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Countries with Cardinal Directions in Their Names

Can you name the current countries of the world that have a cardinal direction in their name?
The cardinal directions are East, West, North, and South
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Quizzer6794
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Last updated: February 17, 2019
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First submittedApril 9, 2015
Times taken151,538
Average score83.3%
Rating4.92
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Country
East Timor
North Korea
North Macedonia
South Africa
South Korea
South Sudan
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102 Recent Comments
Confabulously
+2
Level 79
Feb 17, 2019
maybe accept "Northern Macedonia?"
Quizmaster
+5
Level ∞
Feb 17, 2019
Okay. By the way, Macedonia still works as a type-in.
InfiniteBulk
+3
Level 72
Apr 15, 2021
I recommend changing it to contains for default.
DrWhoFanJ
+2
Level 64
Jan 15, 2026
The country does not contain a question mark in its name.
plattitude
+9
Level 94
Mar 5, 2019
I expected the curve balls of Austria and Australia to be included when I clicked on the quiz. Glad I didn't have to think that hard!
NJR
+2
Level 59
Mar 17, 2019
Norway?
Lilylee
+4
Level 79
Mar 17, 2019
What direction is that?
Olober
+12
Level 56
Mar 17, 2019
North. Norway means "northern way". However, this quiz doesn't include countries with directions in their meanings, so
CanadianGeo96
+4
Level 61
Mar 17, 2019
Norway doesn't have a cardinal direction in their name. Even if it translates to a cardinal direction, it doesn't count.
IPS
+17
Level 69
Mar 17, 2019
UK's official name actually is "United Kingdom of Great Britain and *Northern* Ireland", so it should be either added, already filled-in or excluded by a caveat.

It might also be interesting a version including Countries with "Cardinal Directions in their meaning":

- "Australia" means "Southern land",

- "Austria" means "Eastern March",

- "Norway" means "Northern way",

- "Tonga" means "South",

- "Vietnam" means "Viet South",

- "Yemen" means "South".

kalbahamut
+13
Level 79
Mar 17, 2019
This quiz and virtually all quizzes on JetPunk are using the "short name" of the country (with the odd exceptions of the DRC, Republic of Congo, and Micronesia). If we used full official names then the UK would be on and North and South Korea would both be off. But it's not.
CanadianGeo96
+3
Level 61
Mar 17, 2019
It needs a cardinal direction in their country name. Not inside the definition of the name.
BlackJohn
+3
Level 79
Apr 15, 2021
Austria means eastern kingdom/realm (Osterreich)
sergeantmalice
+7
Level 56
Aug 28, 2022
I'm pretty sure Yemen doesn't mean south and Österreich means eastern kingdom, not march. People on jetpunk need to stop their smartassery
EcceHomo
+7
Level 85
Sep 28, 2022
That ain't gonna happen soon dude :)
plattitude
+4
Level 94
Feb 16, 2024
March is not an incorrect translation, though a somewhat archaic one. This definition of march is a borderland, for example the Welsh Marches.

For Yemen, it looks as though the etymology is not perfectly clear, and could be convergent. From Wikipedia: One etymology derives Yemen from ymnt, meaning literally "South [of the Arabian Peninsula]", and significantly plays on the notion of the land to the right [of the Kaaba]. Other sources claim that Yemen is related to yamn or yumn, meaning "felicity" or "blessed", as much of the country is fertile, in contrast to the barren land of most of Arabia.

