The country earned its independence in 1898, and was named the Philippines.
© iStock
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Ethiopia - Before 1974, the land of Ethiopia was combined with Eritrea to form Abyssinia.
© iStock
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Bangladesh - This South Asian country used to be called Eastern Bengal and Assam, then East Bengal, East Pakistan, and now Bangladesh.
© iStock
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Sri Lanka - From the beginning of British colonial rule, this country was known as Ceylon.
© iStock
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Lesotho - The enclaved country was once a British Crown colony by the name of Basutoland.
© iStock
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Belarus - From 1920 to 1991, this country was known as Byelorussia ("White Russia").
© iStock
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Moldova - Historically, the country known as Moldova was named Bessarabia.
© iStock
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Iraq - In 1932, this country was granted full independence, and was formally named Iraq. Before that, it was named the British Mandate of Mesopotamia.
© iStock
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Belgium - Belgium has had plenty of name changes. It has been previously known as Duchy of Brabant, Burgundian Netherlands, and the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
© iStock
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Benin - The West African country was previously named Dahomey.
© iStock
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Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe is another country that has had several name changes. Previous names include Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia, and Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.
© iStock
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Bolivia - Until 1825, this country was named Upper Peru.
© iStock
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Bosnia and Herzegovina - Until 1853, this nation was known as Bosnia.
© iStock
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Zambia - Up until 1964, this landlocked country was called Northern Rhodesia.
© iStock
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Vanuatu - Before it became Vanuatu, this country was known as New Hebrides.
© iStock
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Tuvalu - This Polynesian island country was previously known as the Ellice Islands.
© iStock
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Suriname - The South American country was once known as Dutch Guiana.
© iStock
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Togo - Togo was once part of French Togoland, a colonial League of Nations that lasted from 1916 to 1960.
© iStock
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Thailand - This country was known as Siam before it formally became Thailand in 1949.
© iStock
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Singapore - Temasek was an early name of Singapore, which got its latter name in 1819.
© iStock
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Papua New Guinea - Papua New Guinea has endured a couple of name changes. It has been formerly known as the Territory of Papua and Territory of New Guinea and the Territory of Papua and New Guinea.
© iStock
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Netherlands - This nation was previously known as the County of Holland, the Dutch Republic, and the Batavian Republic.
© iStock
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Belize - Belize was once named British Honduras.
© iStock
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Namibia - Namibia went by German Southwest Africa and Southwest Africa before its last name change in 1990.
© iStock
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Mexico - Mexico was once part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain until its iconic name change in 1821, following a war of independence.
© iStock
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Mali - Before it was named Mali in 1960, this country was called French Sudan after its European colonizers.
© iStock
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Jordan
- This area was named the Emirate of Transjordan before it formally became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1949. See also: Everyday items originally developed for the military
© iStock
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© iStock
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Australia
- This country was once known as New Holland and New South Wales.
© Getty Images
1 / 30 Fotos
Myanmar - The Southeast Asian country was once called Burma and this name is still used in some countries.
© iStock
2 / 30 Fotos
Philippines - This country was once part of the Spanish East Indies. The country earned its independence in 1898, and was named the Philippines.
© iStock
3 / 30 Fotos
Ethiopia - Before 1974, the land of Ethiopia was combined with Eritrea to form Abyssinia.
© iStock
4 / 30 Fotos
Bangladesh - This South Asian country used to be called Eastern Bengal and Assam, then East Bengal, East Pakistan, and now Bangladesh.
© iStock
5 / 30 Fotos
Sri Lanka - From the beginning of British colonial rule, this country was known as Ceylon.
© iStock
6 / 30 Fotos
Lesotho - The enclaved country was once a British Crown colony by the name of Basutoland.
© iStock
7 / 30 Fotos
Belarus - From 1920 to 1991, this country was known as Byelorussia ("White Russia").
© iStock
8 / 30 Fotos
Moldova - Historically, the country known as Moldova was named Bessarabia.
© iStock
9 / 30 Fotos
Iraq - In 1932, this country was granted full independence, and was formally named Iraq. Before that, it was named the British Mandate of Mesopotamia.
© iStock
10 / 30 Fotos
Belgium - Belgium has had plenty of name changes. It has been previously known as Duchy of Brabant, Burgundian Netherlands, and the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
© iStock
11 / 30 Fotos
Benin - The West African country was previously named Dahomey.
© iStock
12 / 30 Fotos
Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe is another country that has had several name changes. Previous names include Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia, and Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.
© iStock
13 / 30 Fotos
Bolivia - Until 1825, this country was named Upper Peru.
© iStock
14 / 30 Fotos
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Until 1853, this nation was known as Bosnia.
© iStock
15 / 30 Fotos
Zambia - Up until 1964, this landlocked country was called Northern Rhodesia.
© iStock
16 / 30 Fotos
Vanuatu - Before it became Vanuatu, this country was known as New Hebrides.
© iStock
17 / 30 Fotos
Tuvalu - This Polynesian island country was previously known as the Ellice Islands.
© iStock
18 / 30 Fotos
Suriname - The South American country was once known as Dutch Guiana.
© iStock
19 / 30 Fotos
Togo - Togo was once part of French Togoland, a colonial League of Nations that lasted from 1916 to 1960.
© iStock
20 / 30 Fotos
Thailand - This country was known as Siam before it formally became Thailand in 1949.
© iStock
21 / 30 Fotos
Singapore - Temasek was an early name of Singapore, which got its latter name in 1819.
© iStock
22 / 30 Fotos
Papua New Guinea - Papua New Guinea has endured a couple of name changes. It has been formerly known as the Territory of Papua and Territory of New Guinea and the Territory of Papua and New Guinea.
© iStock
23 / 30 Fotos
Netherlands - This nation was previously known as the County of Holland, the Dutch Republic, and the Batavian Republic.
© iStock
24 / 30 Fotos
Belize - Belize was once named British Honduras.
© iStock
25 / 30 Fotos
Namibia - Namibia went by German Southwest Africa and Southwest Africa before its last name change in 1990.
© iStock
26 / 30 Fotos
Mexico - Mexico was once part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain until its iconic name change in 1821, following a war of independence.
© iStock
27 / 30 Fotos
Mali - Before it was named Mali in 1960, this country was called French Sudan after its European colonizers.
© iStock
28 / 30 Fotos
Jordan
- This area was named the Emirate of Transjordan before it formally became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1949. See also: Everyday items originally developed for the military
© iStock
29 / 30 Fotos
Countries that changed their names
New Holland? Upper Peru? United Kingdom of the Netherlands?
© iStock
New Holland? Upper Peru? United Kingdom of the Netherlands? Do you know these countries?
In 2019, Macedonia changed its name. The Balkan country became the Republic of North Macedonia, after a long dispute with neighboring country Greece. But it's not the only country that has had a name change. In fact, plenty of nations have had their own identity crises.
Click through this gallery to discover which countries have changed their names.
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