10 Countries That Rename Themselves Before India

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - India, one of the biggest countries in the world, announced last year that it will change its name to Bharat, a Sanskrit term found in old Hindu scriptures.

Citing Economic Times, the decision to rename the country was taken to erase any trace of Britain's history of colonialism in India. The decision was also intended to honor India's long history and cultural heritage. However, criticism arose as many believed renaming the country would not resolve bigger problems, such as religious tension and casteism.

International communities' reactions to this change varied, with some welcoming the decision while others believe there are bigger issues to tackle. 

Despite being considered a monumental move from India, this was hardly the first time a country changed its name. Below is the list of ten other countries that have changed their names throughout history:

1. Myanmar - Burma

In 1989, the military government of Myanmar officially changed its name from Burma to Myanmar. The decision was taken to reflect the ethnical diversity of the country, although it remains a contested issue within Myanmar. Most of the international communities refer to the country as Myanmar, including ASEAN. 

2. Zimbabwe - Rhodesia

Formerly Rhodesia, the country gained independence in 1980 and changed its name to Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was a self-governing entity and a de facto successor state to the British colony, established following the rapid decolonization of Africa in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

3. Sri Lanka - Ceylon

After gaining full independence from Britain, the island country changed its name from Ceylon to Sri Lanka in 1972. Sri Lanka is located in South Asia.

4. Benin - Dahomey

The West African country Benin changed its name from Dahomey in 1975 following a military coup.

5. Kazakhstan - Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic changed its name to Kazakhstan.

6. Eswatini - Swaziland

In 2018, Swaziland renamed the country into Eswatini to honor its culture and national identity.

7. Ivory Coast - Côte d'Ivoire

This country has always been known by its French term Côte d'Ivoire. However, in 1985, its running government announced a change to its official name to its English term Ivory Coast.

8. North Macedonia - Macedonia

In February 2019, North Macedonia changed its name from Macedonia, resolving a decades-long dispute with Greece over its name.

9. Czech Republic - Czechoslovakia 

After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1992, the government adopted the name of the Czech Republic. Another term for the Czech Republic is Czechia, although it is not as widely popular as its long-name equivalent.

10. Timor Leste - Timor Timur

Gaining independence from Indonesia in 1999 through a referendum, Timor Timur changed its name to Timor Leste. 

ANGELINA TIARA PUSPITALOVA

Editor's Choice: Histories of the 11 Currencies of ASEAN Countries

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