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7 Countries Who Recently Changed Their Names And Why

Published

1 year ago

July 6, 2024

Throughout history, nations have undergone name alterations for different reasons, indicative of shifts in political dynamics, cultural identity, territorial scope, and alterations in governance.

These modifications frequently seek to reshape national narratives, assert autonomy, or update global perceptions.

In that light, here is a rundown of seven countries around the world that have recently altered their names and the circumstances surrounding them.

Turkey to Turkiye

On June 2, 2022, the United Nations declared that Türkiye would be the official reference for the country previously known as Turkey.

The decision was widely interpreted as Ankara’s strategic effort to rebrand the country and distance it from the avian namesake and any perceived negative connotations attached to it.

In a memo about the name change in 2021, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, “Türkiye is the best representation and expression of the Turkish people’s culture, civilization, and values.”

Holland to the Netherlands

In 2020, the Dutch government opted to abandon the use of “Holland” in favor of its official name, “the Netherlands,” as part of a broader effort to modernize its global image.

The name change is said to be a strategic move to distance the country from its associations with recreational drug use and legal prostitution, factors that have drawn international attention to Amsterdam, located in the province of North Holland.

The Republic of Macedonia to North Macedonia

In 2019, the Republic of Macedonia, previously recognized as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, officially changed its name to the Republic of North Macedonia. Unlike some other country name changes driven by cultural or historical factors, this transformation was primarily motivated by political considerations.

Following its declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, the country chose to adopt the name Macedonia. However, this decision strained relations significantly with neighboring Greece, which also has a region known as Macedonia.

Swaziland to Eswatini

In April 2018, King Mswati III of Swaziland announced during celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Swazi independence that he was renaming the country “the Kingdom of eSwatini”.

The unexpected change to the name eSwatini, meaning “land of the Swazis,” was officially adopted by King Mswati, who had been referring to Swaziland as eSwatini for many years prior.

The King announced that the country was frequently mistaken for the European nation of Switzerland. “Whenever we go abroad, people refer to us as Switzerland,” he said.

Czech Republic to Czechia

Czechia’s decision to adopt the name was driven not by political or cultural considerations, but by marketing motives.

In 2016, the Czech government officially adopted the name Czechia and recommended its use to promote a shorter version in international contexts.

The decision to propose the new name Czechia stemmed from concerns that “Czech Republic” was often perceived as too long and cumbersome, causing confusion and misunderstandings. Czechia was seen as a more user-friendly and modern alternative.

Cape Verde to Cabo Verde

In 2013, Cape Verde formally transitioned to Cabo Verde, a move advocated by Mario Lucio de Sousa, Minister of Culture. He highlighted the logistical challenges of frequent translations in diplomatic communications and tourism materials.

Intending to achieve a cohesive global identity, Cabo Verde officially requested the adoption of its new name in all United Nations languages, except for the longer form, Republica de Cabo Verde.

Cabo Verde aims to establish its identity through unique offerings, such as organic wines cultivated from volcanic soils.

Ceylon to Sri Lanka

In 1972, the island nation of Ceylon rebranded itself as Sri Lanka, drawing from the Sinhalese language, and declared itself a republic.

This change aimed to better represent the country’s multicultural identity and distance itself from its colonial history under British rule.

Although Sri Lanka officially changed its name from Ceylon upon gaining independence from British rule in 1972, it wasn’t until 2011 that the country formally removed the colonial name Ceylon from government use.

Headline

FULL LIST: US To Review Green Cards From 19 ‘Countries Of Concern’ After Washington Shooting

Published

11 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it will review the immigration status of all permanent residents, or “Green Card” holders, from Afghanistan and 18 other countries following the attack on National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.

U.S. officials identified the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting as a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked alongside American forces in Afghanistan.

The individual was granted asylum earlier this year, not permanent residency, according to AfghanEvac, an organisation that assists Afghans resettled in the United States after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

“I have directed a full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” said Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), on X.

The review follows a June executive order from President Trump classifying 19 countries as “of Identified Concern.”

