Countries Once Known by Different Names

eSwatini

It adopted its current name in 2018, following a proclamation to that effect by King Mswati III, who uses the title Ingwenyama. The tiny absolute monarchy, which is sandwiched between South Africa and Mozambique, had previously been know as Swaziland since it became a British protectorate in 1906 following the Second Boer War. The country, which is mostly populated by ethnic Swazis, gained Independence from Britain in 1968. The new name, which was adopted in part to mark the 50 years of independence, means "the lands of Swazis" in the country's native toungue.

Burkina Faso

It assumed its current name in 1984, having previously been known as the Republic of Upper Volta. France controlled the region under the name French Upper Volta--which referred to its position along the upper course of the Volta River--for much of the 2oth century, during which it was one part of French West Africa. Under the 1956 Basic Law, it was made a self-governing colony of France; two years later, it became fully independen under President Maurice Yameogo, who was overthrown in 1966. A 1983 coup d'état brought military officer Thomas Sankara to power; the year after his ascent, he changed the country's name to its current name, which roughly translates as "land of the upright" in two native tongues. Sankara was assassinated in 1987

Zimbabwe

It assumed its current name upon formal independence from Britain in 1980. It grew out of the colony of Rhodesia, named for Cecil Rhodes, which Britain established in southern Africa in the late 19th century. That colony was later split along the Zambezi River into Northern Rhodesia (which later became the country of Zambia) and Southern Rhodesia. Southern Rhodesia's white government attempted to declare independence from Britain in 1965 in an effort to suppress the country's black population, leading to the 15-year-long Rhodesian Bush War. Under the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement, Britain resumed control long enough to oversee elections that were won by the ZANU party, led by Robert Mugabe, who ruled the new country for the next 37 years.

Kingdom of Thailand

It has its name changed from "Siam" twice within a decade. Portuguese explorers began using the term "Siam" to refer to the region in the 1500s; such usage gained official prominence via its use by by rulers from the Chakri dynasty. A rebellion and monarchical crisis in the 1930s led to the 1938 rise of Luang Phibunsonkhram, commonly known as Phibun. Phibun officially changed its name in 1939, in part of Phibun's campaign against China.

the United Arab Emirates

It is a federation of seven internal states (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, and Ras Al Khaimah) that were previously known as the Trucial States and which united in 1971. The Trucial States were a group of seven sheikhdoms that signed treaties (or truces) with Great Britain beginning in 1820. These States lay along what Britain termed the "Pirate Coast" of the Persian Gulf; the treaties were intended to protect British ships from raids.

Ghana

It is a nation of former British holdings on Africa's west coast, the most prominent of which was the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast was so named by multiple European powers for the rich gold reserves found in the slave trade. Britain incorporated its Gold Coast Colony in 1821 after seizing the chartered lands of the African Company of Merchants, which had continued to trade in slaves after Britain had outlawed the trade in 1807; Britain subsequently subsumed other nations holdings in the region into the British Gold Coast. The modern push for independence began in the late 1940's, and was led by Kwame Nkrumah, who later served as this places first president. Britain combined its Gold Coast, Northern Territories, Ashanti, and Togoland colonies into a single entity, which became the Dominion of {it's name} in 1957. It became a fully independent republic in 1960.

North Macedonia

It officially became known as such in February 2019. For over two decades, the countries former name had been the subject of a dispute with Greece, which objected to the use of the name's ties to the ancient Kingdom of Macedon, and the fact that Greece itself contains an administrative region of the (former) same name. For many years, the country was referred to in the United Nations as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) due to the Greek objection, which also prevented the country from joining the EU and NATO. The countries agreed to resolve the naming dispute in the 2018 Treaty of Prespa.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo

It was known as Zaire between 1971 and 1997. The 1971 name change came about under the rule of Mobotu Sese Seko, a dictator who effectively seized power during 1960-1965, during which he toopled and later executed Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. Mobotu was ousted and forced into exile following the 1997 First Congo War by the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo, a coalition led by Laurent Kabila. Four days after seizing power, Kabila changed the country's name back to the DRC.

Sri Lanka

It was referred to by the numerous different names in various ancient Greek, Sanskrit, and Arabic texts, including Taprobana and Serendib, and the island became widely known as Ceylon following the Portuguese arrival in 1505. The Portuguese gave the island the name Ceilão, which was translated into English as Ceylon. The Portuguese, who clashed with the islands Kingdom of Kandy, were largely driven off the island by a coalition of the Dutch and the island's Sinhalese people beginning in the 16402. In 1796, the island passed into British hands after the divestment of British colonies following WWII, the Dominion of Ceylon became an independent Commonwealth of Nations state in 1947, and adopted its current name in 1972.

Bangladesh

This country adopted its current name upon gaining its independence from Pakistan in 1971. In 1947, the partition of British India created the new countries of India and Pakistan, based on the majority religion, and was split into two separate enclaves: West Pakistan, consisting of what now Pakistan; and East Pakistan, covering what is now this country and consisting mostly of ethnic Bengali people. In 1966 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, then head of East Pakistan's Awami League, launched a major push for greater autonomy. In 1971 Pakistan began a genocide with East Pakistan in response to independence calls; one day later, East Pakistan officially declared independence as this country. In the subsequent Liberation War, the Bengalis were supported by India. Pakistani forces surrendered in December 1971.