Longest Country Name in the World: Top 12 Countries by Letter Count

Country names can be surprisingly fascinating. Some are short and instantly recognizable, while others become much longer when their official constitutional titles are written in full. The Longest Country Name in the World depends on whether you count the everyday country name or its formal state name, so understanding that distinction is essential when comparing countries by letter count.

In this guide, we explore the Longest Country Name in the World, compare long country names across continents, and explain why governments use extended official titles. The United Nations distinguishes between short country names used in ordinary contexts and formal names generally used in legal or diplomatic documents.

What Is the Longest Country Name?

The Longest Country Name in the World is generally identified as the United Kingdom when its complete official English name is counted.
Its formal title is United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which contains 45 letters when spaces are excluded.
The length comes from geographical, historical, and constitutional wording rather than from the country’s everyday name.

Country Name	Meaning
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	A kingdom comprising Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Named for Saint Vincent and the Grenadine island group.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Combines the names Bosnia and Herzegovina, historic regions of the Balkans.
Sao Tome and Principe	Named for Saint Thomas and the island of Príncipe.
Democratic Republic of the Congo	A democratic republic associated with the Congo region.
Central African Republic	A republic situated in the central part of Africa.
United Arab Emirates	A federation of seven Arab emirates.
Dominican Republic	A republic occupying the eastern part of Hispaniola.
Equatorial Guinea	A country located near the equatorial region of Africa.
Papua New Guinea	Named after Papua and the island of New Guinea.
Solomon Islands	Named after the biblical King Solomon.
Trinidad and Tobago	Named after the islands of Trinidad and Tobago.
Antigua and Barbuda	Named for the Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda.
North Macedonia	A country in the northern part of the historical region of Macedonia.
Timor-Leste	Means “East Timor,” referring to the eastern part of Timor.
Burkina Faso	Commonly interpreted as “land of upright/incorruptible people.”
Côte d’Ivoire	French for “Ivory Coast.”
Sierra Leone	Spanish-derived name meaning “Lion Mountains.”
South Africa	Refers to the country’s position at the southern end of Africa.
United States of America	A union of states located in North America.

Top 10 Countries With the Longest Names

The Longest Country Name in the World becomes clearer when formal English names are compared consistently.
Several countries have lengthy names because words such as Republic, Kingdom, United, and regional descriptions are included.
The table below highlights notable long-form country names rather than treating every country name as a personal-name style meaning.

Country Name	Meaning
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	Describes the United Kingdom and its constituent geographical territories.
Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe	A democratic republic comprising the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Democratic Republic of the Congo	A democratic state associated with the Congo River and region.
Central African Republic	A republic located in central Africa.
United Arab Emirates	A union of seven Arab emirates.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Refers to Saint Vincent and its neighboring Grenadine islands.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	A compound name formed from two historical Balkan regions.
Dominican Republic	The republic on the eastern side of Hispaniola.
United States of America	A federation of states in North America.
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	The official English name of North Korea, describing its political state.

United Kingdom’s Full Official Name

The Longest Country Name in the World is most often associated with the United Kingdom’s complete official English title.
The official name is United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, while “United Kingdom” is the short form used in ordinary communication.
The extended name identifies both Great Britain and Northern Ireland and distinguishes the state from the geographical island of Great Britain.

Country Name	Meaning
United Kingdom	A kingdom formed by constituent nations within one sovereign state.
Great Britain	The large island containing England, Scotland, and Wales.
Northern Ireland	The part of Ireland that forms part of the United Kingdom.
England	Name traditionally connected with the land of the Angles.
Scotland	Derived from the Latin Scoti, associated with the Scots.
Wales	English name historically connected with a term for foreign or non-Germanic people.
Scotland and England	Two historic nations forming part of Great Britain.
England and Wales	Two constituent nations sharing the legal jurisdiction of England and Wales.
Great Britain and Northern Ireland	The geographical components referenced in the UK’s formal state name.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	The UK’s complete formal English state designation.

Countries With the Longest Official Names

The Longest Country Name in the World is not necessarily the country with the longest everyday name.
Formal names often contain constitutional descriptions such as “Republic,” “Kingdom,” “State,” “Federation,” or “People’s Republic.”
The United Nations specifically maintains both short and formal country names because they serve different diplomatic and legal purposes.

