Is South Africa the world's most appropriately named country?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Can't think of one with a more descriptive name.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Ever since Trump's been President, the wrong country has been named Turkey despite Erdogan's best efforts.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Iceland?

[JA]

I know the world's most inappropriately named country: Greenland (technically not a country, but whatever).

[Sestak]

Can't think of one with a more descriptive name.

Chad.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Can't think of one with a more descriptive name.

Chad.

Is that another name for Florida? 

Please reply and don't leave my bad joke hanging.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Can't think of one with a more descriptive name.

Chad.

Is that another name for Florida? 

Please reply and don't leave my bad joke hanging.

[dead0man]

My first thought was C.A.R., but it's not as "central" as S.Africa is "south", so that's right out.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Can't think of one with a more descriptive name.

What about Ecuador?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Iceland?

A rumor has been circulating for centuries that Iceland and Greenland had been mistaken for each other when they were given their names.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Iceland?

A rumor has been circulating for centuries that Iceland and Greenland had been mistaken for each other when they were given their names.

As I recall, Greenland got its deceptive name from Erik the Trump as part of a shady real estate deal.

[Donerail]

Micronesia is very small

[Tender Branson]

What about the Nether (nieder, lower) Lands (country) ?

[Mr. Smith]

Can't think of one with a more descriptive name.

Norway.

Literally the Way to the North

[The Free North]

What about the Nether (nieder, lower) Lands (country) ?

Some parts of the country are slightly elevated.


South Africa is accurate insofar as you don't think about it in a broader context. Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe are all part countries in Southern Africa per se and as such South African borders do not extend to all lands that could be considered Southern African.


Perhaps one of the more ethnically homogenous central asian 'stans' would be more appropriate?

[Dr. Arch]

Certainly not the United States.

[Xing]

Can't think of one with a more descriptive name.

What about Ecuador?

That's a good one, or Equatorial Guinea.

[Sirius_]

Can't think of one with a more descriptive name.

What about Ecuador?

That's a good one, or Equatorial Guinea.

Yeah but there's also two other "Guinea" countries so where is the real Guinea?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Can't think of one with a more descriptive name.

What about Ecuador?

That's a good one, or Equatorial Guinea.

Yeah but there's also two other "Guinea" countries so where is the real Guinea?

Where the guinea pigs live.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Australia, whose name is derived from Latin.

Those of you who weren't taught creationism in high school should have heard of Lucy, the most famous specimen of the genus Australopithecus. She didn't live in Australia, even though her name may insinuate it, she lived in East Africa about 3M years ago. The name of that genus is derived from he Latin word australis, meaning south, which has its origins in auster, the name for the heavily humid southers in ancient Rome.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Australia, whose name is derived from Latin.

Those of you who weren't taught creationism in high school should have heard of Lucy, the most famous specimen of the genus Australopithecus. She didn't live in Australia, even though her name may insinuate it, she lived in East Africa about 3M years ago. The name of that genus is derived from he Latin word australis, meaning south, which has its origins in auster, the name for the heavily humid southers in ancient Rome.

And yet Austria's "Österreich" means "Eastern realm", correct?   I suppose those two must have been from the same root word, but somehow came to represent different things in the German and Latin languages.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Australia, whose name is derived from Latin.

Those of you who weren't taught creationism in high school should have heard of Lucy, the most famous specimen of the genus Australopithecus. She didn't live in Australia, even though her name may insinuate it, she lived in East Africa about 3M years ago. The name of that genus is derived from he Latin word australis, meaning south, which has its origins in auster, the name for the heavily humid southers in ancient Rome.

And yet Austria's "Österreich" means "Eastern realm", correct?   I suppose those two must have been from the same root word, but somehow came to represent different things in the German and Latin languages.

According to this German Wikipedia article, the similarity between those two names is sheer coincidence.
The Austrian name is derived from the Proto-Germanic *austar- and means, as pointed out by you, "eastern".
That stem can also be found in other geographic names: The eastern part of the Frankish Empire, for instance, was named Austrasia. Furthermore, in the Old Icelandic mythology, the dwarf of the East was called Austri.
It's actually pretty interesting that two similar sounding names are derived from two different cardinal points.

[Kingpoleon]

Can't think of one with a more descriptive name.

What about Ecuador?

That's a good one, or Equatorial Guinea.

Yeah but there's also two other "Guinea" countries so where is the real Guinea?

Where the guinea pigs live.

Oh, so Ecuador is the real guinea.

[Dr. Arch]

Can't think of one with a more descriptive name.

What about Ecuador?

That's a good one, or Equatorial Guinea.

Yeah but there's also two other "Guinea" countries so where is the real Guinea?

Three others:

Guinea-Bissau, Papua New Guinea, and Guinea.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Australia, whose name is derived from Latin.

Those of you who weren't taught creationism in high school should have heard of Lucy, the most famous specimen of the genus Australopithecus. She didn't live in Australia, even though her name may insinuate it, she lived in East Africa about 3M years ago. The name of that genus is derived from he Latin word australis, meaning south, which has its origins in auster, the name for the heavily humid southers in ancient Rome.

And yet Austria's "Österreich" means "Eastern realm", correct?   I suppose those two must have been from the same root word, but somehow came to represent different things in the German and Latin languages.

According to this German Wikipedia article, the similarity between those two names is sheer coincidence.
The Austrian name is derived from the Proto-Germanic *austar- and means, as pointed out by you, "eastern".
That stem can also be found in other geographic names: The eastern part of the Frankish Empire, for instance, was named Austrasia. Furthermore, in the Old Icelandic mythology, the dwarf of the East was called Austri.
It's actually pretty interesting that two similar sounding names are derived from two different cardinal points.

I suspect perhaps it's not sheer coincidence, but that the connection is lost to time. Maybe something to do with star/stella/astro, since stars are used to tell direction?