Foods Named After Places (and Whether They’re Really From There)

Macedonia added "North" to its name to appease Greece which has a region called Macedonia aiding NATO and EU ties.

After Mobutu’s fall Zaire reverted to Democratic Republic of the Congo to erase his legacy and restore its pre-1971 name.

The Czech Republic introduced Czechia for branding in sports and commerce though both names remain official.

The junta renamed Burma to Myanmar to reflect the majority Bamar ethnicity though the change remains controversial.

Thailand meaning "land of the free" was adopted to emphasize national pride and independence amid colonial pressures.

Reza Shah requested Iran meaning "land of the Aryans" to modernize and use the name locals had long used internally.

King Mswati III renamed Swaziland to Eswatini meaning "land of the Swazis" to mark 50 years of independence and avoid confusion with Switzerland.

East Pakistan declared independence after a war choosing Bangladesh to reflect its Bengali culture and sovereignty.

Turkey became Türkiye to emphasize its Turkish pronunciation and cultural identity distancing from the English word for a bird.

Sri Lanka formerly Ceylon under British rule adopted its Sinhalese name meaning "resplendent land" to reflect independence.