Official Country Name	Meaning
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	Formal designation of the United Kingdom.
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	Formal name of North Korea.
Lao People’s Democratic Republic	A democratic republic of the Lao people.
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Formal state name of the Congo.
Central African Republic	Formal name describing a republic in central Africa.
United Republic of Tanzania	A union-based republic in East Africa.
United Arab Emirates	Federation of seven emirates.
Republic of the Philippines	A republic comprising the Philippine archipelago.
Republic of South Africa	A republic situated in southern Africa.
Islamic Republic of Pakistan	A republic whose constitutional name identifies its Islamic character.
Islamic Republic of Iran	Formal state name of Iran.
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan	The former formal English state designation of Afghanistan; current diplomatic usage may differ.
Republic of Korea	Formal name of South Korea.
Republic of the Marshall Islands	A republic formed from the Marshall Islands.
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago	Formal name of the Caribbean island republic.
Republic of the Congo	A republic named for the Congo region.
Republic of Equatorial Guinea	A republic located in equatorial Africa.
Republic of North Macedonia	Formal state name of North Macedonia.
Republic of San Marino	A republic centered on the historic state of San Marino.
Federative Republic of Brazil	Brazil’s formal constitutional state name.

Longest Country Names by Letter Count

Counting letters gives a useful way to investigate the Longest Country Name in the World, but the result changes depending on whether spaces, punctuation, articles, and formal titles are included.
For fair comparison, letter counts normally exclude spaces and punctuation and should specify whether common or formal names are being measured.
This section divides long names geographically so readers can see how naming traditions vary around the world.

Country Name	Meaning
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	Formal name describing the United Kingdom’s territorial components.
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	Formal English name of North Korea.
Lao People’s Democratic Republic	Formal name of Laos.
United Arab Emirates	Federation of Arab emirates.
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Democratic republic named for the Congo region.
Central African Republic	Republic located in central Africa.
United Republic of Tanzania	Union republic formed from Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Compound geographical name of a Balkan state.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Caribbean country named for Saint Vincent and the Grenadine islands.
São Tomé and Príncipe	Island country named for Saint Thomas and Príncipe.
Dominican Republic	Caribbean republic on Hispaniola.
Equatorial Guinea	Country associated with the equatorial region of Africa.
United States of America	Federal union of American states.
Antigua and Barbuda	Caribbean country named for two islands.
Papua New Guinea	Country occupying the eastern half of New Guinea and nearby islands.
Trinidad and Tobago	Caribbean nation named for its two principal islands.
North Macedonia	State in the northern part of the Macedonia region.
Solomon Islands	Pacific island country named after the biblical King Solomon.
Timor-Leste	Portuguese name meaning East Timor.
Côte d’Ivoire	French expression meaning Ivory Coast.

Longest Names in Europe

European countries provide several examples of long names, particularly where geographical regions or multiple historic territories are included.
The Longest Country Name in the World is European when the United Kingdom’s full official English title is used.
Other European examples demonstrate how historical identities remain visible in modern state names.

Country Name	Meaning
United Kingdom	United sovereign kingdom of its constituent nations.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Name combining two historic Balkan regions.
North Macedonia	Refers to the northern part of the Macedonia region.
Czech Republic	Traditional English formal name meaning a republic of the Czech lands.
Slovak Republic	Formal designation meaning the republic of Slovakia.
Republic of Albania	Republic associated with Albania.
Republic of Austria	Republic associated with Austria.
Republic of Belarus	Republic associated with Belarus.
Republic of Bulgaria	Republic associated with Bulgaria.
Republic of Croatia	Republic associated with Croatia.
Republic of Estonia	Republic associated with Estonia.
Republic of Finland	Republic associated with Finland.
Hellenic Republic	Formal name of Greece; “Hellenic” refers to Greek identity.
Republic of Hungary	Republic associated with Hungary.
Republic of Iceland	Republic associated with Iceland.
Republic of Latvia	Republic associated with Latvia.
Republic of Lithuania	Republic associated with Lithuania.
Republic of Malta	Republic associated with Malta.
Republic of Moldova	Republic associated with Moldova.
Republic of Poland	Republic associated with Poland.
Portuguese Republic	Formal name of Portugal.
Romania	Name traditionally connected to Roman heritage.
Kingdom of Belgium	Kingdom associated with Belgium.
Kingdom of Denmark	Kingdom associated with Denmark.
Kingdom of Norway	Kingdom associated with Norway.
Kingdom of Sweden	Kingdom associated with Sweden.
Kingdom of the Netherlands	Kingdom encompassing the Netherlands and its constituent countries.
Principality of Andorra	Sovereign principality in the Pyrenees.
Republic of San Marino	Historic European republic centered on San Marino.
Vatican City State	Sovereign city-state surrounding the Vatican.

