Origins Of Countries’ Names
Every country’s name derives from one of four sources. The vast majority of country names pay reference to the people who settled the land (Scotland and France, for instance) or to the physical qualities of the land itself (say Iceland or Greenland).
Then there are some countries named after their geographic placement on the globe. China fits this mold. Its name refers to its position on what the inhabitants considered Middle Earth.
Finally, there are countries whose names bespeak of their political structure, like the United States. More from Black Pigeon Speaks.
