Geographical Naming Disputes: Around the World

written by 20112 Woo Seyeon

Around the world, there are some regions being called by different names. When different political bodies disagree on the official name of a region, naming disputes can happen.

Dokdo

Dokdo is the easternmost island of the Republic of Korea, belonging to Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, under international law. It has been a Korean territory since Isabu subjugated the island from Usanguk in 512 during the Silla Dynasty. The earliest record of the name “Seokdo,” which means stone island, was in the 1906 report by the governor of Uldo in the Daehan Empire.

However, Japan argues that the name of the island is Takeshima, meaning bamboo island. They insist that Dokdo was under their control and was incorporated into Okinoshima, Shimane Prefecture in 1905.

Internationally, the name Liancourt Rocks is also used as a neutral term. The name comes after the French whaling ship that discovered Dokdo in 1849. However, this term is criticized because the name denies Korea’s possession of Dokdo before the 1900s.

Persian Gulf

The gulf located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, known as the Persian Gulf or the Arabian Gulf, also has a naming dispute.

The name Persian Gulf comes from Persia, officially called Iran. Before the 1960s, for at least the past 2,000 years, the name Persian Gulf was widely used on most maps and international treaties. It was even used by Arabian politicians and historians.

As time passed by, due to the rise of Arab nationalism, some Arab countries started to use the term “Arabian Gulf” instead. However, Iran does not accept this name. The Iranian government rejects customs clearance for imported goods that have labeled the gulf as the Arabian Gulf.

The United Nations officially recognizes the name Persian Gulf. Yet, for these reasons, various media and maps refer to it as the Gulf so that they can avoid taking a political stance.

Macedonia

In 1991, a new nation that gained independence from Yugoslavia claimed their name as Macedonia. However, Greece complained that the name Macedonia has long been the name of a province in northeastern Greece, historically named after the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon.

Then, in 1993, Macedonia entered the United Nations using the name the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). This intensified the conflict between the two countries.

Resulting in Greece closing its borders to FYROM for continuing to use the name Macedonia.

This naming dispute lasted for 17 years, even after the trade blockade was ended. Finally, in 2018, with the signing of the Prespa Agreement it was agreed that the country would rename itself as the Republic of North Macedonia.

As seen in these examples, naming disputes of geographical areas can be seen from various perspectives. International law considers several criteria, including historical reasoning, judicial precedence and international organization practices.

Therefore, these disputes are not just a matter of names. They can lead to bigger problems, such as social, political or cultural conflicts. Therefore, it is important to fundamentally solve these controversies.