Longest Names in Asia

Asian country names reflect ancient civilizations, political systems, geography, and constitutional traditions.
Several formal titles contain words such as Republic, Islamic Republic, People’s Republic, or Democratic Republic.
These extended forms help explain why the Longest Country Name in the World is different from the longest commonly spoken country name.

Country Name	Meaning
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	Formal name of North Korea.
Lao People’s Democratic Republic	Formal name of Laos.
United Arab Emirates	Federation of seven Arab emirates.
Islamic Republic of Pakistan	Formal constitutional name of Pakistan.
Islamic Republic of Iran	Formal state name of Iran.
Republic of the Philippines	Formal name of the Philippines.
Republic of Korea	Formal name of South Korea.
People’s Republic of China	Formal state name of China.
State of Palestine	Formal designation referring to Palestine as a state.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia	Kingdom named for the House of Saud.
Sultanate of Oman	Sultanate whose name refers to Oman.
State of Kuwait	Formal state name of Kuwait.
State of Qatar	Formal state name of Qatar.
Kingdom of Bahrain	Kingdom associated with Bahrain.
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan	Jordanian kingdom associated with the Hashemite dynasty.
Republic of Azerbaijan	Republic associated with Azerbaijan.
Republic of Armenia	Republic associated with Armenia.
Republic of Kazakhstan	Republic associated with Kazakhstan.
Republic of Uzbekistan	Republic associated with Uzbekistan.
Republic of Tajikistan	Republic associated with Tajikistan.
Republic of Turkmenistan	Republic associated with Turkmenistan.
Kyrgyz Republic	Formal English state designation of Kyrgyzstan.
Republic of India	Formal state designation of India.
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka	Formal state name describing Sri Lanka’s political system.
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal	Nepal’s formal federal democratic state designation.
Republic of Maldives	Republic associated with the Maldives archipelago.
People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria	Formal name associated with Algeria’s republican system.
Brunei Darussalam	Malay-Arabic expression commonly interpreted as “Brunei, Abode of Peace.”
Timor-Leste	Portuguese for “East Timor.”
Kingdom of Thailand	Kingdom whose modern name means “land of the free.”

Longest Names in Africa

African country names often preserve linguistic, colonial, geographic, and political influences.
The Longest Country Name in the World may be a European example, but Africa contains many notably lengthy formal and common names.
Countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic illustrate how geographic descriptions become part of national identity.

Country Name	Meaning
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Democratic republic named for the Congo region.
Central African Republic	Republic in central Africa.
United Republic of Tanzania	Union republic formed from Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
Equatorial Guinea	Country associated with the equatorial region.
South Africa	Country at Africa’s southern end.
Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe	Democratic island republic of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Republic of Côte d’Ivoire	Republic whose name means Ivory Coast in French.
Republic of Equatorial Guinea	Formal republican designation of Equatorial Guinea.
Republic of the Congo	Republic associated with the Congo region.
Federal Republic of Somalia	Federal republic in the Horn of Africa.
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia	Ethiopia’s formal federal democratic designation.
Republic of South Sudan	Republic of the southern portion of Sudan’s former territory.
Republic of Sudan	Republic associated with Sudan.
Republic of Cameroon	Republic associated with Cameroon.
Republic of Chad	Republic associated with Chad.
Republic of Ghana	Republic associated with Ghana.
Republic of Kenya	Republic associated with Kenya.
Republic of Madagascar	Republic associated with Madagascar.
Republic of Mauritius	Republic associated with Mauritius.
Republic of Namibia	Republic associated with Namibia.
Republic of Rwanda	Republic associated with Rwanda.
Republic of Senegal	Republic associated with Senegal.
Republic of Seychelles	Republic associated with the Seychelles islands.
Republic of Sierra Leone	Republic named for the “Lion Mountains.”
Republic of Togo	Republic associated with Togo.
Republic of Tunisia	Republic associated with Tunisia.
Kingdom of Eswatini	Kingdom of Eswatini; the name is associated with the Swazi people.
People’s Republic of Angola	Formal republican designation associated with Angola.
People’s Republic of Mozambique	Historical formal designation of Mozambique.
Republic of Botswana	Republic associated with Botswana and the Tswana people.

Longest Names in the Americas

The Americas include countries whose names reflect Indigenous languages, European languages, colonial history, geography, and political structures.
Several have extended names containing words such as Republic, United States, or Federation.
Together, they show why the Longest Country Name in the World should be compared using one consistent naming standard.

Country Name	Meaning
United States of America	Federation of states in North America.
Dominican Republic	Republic occupying eastern Hispaniola.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Caribbean country named for Saint Vincent and the Grenadine islands.
Antigua and Barbuda	Caribbean state named for two islands.
Trinidad and Tobago	Country named for its two main islands.
United Mexican States	Mexico’s formal constitutional English name.
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela	Formal name honoring Simón Bolívar.
Plurinational State of Bolivia	Formal name emphasizing Bolivia’s multinational character.
Argentine Republic	Formal name of Argentina.
Federative Republic of Brazil	Formal constitutional name of Brazil.
Republic of Costa Rica	Republic whose name means “Rich Coast.”
Republic of Cuba	Republic associated with Cuba.
Republic of Ecuador	Republic associated with the equator.
Republic of El Salvador	Republic whose name means “The Savior.”
Republic of Guatemala	Republic associated with Guatemala.
Republic of Haiti	Republic associated with Haiti; the name derives from Indigenous Taíno language.
Republic of Honduras	Republic associated with Honduras.
Republic of Nicaragua	Republic associated with Nicaragua.
Republic of Panama	Republic associated with Panama.
Republic of Paraguay	Republic associated with Paraguay, a name with Indigenous-language roots.
Republic of Peru	Republic associated with Peru.
Republic of Suriname	Republic associated with Suriname and its Indigenous name origins.
Oriental Republic of Uruguay	Formal name referring to Uruguay’s eastern position on the Uruguay River.
United States of America	Federal union of states in North America.
Commonwealth of The Bahamas	Commonwealth state formed by the Bahamian islands.
Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis	Federation comprising two Caribbean islands.
Saint Lucia	Named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse.
Grenada	Island country’s name is associated with Granada in Spain.
Jamaica	Name derived from the Indigenous Taíno name Xaymaca.
Barbados	Name traditionally linked to Portuguese/Spanish descriptions of bearded fig trees.

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Why Do Some Countries Have Long Names?

The Longest Country Name in the World illustrates how a country’s name can preserve centuries of political and geographical history.
Long names often develop when states unite territories, describe constitutional systems, or distinguish themselves from similarly named regions.
Words such as kingdom, republic, federative, and democratic can therefore make official names considerably longer.

Country Name	Meaning
United Kingdom	A union of constituent nations under one sovereign kingdom.
United Arab Emirates	A union of seven emirates.
United Republic of Tanzania	A union-based republic.
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Political description combined with the Congo region.
Central African Republic	Geographic description combined with republican government.
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	Political description emphasizing a people’s democratic republic.
Lao People’s Democratic Republic	Political description emphasizing the Lao people’s republic.
Federative Republic of Brazil	Describes Brazil as a federative republic.
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia	Describes Ethiopia’s federal democratic structure.
Plurinational State of Bolivia	Highlights the country’s multiple national identities.
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela	Honors Simón Bolívar.
Islamic Republic of Pakistan	Constitutional name describing Pakistan’s Islamic identity.
Islamic Republic of Iran	Constitutional name describing Iran’s Islamic republic.
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan	Identifies Jordan’s Hashemite royal dynasty.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia	Identifies the Saudi kingdom.
Kingdom of the Netherlands	Identifies the Dutch kingdom and its constituent countries.
Republic of South Africa	Republican designation combined with geographical position.
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago	Republican designation combined with two island names.
Commonwealth of The Bahamas	Commonwealth designation combined with the island group.
United Mexican States	Formal federal name of Mexico.

