1. Working Group on Country Names

Convenor

Leo Dillon (USA) E-mail Mr. Dillon (dillonli@state.gov)

Lists of recommended country names

The most recent list of country names approved by the Working Group was submitted on behalf of UNGEGN for the Ninth UN Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names in August 2007. It is available as E/CONF.98/89 Add.1.

An updated but unofficial "working version" of the country names list is available from the Working Group convenor upon request.

This list contains updates that have been informally agreed to by Working Group members based on information collected from various sources. It is intended to facilitate exchange of information within UNGEGN.

An abridged list of country names (endonymic forms) “Names of countries of the world (abridged version)” was included in the UNGEGN Technical reference manual for the standardization of geographical names, published by the United Nations in 2007 (Sales No. E.07.XVII.5).

Ongoing work programme
  • Monitoring changes in country names;
  • Monitoring modifications in romanization systems;
  • Continuing updating and completing local official forms;
  • Comparing existing lists of country names to identify differences and, where possible, to eliminate them;
  • Continuing liaison with the terminology team of the United Nations Terminology and Reference Section.
Reports of the Working Group on Country Names
Recent meetings of the Working Group
  • During the 25th UNGEGN in Nairobi, 2009
  • During the Ninth Conference, New York, 2007
  • During the 23rd UNGEGN in Vienna, 2006
  • In Lefkada, Greece in 2005
Suggested web sites