examples:
Cuba
a communist state in the Caribbean on the island of Cuba
Haiti
a republic in the West Indies on the western part of the island of Hispaniola; achieved independence from France in 1804; the poorest and most illiterate nation in the western hemisphere
Giamaica
a country on the island of Jamaica; became independent of England in 1962; much poverty; the major industry is tourism
Cipro
a country on the island of Cyprus; 80% of the people are of Greek origin and 20% or Turkish origin
Fiji
an independent state within the British Commonwealth located on the Fiji Islands
Israele
Jewish republic in southwestern Asia at eastern end of Mediterranean; formerly part of Palestine
Australia
a nation occupying the whole of the Australian continent; Aboriginal tribes are thought to have migrated from southeastern Asia 20,000 years ago; first Europeans were British convicts sent there as a penal colony
Indonesia
a republic in southeastern Asia on an archipelago including more than 13,000 islands; achieved independence from the Netherlands in 1945; the principal oil producer in the Far East and Pacific regions
Grenada
an island state in the West Indies in the southeastern Caribbean Sea; an independent state within the British Commonwealth
Malta
a republic on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1964
Nuova Zelanda
an independent country within the British Commonwealth; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1907; known for sheep and spectacular scenery
Philippine
a republic on the Philippine Islands; achieved independence from the United States in 1946
Unione-Sovietica
a former communist country in eastern Europe and northern Asia; established in 1922; included Russia and 14 other soviet socialist republics (Ukraine and Byelorussia and others); officially dissolved 31 December 1991
Russia
a federation in northeastern Europe and northern Asia; formerly Soviet Russia; since 1991 an independent state
Ucraina
a republic in southeastern Europe; formerly a European soviet; the center of the original Russian state which came into existence in the ninth century
Turchia
a Eurasian republic in Asia Minor and the Balkans; on the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918, the Young Turks, led by Kemal Ataturk, established a republic in 1923
Afghanistan
a mountainous landlocked country in central Asia; bordered by Iran to the west and Russia to the north and Pakistan to the east and south
Algeria
a republic in northwestern Africa on the Mediterranean Sea with a population that is predominantly Sunni Muslim; colonized by France in the 19th century but gained autonomy in the early 1960s
Angola
a republic in southwestern Africa on the Atlantic Ocean; achieved independence from Portugal in 1975 and was the scene of civil war until 1990
Argentina
a republic in southern South America; second largest country in South America
Birmania
a mountainous republic in southeastern Asia on the Bay of Bengal
Burundi
a landlocked republic in east central Africa on the northeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika
Cambogia
a nation in southeastern Asia; was part of Indochina under French rule until 1946
Cile
a republic in southern South America on the western slopes of the Andes on the south Pacific coast
China
a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world
Colombia
a republic in northwestern South America with a coastline on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea; achieved independence from Spain in 1821 under the leadership of Simon Bolivar; Spanish is the official language
Congo
a republic in central Africa; achieved independence from Belgium in 1960
Messico
a republic in southern North America; became independent from Spain in 1810
Dahomey
a country on western coast of Africa; formerly under French control
Deutschland
a republic in central Europe; split into East Germany and West Germany after World War II and reunited in 1990
Eritrea
an African country to the north of Ethiopia on the Red Sea; achieved independence from Ethiopia in 1993
Etiopia
Ethiopia is a republic in northeastern Africa on the Red Sea; formerly called Abyssinia
Finlandia
republic in northern Europe; achieved independence from Russia in 1917
Italia
a republic in southern Europe on the Italian Peninsula; was the core of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire between the 4th century BC and the 5th century AD
Romania
a republic in southeastern Europe with a short coastline on the Black Sea
Ruanda
a landlocked republic in central Africa; formerly a German colony
Croazia
a republic in the western Balkans in south-central Europe in the eastern Adriatic coastal area; formerly part of the Habsburg monarchy and Yugoslavia; became independent in 1991
Jugoslavia
a mountainous republic in southeastern Europe bordering on the Adriatic Sea; formed from two of the six republics that made up Yugoslavia until 1992; Serbia and Montenegro were known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia until 2003 when they adopted the name of the Union of Serbia and Montenegro
Slovenia
a mountainous republic in central Europe; formerly part of the Habsburg monarchy and Yugoslavia; achieved independence in 1991
Canada
a nation in northern North America; the French were the first Europeans to settle in mainland Canada
Austria
a mountainous republic in central Europe; under the Habsburgs (1278-1918) Austria maintained control of the Holy Roman Empire and was a leader in European politics until the 19th century
Bangladesh
a Muslim republic in southern Asia bordered by India to the north and west and east and the Bay of Bengal to the south; formerly part of India and then part of Pakistan; it achieved independence in 1971
Belgio
a monarchy in northwestern Europe; headquarters for the European Union and for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Bhutan
a landlocked principality in the Himalayas to the northeast of India
Bolivia
a landlocked republic in central South America; Simon Bolivar founded Bolivia in 1825 after winning independence from Spain
Brasile
the largest Latin American country and the largest Portuguese speaking country in the world; located in the central and northeastern part of South America; world's leading coffee exporter
Gran Bretagna