Official Names vs Common Country Names

The Longest Country Name in the World is a useful example of why common and official names should never be mixed in the same ranking without explanation.
The United Nations notes that short forms are generally used in everyday UN operations, while formal names are typically used in legal texts such as treaties.
Consequently, a country can have a very short everyday name and a much longer formal designation.

Common Name	Meaning
United Kingdom	Short form of the United Kingdom’s formal name.
Korea	Historical regional name used in various contexts for the Korean Peninsula.
Laos	Common English name for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
Congo	Common name that can refer to either of two Congo states depending on context.
Tanzania	Common name for the United Republic of Tanzania.
Brazil	Common name for the Federative Republic of Brazil.
Bolivia	Common name for the Plurinational State of Bolivia.
Venezuela	Common name for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Pakistan	Common name for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Iran	Common name for the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Jordan	Common name for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Saudi Arabia	Common name for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Netherlands	Short form commonly used for the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Bahamas	Common short form for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
Mexico	Common short form for the United Mexican States.
South Africa	Common short form of the Republic of South Africa.
Ethiopia	Common short form of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
India	Common short form of the Republic of India.
Philippines	Common short form of the Republic of the Philippines.
South Korea	Common English name for the Republic of Korea.

Longest Country Name in 2026

In 2026, the Longest Country Name in the World remains the United Kingdom’s full English formal name when spaces are excluded from the letter count.
However, country-name lists can change, so rankings should always be checked against current diplomatic terminology rather than relying on older lists.
For example, Nauru officially changed its name to Republic of Naoero in August 2026, demonstrating that country-name rankings can evolve.

Country Name	Meaning
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	Formal English name of the United Kingdom.
Republic of Naoero	New official name adopted by Nauru in 2026, reflecting its traditional local name.
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	Formal English name of North Korea.
Lao People’s Democratic Republic	Formal English name of Laos.
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Formal name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
United Arab Emirates	Federation of seven emirates.
Central African Republic	Republic located in central Africa.
United Republic of Tanzania	Formal name of Tanzania.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Caribbean state named for its islands.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Name combining two historic Balkan regions.
Dominican Republic	Republic occupying eastern Hispaniola.
São Tomé and Príncipe	Island state named for São Tomé and Príncipe.
United States of America	Federal union of American states.
Antigua and Barbuda	Caribbean country named for two islands.
Trinidad and Tobago	Caribbean state named for two principal islands.
Papua New Guinea	Country named for Papua and New Guinea.
Solomon Islands	Pacific island country named after King Solomon.
Equatorial Guinea	Country associated with the equatorial region of Africa.
North Macedonia	Country in the northern part of the Macedonia region.
Timor-Leste	Portuguese name meaning East Timor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Longest Country Name in the World?

The Longest Country Name in the World is generally considered the United Kingdom’s full official English name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It contains 45 letters when spaces are removed. The everyday name “United Kingdom” is much shorter.

Which country has the longest official name?

The United Kingdom has one of the longest formal country names in English: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Its length comes from the inclusion of both Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the constitutional state designation.

Is the longest country name the same as the longest common name?

No. The Longest Country Name in the World depends on the naming standard used. A common name may be short, while the formal name can include terms such as Republic, Kingdom, Federation, or geographical descriptions.

Why are official country names longer?

Official names often describe a country’s political structure, territory, historical union, or constitutional identity. For example, “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” identifies the territories represented in the formal state name.

Has the longest country name changed in 2026?

The leading answer remains the United Kingdom when full English formal names are compared. However, country names can change over time. In August 2026, Nauru officially adopted Republic of Naoero, showing why current sources matter when checking country-name lists. (AP News)

Conclusion

The Longest Country Name in the World is best understood by separating everyday country names from formal state titles. The United Kingdom’s complete designation, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, stands out because it combines political and geographical terminology into one unusually long official name. Other countries also have extended titles that reflect government systems, historic unions, geography, and national identity.

Exploring the Longest Country Name in the World also reveals that country names are more than labels on a map. They can preserve history, describe political structures, and express cultural identity. Because official terminology can change, checking authoritative sources such as the United Nations is important when creating an up-to-date country-name ranking.