Former country names quiz

Whether through gaining independence or at the whim of a ruling junta, some countries choose to change their names. But can you remember what present day countries used to be called? Take this quiz to find out…

Former country names quiz

Whether through gaining independence or at the whim of a ruling junta, some countries choose to change their names. But can you remember what present day countries used to be called? Take this quiz to find out…

1 / 10

Which newly independent African nation changed its name from Nyasaland in 1964?

Botswana

Malawi

Namibia

Zambia

2 / 10

Which African country was formerly known as Upper Volta?

Cote d’Ivoire

Eswatini

South Sudan

Burkina Faso

3 / 10

Which present-day country was a former British Protectorate, then called the Trucial States?

Malaysia

Belize

The United Arab Emirates

Tanzania

4 / 10

One African nation changed its name to Eswatini in 2018. What was it formerly known as?

Swaziland

Burundi

Comoros

Lesotho

5 / 10

Which South-East Asian country used to be known as Siam?

Cambodia

Laos

Thailand

Myanmar

6 / 10

Which African country used to be called Dahomey?

Niger

Guinea-Bissau

Benin

Gabon

7 / 10

Which country was formerly known as British Honduras?

Belize

Cayman Islands

St Kitts and Nevis

Guatemala

8 / 10

Which African country was formerly known as Zaire?

Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Zambia

Rwanda

9 / 10

Which country was formerly known as the Ellice Islands?

Samoa

Tuvalu

Federated States of Micronesia

Palau

10 / 10

Which country was formerly known as the New Hebrides?

Solomon Islands

Fiji

Marshall Islands

Vanuatu

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Find out more about the world

If a little travel trivia has inspired you to go shopping, you might be interested in the following…

• The Times Desktop Atlas of the World – because losing yourself in maps is one of life’s great pleasures.
• DK Children’s Illustrated Atlas – pass the love of geography on to your kids.
• A flags and capitals placemat – I unashamedly use this to indoctrinate my children at the dinner table.
• Lonely Planet’s Wonders of the World – get yourself excited about where to go next.
• The Atlas of Unusual Borders – absolutely fascinating geographic geekery.