Formal and short names can refer to the same country at the same time, while historical names concern naming changes over time. The UN generally uses short country names, whereas formal names are generally used in legal texts such as treaties. UN M49 records country or area name changes, including changes since 1982 that did not alter the code.
How the three labels relate
Short name: This is the concise form the UN generally uses. The United Nations Editorial Manual distinguishes short names from formal names and provides both.
Formal name: This is the formal form used in contexts such as legal texts, including treaties. A document may require this wording rather than the short name, so the two should not be treated as automatically interchangeable.
Historical name: This records how a country or area was named at an earlier time. M49 maintains a history of name changes and separately identifies changes that occurred without a change in code.
The key distinction is context: formal and short names serve different present-day uses, while a historical name provides information about change over time. A historical name change does not automatically mean that the code also changed.
How to check the exact name
- Consult the United Nations Editorial Manual to distinguish the short and formal country names and confirm their exact wording.
- Check UN M49 when the relevant issue is a previous name or a change recorded without a code change.
- Consider the document’s purpose and date. A legal text may call for a formal name, ordinary UN usage may favour the short name, and a historical account may require the name relevant to that period.
What still needs confirmation
For any particular form, agreement, database, or official document, the reader must confirm whether its instructions require the short name, the formal name, or a historical form. These UN resources explain naming distinctions, but they do not establish that one form is universally accepted in every document or database.