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Geographic Surnames

Click on each clue for its answer.

  1. Land of Frost and Fire

    Iceland

  2. The Dead Heart of Africa

    Chad

    From its remoteness and largely desert climate.

  3. Daughter of the Baltic

    Helsinki

  4. Golden Peninsula

    Thailand

  5. Land of the blue sky

    Mongolia

  6. Land of the thunder dragon

    Bhutan

    Translation of Bhutanese name for the country (Druk Yul).

  7. An island surrounded by land

    Paraguay

    First used by author Augusto Roa Bastos in reference to both the country's insularity and landlocked geography.

  8. Crossroads of the Pacific

    Honolulu

  9. Mother of presidents of the USA

    Virginia

    Eight U.S. presidents were born in Virginia.

  10. Land of Silvia Night

    Iceland

  11. Pindorama - from Tupi, "land of palm trees."

    Brazil

    Almost always used disparagingly, when discussing some backward aspect of the country.

  12. City of Light

    Paris

  13. Land of the Midnight Sun

    Finland, Iceland

  14. The Cradle of Civilizations

    Egypt

  15. Switzerland of Central America

    Costa Rica

    Referring to the financial prosperity and peaceful nature.

  16. Gateway to Asia/Melting Pot of Asia

    Philippines

  17. Rainbow Nation

    South Africa

    Term coined by Desmond Tutu to describe the multiethnic nature of post-apartheid South Africa, and in very wide use today.

  18. Land of White Eagle

    Poland

    The Coat of Arms of Poland consists of a White Eagle on a red shield, and hence the name.

  19. The Emerald Isle

    Ireland

    From the lush green of the Irish landscape.

  20. Land of Poets

    Chile

    Due to its two Nobel Prize winners in literature (Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda).

  21. Middle East's Switzerland

    Lebanon

  22. Land of Smiles

    Thailand

  23. The Armpit of Africa

    Cameroon

    From its location on the 'armpit' between west and central Africa.

  24. The Kingdom in the Sky

    Lesotho

    Due to the fact that Lesotho is high up in the Drakensberg Mountains.

  25. Land of a Thousand Hills

    Rwanda

  26. Land of the morning calm

    Korea

  27. City on Water

    Stockholm

    From the motto 'Staden på vattnet.'

  28. Friendly Islands

    Tonga

    The name given by Captain Cook because of the friendly reception he received.

  29. Land of Long White Cloud

    New Zealand

    In Mâori, New Zealand has come to be known as Aotearoa, which is usually translated into English as The Land of the Long White Cloud.

  30. City of Canals

    Venice

  31. The Hermit Kingdom

    Korea

  32. Mother-in-law of Europe

    Denmark

  33. Bread Basket of Europe

    Ukraine

    From the rich dark soil and the vast fields of wheat.

  34. Land of a Thousand Lakes

    Finland

    Referring to the fact that Finland has over 188,000 lakes.

  35. Land of Eagles

    Albania

  36. Island of Flying Fish

    Barbados