Nicknames for 19 countries - from England’s land of hope and glory to Cuba’s sugar bowl of the world

Nicknames can be used for almost anything; people, places and even inanimate objects. They are often a shortened form of the full name given, but not always. Sometimes, they are given based on feelings associated with them. There are also nicknames that are personal to individuals and may only be known by them or a small group, based on a common connection or a shared feeling.

Then, there are nicknames that are universally accepted and adopted for things worldwide. This is the case with the nicknames assigned to various countries across the world. You can say these alternatives to the actual proper place name to anybody, in any location, and they will understand what you mean. That is if they are aware of all of the nicknames in the first place.

If you don’t know nicknames for lots of different countries and would like to brush up on your knowledge before you next travel, or you’re just curious to know, then NationalWorld has got you covered. Read through our list of nicknames for 19 countries across the world. They are all either based on distinctive features of the country itself or the popular culture there.

For more fun stories related to all things language take a look at our dedicated words and meanings page. Stories you’ll find there include nicknames for Brits from around the world and untranslatable words from around the world.

Australia

Nickname: Land of golden fleece

Reason: Australia is famous for the Merino breed of sheep which leads to the creation of very fine wool of the same name.

Belgium

Nickname: Cockpit of Europe

Reason: Belgium is the location where the largest number of European battles have taken place throughout history.

Canada

Nickname: The great white north

Reason: This nickname can be explained in three parts. Firstly, Canada is great because it's the second largest country in the world. Secondly, it’s described as white because of the large amount of Arctic frozen tundra and snow you’ll find there.. Finally, it's north because that’s its position in relation to the United States. 

Chile

Nickname: Land of poets

Reason: The nickname is often associated with the fact that Chilean poets have won the Nobel Prize in Literature for their works twice; Gabriela Mistral in 1945 and Pablo Neruda in 1971. The country also places a high degree of value on the work of poetry.

China

Nickname: The red dragon

Reason: The red dragon comes from the fact that a red dragon is an important symbol in the country. The Chinese dragon is one of the most legendary creatures in the country’s culture also.  In addition, red has always been the traditional colour associated with the Chinese emperor.

Cuba

Nickname: Sugar bowl of the world

Reason: This country, which is in the Caribbean, once had the largest sugar industry in the world.

Egypt

Nickname: Gift of the Nile

Reason: The Nile River was critical to the development of ancient Egypt and made it possible for people to survive there. It provided the people with means for transport, helped with irrigation for farming, gave some food such as fish, and also created fertile soil for growing crops.

England

Nickname: The land of hope and glory

Reason: Land of Hope and Glory is a British patriotic song, with music by Edward Elgar, written in 1901. The song is still sung at BBC Proms and also at various sporting events.

Finland

Nickname: Land of thousand lakes

Reason: The country literally has thousands of lakes; 188,000 in total.

Iceland

Nickname: Land of fire and ice

Reason: The country is home to two extreme and contrasting landscapes. It has some of the largest glaciers in Europe and also some of the world's most active volcanoes.

Indonesia

Nickname: The emerald of the equator

Reason: The country has lots of green and lush tropical rainforest and also sits alongside the equator geographically.

Italy

Nickname: The boot

Reason: The country is shaped like a boot because of the movement of the earth's tectonic plates over millions of years. 

New Zealand

Nickname: Land of the long white cloud

Reason: This nickname refers to the cloud formations which helped early navigators to find the country.

Philippines

Nickname: The pearl of the Orient sea

Reason: This nickname comes from two things; the location of the country which is at the crossroads of the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea and also its long history of pearl diving and cultivation.

South Africa

Nickname: Rainbow nation

Reason: This nickname was given to the country by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 1994. He said it describes the fact that the country has people of all colours, from all backgrounds, of all religions and many different languages.

Switzerland

Nickname: Playground of Europe and land of milk and honey

Reason: The Playground of Europe nickname comes from the fact that the country has lots of natural beauty, including rolling hills, large lakes and the high peaks of the Alps, and these things also offer plenty of activity opportunities. The land of milk and honey nickname comes from the fact that the country is widely regarded as producing the world's finest honey and milk.

Thailand

Nickname: Land of white elephants and also land of smiles 

Reason: The elephant is the national symbol of the country. In addition, there are many white elephants in Thailand which are extremely rare. It’s also called the land of smiles because Thai people use their smile to communicate their feelings - and they are also widely accepted to be very happy people.

USA

Nickname: The land of opportunity and land of the free

Reason: Both nicknames come from the fact that there’s a widely accepted idea that anyone can do anything they want, or be anything they want, in America. It is literally a place of opportunity and freedom for all.

Nickname: Land of grace

Reason: Explorer Christopher Columbus gave the country this nickname when he arrived there in the late 1400s.