Xanalania
+2
Level 40
Jun 15, 2025
Wait but then how did that get through the filter🤨
GeoDude
+11
Level 46
Mar 17, 2019
West Virginia
Jacktheguy
+20
Level 93
Mar 17, 2019
Mountain Mama
ddddan
+14
Level 85
Mar 18, 2019
Take me home
Morelando
+13
Level 72
Mar 19, 2019
Country Roads
Geopro
+1
Level 59
Aug 28, 2022
All my memories...
Pontiac
+1
Level 61
Jan 9, 2026
Gather round' her
OvenBobat
+1
Level 65
Jan 9, 2026
Miner's lady
MajkOfMacedonia
+1
Level 77
Jan 9, 2026
Stranger to blue water
PaterN
+1
Level 81
Jan 9, 2026
Dark and dusty
oslxxpy
+1
Level 34
Jan 27, 2026
Painted on the sky
Pontiac
+1
Level 61
Jan 9, 2026
MY HOME STATE!
StevenColbery
+6
Level 37
Mar 17, 2019
United Kingdom of Great Britain and NORTHERN Ireland
InfiniteBulk
+5
Level 72
Apr 15, 2021
Please read before you comment next time.. ^^
ShievaAndGolly
+2
Level 60
Apr 22, 2021
I don't know why but you capitalizing Northern annoys me...
Xanalania
+1
Level 40
Jun 15, 2025
How?
DrWhoFanJ
+1
Level 64
Jan 15, 2026
And you misspelling "capitalising" annoys me.
12345wired
+1
Level 37
Mar 17, 2019
West Sahara?
ShievaAndGolly
+4
Level 60
Feb 16, 2024
West Sahara isn't a Jetpunk country.
fireman1953
+2
Level 71
Mar 17, 2019
In most of the country quizzes, North Macedonia is listed as just Macedonia. They need to be consistent throughout this website.
GeographyGeek42
+11
Level 65
Mar 17, 2019
they are being consistent
kalbahamut
+8
Level 79
Mar 17, 2019
They just changed it.
Quizmaster
+12
Level ∞
Mar 17, 2019
Yep, we changed 100 or so quizzes. We are extremely consistent about stuff like that.
kev34
+2
Level 24
Mar 17, 2019
Australia = South Country. And Austria formed from East in german (Osterreich).
malpa1011
+5
Level 55
Mar 20, 2019
Australia is called Australia, as for Austria.. this quiz is in English not German
morcaca
+4
Level 59
Apr 15, 2021
It must contain either "North", "South", "East" or "West" in its English name.
Xanalania
+3
Level 40
Jun 15, 2025
I swear, these people are just trying to sound smart.
rumblemaster3
+2
Level 67
Mar 17, 2019
I had NO idea that Macedonia is actually called North Macedonia.
kalbahamut
+8
Level 79
Mar 17, 2019
It wasn't until recently
Algarve
+2
Level 70
Mar 18, 2019
I see peiple dabeting iver adding the full name of the UK, and more bizarre cases as Norway or Australia, why shouldn’t I demand the addition of Equatorial Guinea?
kalbahamut
+9
Level 79
Mar 18, 2019
Why would you? Do you believe that "equator" is a cardinal direction?
FolgoreCZ
+4
Level 59
Aug 4, 2020
I would rather argue for Central African Republic.
Aravis
+2
Level 46
Mar 21, 2021
I did think of that and type it in.
jmellor13
+8
Level 68
Apr 15, 2021
That's an interesting thought, but "central" is a location, not a direction. You wouldn't tell someone "go north for five miles and then go central for two miles." At least, you shouldn't.
dunkinggandalf2
+4
Level 72
Apr 16, 2021
If you've never gone central, you should definitely try it!
kalbahamut
+2
Level 79
Aug 28, 2022
There are exactly four cardinal directions. North, south, east, and west. Central isn't one of them.
idfx
+3
Level 26
Mar 18, 2019
My, oh, my... I found everything BUT the Koreas. How twisted is my brain?
TamuAudwodia
+3
Level 65
Mar 18, 2019
What about Austria (Eastern Realm) as bonus answer?
bestanford
+2
Level 73
Feb 1, 2020
Same thought!
mal
+2
Level 64
Mar 20, 2019
North Macedonia- When did that happen? Probably just showing my ignorance but I've never seen that before, got the rest though :-)
Zefyrinus
+2
Level 74
May 7, 2019
Pheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew! Finished with one second left.
Zorritochido
+1
Level 43
Aug 26, 2019
South Korea and North Korea are oficially just named Republic of Korea and People's Republic of Korea
Kelp
+1
Level 41
Sep 11, 2019
I would've added Western Sahara at the least if not Northern Ireland. Or at least say the countries not included that we might think would be in the description.
JMM
+1
Level 60
Jan 9, 2026
Western Sahara is not a recognised country, Northern Ireland is not an independent country.
DocEckleburg
+1
Level 68
Jan 9, 2026
Not independent, but is in the full name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Sifhraven
+2
Level 76
Feb 1, 2020
Too little time, it is not like randomly spamming countries will help you get any answers. No reason for it to be mere seconds, if you make one typo you are stuffed.
Marvel072506
+4
Level 45
Feb 1, 2020
I always think of it as Timor-Leste so East Timor never crossed my mind.
EliotSkyrll
+1
Level 55
Jun 30, 2020
yes
JohnnyYeet
+1
Level 66
Apr 20, 2020
South Ossetia? Western Sahara?
CS
+6
Level 66
Jul 30, 2020
Both are not countries according to Jetpunk. Jetpunk's definition of a "country" is the 193 UN members, Vatican City, Kosovo and Taiwan.
chocolatepecanpi
+2
Level 69
May 13, 2020
the only one i couldn't think of was south africa lol
InfiniteBulk
+1
Level 72
Dec 19, 2020
I'm half laughing, half disappointing. I was going to make a quiz with the exact same name without the "in their name", and I was just making sure the quiz wasn't already out there.
bananawana
+1
Level 32
Jan 3, 2026
I was going to, too
sipiro
+1
Level 52
Apr 15, 2021
Wth, why east Timor is in the middle?

