The name Egypt comes from the ancient Greek word “Aigyptos”. This is the Greek name for the city of Memphis and meant “abode of the spirit of Ptah.” The history of this country dates back to the 6th millennium BC to the 4th millennium BC. Its origins date back to the 1st century BC, and it is known for its development of writing, agriculture, urbanization, and governance. In general discussion, ancient Egyptian heritage tends to include the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. In the 7th century, it became the center of Arab and Islamic conquests, giving rise to the modern Islamic atmosphere. Today, Egypt is the only place where you can still see the Great Pyramid of Giza, the original Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
El Salvador
The name El Salvador means “Savior” and refers to Jesus Christ, underscoring the religious influence of the Spanish conquistadors on colonization in the 16th century. Before Spanish colonization, it was inhabited by the Pipil people, an indigenous people with ties to Aztec culture. It gained independence from Spain in 1821 and then briefly confederated with other Central American countries until it became fully sovereign. The country has a significant history of volcanic activity, which contributes to its fertile soil. Interestingly, El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America, and its population density makes it a unique feature.
Equatorial Guinea
The name Equatorial Guinea reflects its geographical location near the equator and the Gulf of Guinea. The country is the only African country where Spanish is the official language and is a remnant of Spanish colonial rule from the late 18th century until her independence in 1968. The country consists of the Rio Muni region on the mainland and several islands, including Bioko. Located in the capital Malabo. The country was relatively isolated until the discovery of large oil reserves in the 1990s. Equatorial Guinea is currently known as having one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but wealth is unevenly distributed.
Eritrea
The name Eritrea is derived from the Greek word “erythraia” meaning “red land” and refers to the country’s coastline along the Red Sea. This name was adopted during his colonial rule in Italy from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. Before Italian colonization, the area was known by various names in local languages. Eritrea officially became an independent country in 1993 after a 30-year war of independence against Ethiopia. Today, Eritrea is known for its vast collection of well-preserved modernist architecture, located in the capital Asmara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Estonia
The name Estonia probably dates back to the Roman historian Tacitus. Tacitus wrote about the “Aestian” people in his book “Germania”. The term may be derived from a Baltic word meaning “east”. Over the centuries, the name of the region evolved through different forms in different languages, resulting in the current name “Estonia”. Estonia regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, ending nearly 50 years of occupation. Estonia today stands out as an advanced digital society and was the first country to offer electronic residency to people around the world.
Eswatini
Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, changed its name in 2018 to reflect its original African roots and celebrate 50 years of independence from British colonial rule. “Eswatini” means “land of the Swazi people” in Swazi. The name change was announced by the King to re-strengthen the country’s identity and traditions. The region has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and its current name dates back to the 19th century Swazi Kingdom. Eswatini is the world’s last absolute monarchy in Africa, with the king still holding supreme executive power.
Ethiopia
The name Ethiopia comes from the Greek word “Aithiopia”, which is composed of the words “aitho” (fire) and “ops” (face), and refers to the dark-skinned people of the region. It is one of the oldest countries in the world, with a history of human habitation dating back to prehistoric times. Ethiopia has a unique history in that it was never colonized by a European power, except for a brief occupation by Italy from 1936 to 1941. The history of this country is closely tied to the origins of Christianity and Islam in Africa. Ethiopia is now considered the birthplace of coffee, which plays an important role in the economy.
Final Remarks
E, 4 are in Africa, 1 in Asia, 1 in Europe, and 1 in Latin America. There are no countries in North America that start with the letter E. Moreover, the choice of a country’s name is a centuries-old decision. And this name can be written and pronounced with extreme differences, depending on how other world languages adopt it into their language. Although English is one of the primary languages used in business and education around the world, it is not the be-all and end-all of nomenclature or linguistics. A fun activity is to find different languages that refer to these countries in completely different ways than their English names.