a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; `Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom
England
a division of the United Kingdom
Irlanda
a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921
Scotland
one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; located on the northern part of the island of Great Britain; famous for bagpipes and plaids and kilts
Brunei
a sultanate in northwestern Borneo; became independent of Great Britain in 1984
Egitto
a republic in northeastern Africa known as the United Arab Republic until 1971; site of an ancient civilization that flourished from 2600 to 30 BC
India
a republic in the Asian subcontinent in southern Asia; second most populous country in the world; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947
Tibet
an autonomous region of the Peoples Republic of China; located in the Himalayas
Persia
a theocratic Islamic republic in the Middle East in western Asia; Iran was the core of the ancient empire that was known as Persia until 1935; rich in oil
Irak
a republic in the Middle East in western Asia; the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia was in the area now known as Iraq
Giappone
a constitutional monarchy occupying the Japanese Archipelago; a world leader in electronics and automobile manufacture and ship building
Giordania
an Arab kingdom in southwestern Asia on the Red Sea
Kuwait
an Arab kingdom in Asia on the northwestern coast of the Persian Gulf; a major source of petroleum
Francia
a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe
Gabon
a republic on the west coast of Africa
Ghana
a republic in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea
Paesi Bassi
a constitutional monarchy in western Europe on the North Sea; half the country lies below sea level
Islanda
an island republic on the island of Iceland; became independent of Denmark in 1944
Libano
an Asian republic at east end of Mediterranean
Libia
a military dictatorship in northern Africa on the Mediterranean; consists almost entirely of desert; a major exporter of petroleum
Liechtenstein
a small landlocked principality (constitutional monarchy) in central Europe located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland
Lussemburgo
a grand duchy (a constitutional monarchy) landlocked in northwestern Europe between France and Belgium and Germany; an international financial center
Mongolia
a landlocked socialist republic in central Asia
Marocco
a kingdom (constitutional monarchy) in northwestern Africa with a largely Muslim population; achieved independence from France in 1956
Mozambico
a republic on the southeastern coast of Africa on the Mozambique Channel; became independent from Portugal in 1975
Pakistan
a Muslim republic that occupies the heartland of ancient south Asian civilization in the Indus River valley; formerly part of India; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947
Paraguay
a landlocked republic in south central South America; achieved independence from Spain in 1811
Peru'
a republic in western South America; achieved independence from Spain in 1821; was the heart of the Inca empire from the 12th to 16th centuries
Polonia
a republic in central Europe; the invasion of Poland by Germany in 1939 started World War II
Portogallo
a republic in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula; Portuguese explorers and colonists in the 15th and 16th centuries created a vast overseas empire (including Brazil)
Senegal
a republic in northwestern Africa on the coast of the Atlantic; formerly a French colony but achieved independence in 1960
Singapore
a country in southeastern Asia on the island of Singapore; achieved independence from Malaysia in 1965
Somalia
a republic in extreme eastern Africa on the Somali peninsula; subject to tribal warfare
Sudafrica
a republic at the southernmost part of Africa; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1910; first European settlers were Dutch (known as Boers)
Armenia
a landlocked republic in southwestern Asia; formerly an Asian soviet; modern Armenia is but a fragment of ancient Armenia which was one of the world's oldest civilizations; throughout 2500 years the Armenian people have been invaded and oppressed by their neighbors
Spagna
a parliamentary monarchy in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula; a former colonial power
Sudan
a republic in northeastern Africa on the Red Sea; achieved independence from Egypt and the United Kingdom in 1956
Siria
an Asian republic in the Middle East at the east end of the Mediterranean; site of some of the world's most ancient centers of civilization
Thailandia
a country of southeastern Asia that extends southward along the Isthmus of Kra to the Malay Peninsula
Tunisia
a republic in northwestern Africa on the Mediterranean coast; achieved independence from France in 1956
Uganda
a landlocked republic in eastern Africa; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1962
Stati Uniti d'America
North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776
Uruguay
a South American republic on the southeast coast of South America; achieved independence from Brazil in 1825
Venezuela
a republic in northern South America on the Caribbean; achieved independence from Spain in 1811; rich in oil
Vietnam
a communist state in Indochina on the South China Sea; achieved independence from France in 1945
Albania
a republic in southeastern Europe on the Adriatic coast of the Balkan Peninsula
Bulgaria
a republic in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe
Costa-Rica
a republic in Central America; one of the most politically stable countries in Latin America
Honduras
a republic in Central America; achieved independence from Spain in 1821; an early center of Mayan culture
Nicaragua
a republic in Central America; achieved independence from Spain in 1821
Danimarca
a constitutional monarchy in northern Europe; consists of the mainland of Jutland and many islands between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea
Norvegia
a constitutional monarchy in northern Europe on the western side of the Scandinavian Peninsula; achieved independence from Sweden in 1905
Svezia
a Scandinavian kingdom in the eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula
Grecia
a republic in southeastern Europe on the southern part of the Balkan peninsula; known for grapes and olives and olive oil