Country and territory names: more information
Updated 6 June 2018
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More information about some of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s approved names for countries and territories, and guidance on when to use them.
1. Akrotiri and Dhekelia
These territories don’t have ISO codes or citizen names because of their special statuses as Sovereign Base Areas.
2. British Antarctic Territory
This territory is made up of all land, islands and ice shelves south of latitude 60°S between longitude 20°W and 80°W. It has no indigenous or permanent resident population.
3. British Indian Ocean Territory
This territory is made up of the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia. It has no permanent resident population.
4. British Virgin Islands
Don’t use ‘Virgin Islands’ when describing the British Virgin Islands - these can be confused with the United States Virgin Islands.
5. Burma
It’s the UK government’s policy to use ‘Burma’ instead of ‘Myanmar’.
The former military regime changed the name of the country to Myanmar in 1989. It’s known as ‘Burma’ by the country’s democracy movement, who don’t believe the military had the right to change the name of the country. Both names are used internationally.
6. Czechia
The short-form name ”Czechia” should only be used in informal contexts. The formal name “the Czech Republic” remains unchanged and is to be preserved in all formal contexts.
7. Macedonia
This name is used by the country itself. The UK also uses this name for bilateral purposes.
The United Nations is temporarily referring to Macedonia as ‘The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’. This name is also used by the UK for multilateral purposes.
8. Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
These can informally be called the ‘Pitcairn Islands’.
9. Saudi Arabia
This can informally be called ‘Saudi’. Otherwise, you should only ever use ‘Saudi’ when referring to the country’s citizens.
10. St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
This territory is made up of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, as well as Gough Island and the Nightingale Islands. Ascension has no indigenous population.
11. South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
This territory has no indigenous or permanent resident population.
12. United Arab Emirates
This country is made up of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al Qaiwain, Ajman, Ras al Khaimah and Fujairah.
13. United States
Don’t use ‘America’ or ‘American’ when describing the country or its citizens, unless it’s clear from the context that you’re referring to the United States.
14. Vatican City
‘The Holy See’ should be used for most practical day-to-day, diplomatic or official government uses. Use ‘Vatican City State’ when you need to refer to the geographical territory.