"It was written under title nianiania"

Glad of your small trap?

Historyman0
+1
Level 38
Apr 15, 2021
western sahara?
QuizMaster126
+1
Level 51
Apr 15, 2021
100% in 0:13.
GaryAtmos
+2
Level 48
Apr 15, 2021
I can't believe I put one Korea and forgot the other
Hulk
+1
Level 37
Apr 15, 2021
One day, I shall be taking a quiz like this one and remember that Macedonia is North Macedonia, but today is not that day.
MrMagoo
+4
Level 84
Apr 15, 2021
Did anyone else feel tempted to add "Marilyn Monroe" after typing two of the countries?
clivey
+1
Level 69
Jul 2, 2021
Can somebody smell fire?
gewehr6628
+1
Level 47
Apr 15, 2021
american states next?
And1oop
+1
Level 21
Apr 15, 2021
Norway?
Minelaughter
+2
Level 24
Apr 15, 2021
Haha! I forgot the most obvious one, South Africa!

I got the following countries:

North Korea

North Macedonia

East Timor

South Sudan

South Korea

clivey
+4
Level 69
Jul 2, 2021
Thanks for clarifying which you got. Would never have guessed as there's a whole 6 answers to choose from.
sienna1
+1
Level 33
Apr 29, 2021
yeah, did it in 14 second what about it
Kenneth3748
+1
Level 52
Feb 16, 2022
I've only heard it called timor leste, not east timor that's dumb.
filiphoset
+3
Level 63
Apr 28, 2022
I tried Central African Republic...
LuckyCat
+2
Level 72
Jan 29, 2023
Not exactly North, South, East, or West.
Pingoinhyrule
+1
Level 62
Sep 30, 2025
I did that too just in case, it does describe its position in the name
Hubson
+2
Level 57
May 26, 2022
southampton??
Pontiac
+1
Level 61
Jan 9, 2026
Not a country. Key word is COUNTRY with a R and not COUNTY without the r
iRDM
+1
Level 81
Aug 17, 2022
Three south, two north, one east, zero west. Elegant.
Klaas47
+1
Level 70
Aug 28, 2022
West Samoa and West Germany were the last „west“-countries
mtwalsh
+2
Level 33
Aug 30, 2022
Got all the hard ones but left out the Koreas! Give me at least 30 more seconds though sheesh...
LuckyCat
+3
Level 72
Jan 29, 2023
Wow. I made a VERY similar quiz, oblivious about the existence of this quiz. Great quiz, though! I got all the answers lol. Unfortunately, my quiz will never be featured. (Begs for people to take my quizzes)
cocachiantos
+3
Level 75
Feb 26, 2023
Cardinal point is not in the usual short name, but Uruguay's full denomination is "República Oriental del Uruguay" ("Republic east of the Uruguay river")
MCdoesgeography
+2
Level 74
Jul 15, 2023
Why not Austria (East) and Australia (South)?
leeabegail
+2
Level 24
Dec 27, 2023
I forgot east timor
daniel66
+1
Level 31
Jan 9, 2024
technically uk is an answer as well as the full name is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland haha
pterorhinus
+1
Level 46
Jun 4, 2025
Typed "Macedonia" for so long that I forgot it's actually North Macedonia
Fomalhaut
+2
Level 57
Dec 22, 2025
just type "fyrom" :)
David78
+1
Level 20
Aug 22, 2025
What of Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea and Central Africa?
Pontiac
+1
Level 61
Jan 9, 2026
Ecuador and Equatorial Guinea don't have directions. With the Central African Republic, central is not a direction, it is an area
Fomalhaut
+2
Level 57
Dec 22, 2025
Interesting that 3 of the 6 countries has abbreviation (dprk, rok, fyrom).
Pontiac
+1
Level 61
Jan 9, 2026
North Korea and South Korea's abbreviations are due to their official names of Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea and Republic of Korea. North Macedonia is similar
cheeeeeeems
+2
Level 25
Jan 9, 2026
wasted so much time on central African republic
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