So good they’ve named it twice
Countries’ changing titles
King Mswati III
COUNTRIES To celebrate his 50th birthday, King Mswati III of which African country changed the name to eSwatini, after long complaining people outside of the continent confused it with Switzerland? Amid the disintegration of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic, Czechoslovakia divided into which two different countries in 1993? By what name was Sri Lanka know during British rule from 1815-1948? Upper Volta was named after the Volta river which flows through the country, but what is it now known as? Zimbabwe was granted independence by Britain in 1980. But what was it known as before then? What was Cambodia named whilst under communist rule from 1975 to 1979? Myanmar was the name given to this country by a military junta in 1989 – what was it called before then? What was Botswana known as before it became independent within the Commonwealth in 1966? What was Iran known as until 1935 when it was renamed by its then leader Reza Shah Pahlavi? Taiwan was originally named by Portuguese sailors, with the word meaning “beautiful island”. What was it called? The monarch in the musical The King and I is the king of Siam... what is Siam now known as? After the controversial 1947 partition of India, East and West Pakistan were created. What is East Pakistan now known as? The ancient region of Mesopotamia is now where which war-torn modern county is situated? Which continent was known as New Holland when it was first discovered in the 17th century? The Empire of Abyssinia made up the northern half of which modern day African country?
CITIES New Amsterdam is the city that is so good they named it twice. What is it now known as? The Indian city of Bombay was renamed as what in 1995 to
MACEDONIA has voted to change its name to end a feud with Greece.
The country could now be known as North Macedonia after the Greeks objected to Macedonia’s bid to join the EU and NATO unless it changed
honour the Hindu god Mumbadevi? The Chinese capital Beijing was known as what until 1979, although the name of its famous duck dish hasn’t changed. The Turkish city Istanbul was known by what other name until 1930? The Indonesian capital was known as Batavia until after independence in 1946. What is it now called? Ho Chi Minh City is the biggest in Vietnam and is named after the deceased communist leader, but what was it previously called? The Canadian city of Toronto used to be named after which historic British city? Russia’s second city, Saint Petersburg, was known as what from 1924-1991 after the death its name, because Greece also has a region called Macedonia.
It’s a subtle swap, but not the first time a country or a city has changed its moniker.
So do you know your eSwatini from your Ceylon? Take our fun quiz to find out... of communist Vladimir Lenin? Edo, also known as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, means estuary in the language of the country where this was the capital city... what is it called now? Which Canadian city was founded as Bytown in 1826 but later called after the local river, a word meaning “to trade”?
ANCIENT BRITAIN AND EUROPE Which city got its modern name from the Mancunium fort in its Castlefield district?