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Why are they so called?
Afghanistan: Due to the Afghan population the land is called Afghanistan.
Albania: It means the land of eagles
America: Named after Florentine navigator Amerigo vesspucci (1454-1512), who in 1497 sailed for the New World
Argentina: It is a Spanish name meaning like silver.
Australia: It means southern Asia
Austria: Latinized form of German oesterreich, the eastern kingdom of the Franks
Bahrain: In Arabic it means two seas; as it lies between two seas it was named as Bahrain
Bangladesh: As it is the homeland of Bengalis therefore it is named as Bangladesh
Belgium: The country was part of the Roman province of Belgica and later part of
Bermuda: named after Juan-de-Bermudaz who discovered it in 1503
Brazil: It derives its name from pan-braza meaning red wood
Bulgaria: Country of the Bulgars, from the old Turkish Bulgar-Mongol-cross breed.
Canada: Apparently derived from horun Iroquois Kanata village means of collection of tents
Chad: The Arabs call it dar-ul-abib which means territory of slaves.
China: Named after its m dynasty
Colombia: Named after Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus
Congo: Named after river Congo
Costa Rica: It means rich coast
Cuba: Arawak Indian from lands
Cyprus: Literally it means land of copper
Czech: Named after Czech tribes
Denmark: Denmark country of the Danes, the Danes were originally a Germanic people
Ecuador: Ecuador is so named because the equator passes through the country.
France: Named after Franks, native tribe.
Hungary: Named after Huns, the earlier known inhabitants.
India: It took its name after the Indus valley
Iran: Named after Aryans
Iraq: In the olden days it was called Mesopotamia – the land of two.
Ireland: It derives its name from a Gaelic word western island.
Jamaica: Locally means ‘good water’
Kuwait: It is an Arab diminutive of Kut which means a fort.
Mauritius: Named after prince of Nassau, the ruler of the region.
Mexico: It derives its name from Mexitti, the god of war Azecas.
Mongolia: In 1200 AD Genghis Khan a Mongol, established the empire therefore it was named so.
New Zealand: Named after its province Zealand.
Pakistan: The word Pakistan was proposed by Ch. Rehmat Ali and his companions. P stands for Punjab; A for the Afghan province (NWFP) K stands for Kashmir, S for Sindh and last letters TAN meant Balochistan. It means land of the pure.
Nigeria: Derives its name from African word nigr which means a great river
Philippines: Named after Philips II of Spain.
Saudi Arab: In 1700 ad Mohammad ibnSaud, the Arab ruler of Nejd, gathered a Bedouin army to gain control of Arabia. He called his controlled area as Saudi Arab.
Singapore: It means “city of lions”
Somalia: Named after Somali tribe, who occupied the region more than 2,000 years ago.
Spain: After the conquest of Muslims the region of was named Hispania from where it took its name Spain.
Sudan: In Arabic it means “the land of black people”.
Swaziland: The land of Swazi people.
Switzerland: In 1291 a defensive league against the Hapsburgs was formed by cantons of under Walden, Uri and Schywyz from which it took its name.
Thailand: The word Thai means free and the Thaïs unlike their neighbours have maintained independence from both European colonialism and communist expansion.
Turkey: The land of Turks.
Uganda: It owes its name to Bugenda tribe.
Zimbabwe: Its name comes from stone ruins of a city built by a black civilization in the 1000s and 1400s.
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