The order banned entry for nearly all nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan. The full list of these countries is:

Afghanistan

Myanmar

Chad

Congo-Brazzaville

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Haiti

Iran

Libya

Somalia

Sudan

Yemen

A partial travel ban applies to seven additional countries, though some temporary work visas remain allowed: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Headline

Romanian Defence Minister Quits After Admitting Error In Academic Record

Published

12 hours ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

Romania’s defence minister resigned on Friday after saying he made a “mistake” on his CV about his university education, as controversy swirled over alleged lies on his resume.

Ionut Mosteanu – who has admitted to writing on his CV that he graduated from a university he never attended – said he did not want the row “to distract” the NATO member at a time when it and Europe are “under attack from Russia”.

Romania has repeatedly seen drone fragments fall on its soil since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and reported a number of drone incursions.

On Tuesday, a drone crashed in eastern Romania, which borders Ukraine.

Romania has also accused Moscow of “hybrid attacks”, including meddling in presidential elections last year that were subsequently annulled.

“Today, I resigned from my position as minister of national defence,” Mosteanu said in a Facebook post, adding he wanted the country to be focused on its “difficult mission”.

“Romania and Europe are under attack from Russia. Our national security must be defended at all costs,” he added.

Mosteanu had come under pressure after a media investigation published on Thursday revealed that he wrote in a CV that he graduated from a university which he did not actually attend.

That same day he apologised for what he called “a mistake”.

“In a CV I quickly put together in 2016 using a template I found online, there is a mistake that I admit embarrasses me. I didn’t pay much attention to these details at the time,” he said on Facebook.

Mosteanu was appointed defence minister in June of this year, when a new pro-European government was formed after months of political turmoil.

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said in a press release that he would propose economy and tourism minister Radu Miruta take over the defence portfolio in the interim.

AFP

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Russia Insists Ukraine Must Cede Land Or Face Continued Military Push

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2025

Editor

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he would end his Ukraine offensive if Kyiv withdrew from territory Moscow claims at its own — otherwise his army would take it by force.

The Russian army has been slowly but steadily grinding through eastern Ukraine in costly battles against outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian forces.

Washington has meanwhile renewed its push to end the nearly four-year war, putting forward a surprise plan that it hopes to finalise through upcoming talks with Moscow and Kyiv.

“If Ukrainian forces leave the territories they hold, then we will stop combat operations,” Putin said during a visit to Kyrgyzstan. “If they don’t, then we will achieve it by military means.”

Russia controls around one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory. The issue of occupied land, which Kyiv has said it will never cede, is among the biggest stumbling blocks in the peace process.

Another important issue in the talks are Western security guarantees for Ukraine, which Kyiv says are needed to prevent Moscow from invading again in the future.

Washington’s original plan — drafted without input from Ukraine’s European allies — would have seen Kyiv withdraw from its eastern Donetsk region and the United States de facto recognise the Donetsk, Crimea and Lugansk regions as Russian.

The US pared back the original plan over the weekend following criticism from Kyiv and Europe, but has not yet released the new version.

Putin, who has seen the new plan, said it could be a negotiation starter.

“Overall, we agree that it could form the basis for future agreements,” he said of the latest draft, which the US is thought to have shortened to about 20 points.

US negotiator Steve Witkoff was expected in Moscow next week to discuss the revised document, Putin said.

US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is meanwhile due to visit Kyiv later this week, Ukraine’s top presidential aide Andriy Yermak said.

– ‘Little can be done’ –

In his remarks Thursday, Putin repeated the claim that Russia had encircled the Ukrainian army in Pokrovsk and Myrnograd in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region — the most fiercely embattled area and a key target for Moscow’s forces.

“Krasnoarmeysk and Dimitrov are completely surrounded,” he said, using the Russian names for the cities.

Moscow was also advancing in Vovchansk and Siversk, as well as approaching the important logistic hub of Guliaipole, he added.

The Russian offensive “is practically impossible to hold back, so there is little that can be done about it”, Putin said.

Ukraine has denied Pokrovsk and Myrnograd are encircled, insisting its forces continue to hold the enemy along the front line.

Putin also questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy and said signing any agreement with him would be legally “almost impossible” at the moment, a suggestion that has drawn groans from Kyiv and its allies.

According to data analysed by AFP from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces have conquered an average of 467 square kilometres (180 square miles) each month in 2025 — a step up from 2024.

Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering the worst armed conflict in Europe since World War II.

The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes.