Whether or not we realize it, most of us do not use a country's official name on a daily basis. Nearly every country in the world has an official or formal name that is longer and more formal than its common name. For example, many country names actually begin with the prefix "Republic of," as seen in Republic of Italy, Republic of Colombia, Republic of Korea (South Korea). Alternately, many countries use the similar "Kingdom of," such as Kingdom of Denmark and Kingdom of Norway, or a related form such as "Islamic Republic of," "Democratic Republic of," and "State of," among several others.
The following lists display the common and official names of every country (and several territories) in the world, grouped by continent.
Official Names of Countries in Africa
The following are the common and official names of countries in Africa:
- Algeria – People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
- Angola – Republic of Angola
- Benin – Republic of Benin
- Botswana – Republic of Botswana
- Burkina Faso – Burkina Faso
- Burundi – Republic of Burundi
- Cameroon – Republic of Cameroon
- Cape Verde – Republic of Cabo Verde
- Central African Republic – Central African Republic
- Chad – Republic of Chad
- Comoros – Union of the Comoros
- Democratic Republic of the Congo – Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti – Republic of Djibouti
- Egypt – Arab Republic of Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea – Republic of Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea – State of Eritrea
- Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) – Kingdom of Eswatini
- Ethiopia – Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
- Gabon – Gabonese Republic
- Gambia – Republic of the Gambia
- Ghana – Republic of Ghana
- Guinea – Republic of Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau – Republic of Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast – Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
- Kenya – Republic of Kenya
- Lesotho – Kingdom of Lesotho
- Liberia – Republic of Liberia
- Libya – State of Libya
- Madagascar – Republic of Madagascar
- Malawi – Republic of Malawi
- Mali – Republic of Mali
- Mauritania – Islamic Republic of Mauritania
- Mauritius – Republic of Mauritius
- Morocco – Kingdom of Morocco
- Mozambique – Republic of Mozambique
- Namibia – Republic of Namibia
- Niger – Republic of the Niger
- Nigeria – Federal Republic of Nigeria
- Republic of the Congo – Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda – Republic of Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe – Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal – Republic of Senegal
- Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles
- Sierra Leone – Republic of Sierra Leone
- Somalia – Federal Republic of Somalia
- South Africa – Republic of South Africa
- South Sudan – Republic of South Sudan
- Sudan – Republic of the Sudan
- Tanzania – United Republic of Tanzania
- Togo – Togolese Republic
- Tunisia – Republic of Tunisia
- Uganda – Republic of Uganda
- Zambia – Republic of Zambia
- Zimbabwe – Republic of Zimbabwe
Official Names of Countries in Asia
The following are the common and official names of countries in Asia:
- Afghanistan – Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
- Bahrain – Kingdom of Bahrain
- Bangladesh – People’s Republic of Bangladesh
- Bhutan – Kingdom of Bhutan
- Brunei – Brunei Darussalam
- Cambodia – Kingdom of Cambodia
- China – People’s Republic of China
- Hong Kong - Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
- India – Republic of India
- Indonesia – Republic of Indonesia
- Iran – Islamic Republic of Iran
- Iraq – Republic of Iraq
- Israel – State of Israel
- Japan – Japan
- Jordan – Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
- Kazakhstan – Republic of Kazakhstan
- Kuwait – State of Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz Republic
- Laos – Laos People’s Democratic Republic
- Lebanon – Lebanese Republic
- Macau - Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
- Malaysia – Federation of Malaysia
- Maldives – Republic of Maldives
- Mongolia – Mongolia
- Myanmar – Republic of the Union of Myanmar
- Nepal – Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
- North Korea – Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Oman – Sultanate of Oman
- Pakistan – Islamic Republic of Pakistan
- Palestine – State of Palestine
- Philippines – Republic of the Philippines
- Qatar – State of Qatar
- Saudi Arabia – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Singapore – Republic of Singapore
- South Korea – Republic of Korea
- Sri Lanka – Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
- Syria – Syrian Arab Republic
- Taiwan - Republic of China
- Tajikistan – Republic of Tajikistan
- Thailand – Kingdom of Thailand
- Timor-Leste – Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
- Turkmenistan – Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates – United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan – Republic of Uzbekistan
- Vietnam – Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
- Yemen – Republic of Yemen
Official Names of Countries in Europe
The following are the common and official names of countries in Europe:
- Albania – Republic of Albania
- Andorra – Principality of Andorra
- Armenia – Republic of Armenia
- Austria – Republic of Austria
- Azerbaijan – Republic of Azerbaijan
- Belarus – Republic of Belarus
- Belgium – Kingdom of Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina – Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria – Republic of Bulgaria
- Croatia – Republic of Croatia
- Cyprus – Republic of Cyprus
- Czech Republic – Czech Republic
- Denmark – Kingdom of Denmark
- Estonia – Republic of Estonia
- Faroe Islands - Faroe Islands
- Finland – Republic of Finland
- France – French Republic
- Georgia – Republic of Georgia
- Germany – Federal Republic of Germany
- Greece – Hellenic Republic
- Holy See – Holy See
- Hungary – Hungary
- Iceland – Republic of Iceland
- Ireland – Republic of Ireland
- Italy – Italian Republic/Republic of Italy
- Latvia – Republic of Latvia
- Liechtenstein – Principality of Liechtenstein
- Lithuania – Republic of Lithuania
- Luxembourg – Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
- Malta – Republic of Malta
- Moldova – Republic of Moldova
- Monaco – Principality of Monaco
- Montenegro – People's Republic of Montenegro
- Netherlands – Kingdom of the Netherlands
- North Macedonia – Republic of North Macedonia
- Norway – Kingdom of Norway
- Poland – Republic of Poland
- Portugal – Portuguese Republic
- Romania – Romania
- Russia – Russian Federation
- San Marino – Republic of San Marino
- Serbia – Republic of Serbia
- Slovakia – Slovak Republic
- Slovenia – Republic of Slovenia
- Spain – Kingdom of Spain
- Sweden – Kingdom of Sweden
- Switzerland – Swiss Confederation
- Turkey – Republic of Turkey
- Ukraine – Ukraine
- United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Vatican City/Holy See - Vatican City State
Official Names of Countries in North America
The following are the common and official names of countries in North America:
- Antigua and Barbuda – Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas – Commonwealth of the Bahamas
- Barbados – Barbados
- Belize – Belize
- Bermuda – Bermuda
- Canada – Dominion of Canada
- Costa Rica – Republic of Costa Rica
- Cuba – Republic of Cuba
- Dominica – Commonwealth of Dominica
- Dominican Republic – Dominican Republic
- El Salvador – Republic of El Salvador
- Grenada – Grenada
- Guatemala – Republic of Guatemala
- Haiti – Republic of Haiti
- Honduras – Republic of Honduras
- Jamaica – Jamaica
- Mexico – United Mexican States
- Nicaragua – Republic of Nicaragua
- Panama – Republic of Panama
- St. Kitts and Nevis – Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia – Saint Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago – Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
- United States – United States of America
Official Names of Countries in Oceania
The following are the common and official names of countries in Oceania:
- American Samoa - American Samoa
- Australia – Commonwealth of Australia
- Cook Islands - Cook Islands
- Fiji – Republic of Fiji
- French Polynesia - French Polynesia (Polynésie française)
- Guam - Guam
- Kiribati – Republic of Kiribati
- Marshall Islands – Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Micronesia – Federated States of Micronesia
- Nauru – Republic of Nauru
- New Caledonia - New Caledonia (Nouvelle-Calédonie)
- New Zealand – New Zealand
- Niue - Niue
- Northern Mariana Islands - Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
- Palau – Republic of Palau
- Papua New Guinea – Independent State of Papua New Guinea
- Samoa – Independent State of Samoa
- Solomon Islands – Solomon Islands
- Tokelau - Tokelau (formerly Union Islands or Tokelau Islands)
- Tonga – Kingdom of Tonga
- Tuvalu – Tuvalu
- Vanuatu – Republic of Vanuatu
- Wallis and Futuna - Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
Official Names of Countries in South America
The following are the common and official names of countries in South America:
- Argentina – Argentine Republic
- Bolivia – Plurinational State of Bolivia
- Brazil – Federative Republic of Brazil
- Chile – Republic of Chile
- Colombia – Republic of Colombia
- Ecuador – Republic of Ecuador
- Guyana – Co-operative Republic of Guyana
- Paraguay – Republic of Paraguay
- Peru – Republic of Peru
- Suriname – Republic of Suriname
- Uruguay – Eastern Republic of Uruguay / Oriental Republic of Uruguay
- Venezuela – Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela