Can You Guess the Correct Spelling of These Countries?

Allison Lips

Image: Piskunov/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

It's hard to get a straight answer as to how many countries there are in the world. According to the United Nations, there are currently 193 UN members and two UN Observer States for a total of 195 countries. However, Taiwan, Western Sahara, Kosovo, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and Northern Cyprus are not recognized by the United Nations, but are recognized by one to over 100 countries. 

With all the wars, secessionist activities, peaceful dissolution of countries, and any other activity that may result in a new country's birth, the map may not look like it did the last time you studied geography. If you were born after the fall of the Soviet Union or the split of Yugoslavia, the map you studied had countries that didn't exist when your parents were in school and your kids will probably study a different map. 

On top of the sheer volume of countries, many countries have multiple recognized names and former names. Other countries have names that have a special meaning to their citizens and have spellings that may make sense in the native languages, but are not intuitive for native English speakers. 

Do you know how to spell every country from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe? Challenge yourself with this quiz! 

How do you spell the landlocked country in Central Europe that is located between Switzerland and Austria?

As stated in the Constitution of Liechtenstein, the national church of Liechtenstein is the Roman Catholic church. However, as of December 20, 2012, any citizen over the age of 14 can choose their own religion.

What is the proper spelling of the country that has Moscow as its capital?

Russia spans 11 time zones. It also occupies one-tenth of Earth's land. A small part of Russia is in Europe, while the rest of the land is in Asia.

What is the correct spelling of the long thin country on South America's west coast?

Chile is 2,700 miles long. It's average width is 110 miles. At its widest, the country is 217 miles across.

How do you properly spell the Southeast Asian country that has been occupied by Japan and The United States?

The Philippines consists of at least 7,100 islands. The country's capital is Manila. Its most populous city is Quezon City.

Which spelling is correct for the country that gave us the first Olympics?

Olympia was the site of the first Olympics in 776 BC. Events at the first Olympics included the pentathlon, discus throw, wrestling, boxing, and various equestrian events.

What is the correct spelling of the country that the Andes mountains separate from Chile?

Argentina's name comes from the word "argentum," which is Latin for silver. The country's name has its origin in a story about Juan Diaz de Solis and his crew finding indigenous people who gave them silver objects as presents.

Which spelling is correct for the country that borders Brazil, Argentina, and the Atlantic Ocean?

Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America. It has a population of over 3.4 million people.

What is the correct spelling of the country Borat is from?

Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan. It was formely called Tselinograd.

How do you properly spell the Central American country that has the nickname "The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes?"

Nicaragua's capital is Managua. Over 1.5 million people live in the city.

What is the correct spelling for the country that is also a continent?

The Australian Outback covers over 2.5 million square miles of the island continent. Even though the country is home to more than 23 million people, less than five percent of the population lives in the Outback.

What is the proper spelling for the European landlocked country that is 998 square miles?

Luxembourg is the only Grand Duchy in the world. It is also the fifth-wealthiest country.

How do you correctly spell the nation that dissolved in the early 1990s?

Yugoslavia existed from 1918 to 1992. In 1992, it broke up into Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.

What is the correct spelling of the Central Asian country with Bishkek as its capital?

From 1862 to 1926, Bishkek was known as Pishpek. It was renamed Frunze from 1925 to 1991 before the capital of Kyrgyzstan was given its current name.

Which spelling is correct for the country with Sarajevo as its capital?

Bosnia is the central and northern parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The southern and southwestern parts are Herzegovina.

What is the current proper spelling for the African country that has Kigali as its capital?

The official language of Rwanda is Kinyarwanda. The country's name means "domain" in Kinyarwanda.

How do you spell the name of the country that has its capital on a plateau in the northern Andes Mountains?

Colombia's capital is Bogata. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean, Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador.

What is the correct spelling of the country that gained independence from France in 1962?

Algeria is the largest country in Africa. It is also the tenth largest in the world.

What is the proper spelling of the country formerly known as Belorussia?

Since July 20, 1994, Alexander Lukashenko has been president of Belarus. He is the first and only person to hold the office so far.

Which spelling is correct for a former Soviet Republic?

Following the collapse of the Russian Empire, Azerbaijan was independent from 1918 to 1920. The country joined the Soviet Union in 1920 and was a part of it until 1991.

How do you spell one half of the former Czechoslovakia?

The Czech Republic is also called Czechia, which was informally adopted in 2016. The historical provinces of Bohemia, Moravia, and the southern tip of Silesia comprise the Czech Republic.

What is the correct English spelling of the country called Magyarország in its native language?

After World War I, Hungary lost 71 percent of its territory. The agreement is called the Treaty of Trianon because it was signed at Trianon Palace in Versailles, France.

How do you properly spell the country between Iraq and Saudi Arabia?

The Sabah dynasty has ruled Kuwait since 1756. The country was a British protectorate from 1899 to 1961.

What is the proper spelling for an island country located off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean?

On March 12, 1968, Mauritius gained its independence form the United Kingdom. The country became a republic on March 12, 1992.

Which spelling is correct for the country that has a capital called Victoria?

Seychelles' capital is located on Mahe. Victoria has a population of over 25,000 people.

What spelling is correct for the country that is 1,090 miles east of Australia?

Vanuatu has a population of over 200,000 people. The country consists of 93 islands, but only 65 of the islands are inhabited.

How do you properly spell the country that has London as its capital?

England takes up more than half the land of Great Britain. The island of Great Britain is also home to Scotland and Wales.

Which is the correct spelling for the European country that is landlocked between Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, and Austria?

From 1918 to 1992, Slovakia was part of Czechoslovakia. The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava.

How do you correctly spell the name of the country formerly known as Ceylon?

After 150 years of British rule, Sri Lanka gained its independence from Britain. It remains part of the Commonwealth.

What is the proper spelling for the country that has Valetta as its capital?

Malta is located 50 miles south of Italy. It is a member of the Commonwealth and the European Union.

Which spelling is correct for a former part of Yugoslavia?

Macedonia is located in Southeastern Europe. The country's capital is Skopje.

What is the correct spelling of the African country that became independent from the United Kingdom on March 6, 1957?

Ghana was formed from the merger of the Togoland trust territory and the Gold Coast. It was the first sub-Saharan colonial country to gain independence.

How do you properly spell the United States' northern neighbor?

Canada consists of 10 provinces and three territories. In total, the country is 3.85 million square miles.

What is the correct spelling of a landlocked nation located in the Eastern Himalayas?

Bhutan's capital is Thimphu. The country's official language is Dzongkha.

Which spelling is the proper one for an island at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain?

The capital of Grenada is St. George's. The country has a population of over 107,000 people.

Which spelling is correct for a Middle Eastern country that borders Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Israel?

The official name of Jordan is Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The population of Jordan is approximately 10 million people.

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