An Incredible World Map That Plots the Literal Translation of Every Country Name In the World

The Literal Translation of Country Names is a remarkably researched map created by Neomam for their client Credit Card Compare, which plots the etymological origins of every country name in the world. Drawing from sources such as The CIA Factbook and Oxford University Press, the map offers insight into the spirit behind each name.

Europe has a long history of exploration, and many of the country names reflect the lands and those who explored them. …Africa is known as the cradle of civilisation – the place where all human life stems from. Its country names reveal a history of indigenous cultures and colonisation. … Asia …rich diversity of culture and history is reflected in its country names. …North American country names tell a story of European colonisation. …South America has some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. It’s also home to the world’s largest river: the Amazon. …Oceania may be the smallest continent, but its diverse landscapes – from tropical rainforest to volcanoes to grasslands – have fascinated people for centuries.

We live in a time of air travel and global exploration. We’re free to roam the planet and discover new countries and cultures. But how much do you know about the people who lived and explored these destinations in times past?

Learning the etymology – the origin of words – of countries around the world offers us fascinating insight into the origins of some of our favorite travel destinations and the people who first lived there.

Europe

Europe has a long history of exploration, and many of the country names reflect the lands and those who explored them. France takes its name from a coalition of Germanic tribes, the Franks. The name Frank comes from the Old German word franka, meaning ‘fierce’, making France the Land of the Fierce. Some even map the trails that people used to use to discover their world. Norway simply means ‘The Way North’, or ‘The Northern Way’, making reference to an old Viking route.

 

Portugal = Port of Cale

Norway = Northern Way

Iceland = Ice Land

Romania = People from Rome

Poland = People of the Fields

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Africa

Africa is known as the cradle of civilisation – the place where all human life stems from. Its country names reveal a history of indigenous cultures and colonisation. For example, Malawi means ‘Land of Flames,’ which is thought to reflect the local habit of burning off dead grass to prepare the land for cultivation.

The continent has had its fair share of explorers land on its shores. Portuguese explorer Fernando Poo travelled along the river Wouri in 1472, finding an abundance of shrimp along the way. He discovered and named Rio dos Camarões ‘River of Prawns,’ but it’s now known as Cameroon.

 

Congo = Kingdom of Mountains

Niger = River of Rivers

Nigeria = Land pf the Niger River

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See the other parts of the World here!

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