C is a busy letter. It covers the second largest country on Earth by total area, one of the most populous countries on Earth, island nations in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and two different countries that share the name Congo. That variety is also why C lists go wrong so often. A copied list keeps the same missing Congo for years, a poster adds a territory that sounds like a country, and an old name lingers long after a country has asked the world to use a new one.
This article gives you the definitive list, explains how it was built so you can check it yourself, introduces each of the 18 countries, and then shows you the traps that produce the wrong lists. If you only need the names, the table below is enough.
The complete list of countries that start with C
| Country | Capital | Region | One thing to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabo Verde | Praia | Western Africa, Atlantic islands | An island nation west of Senegal, with Portuguese as its official language |
| Cambodia | Phnom Penh | Southeastern Asia | The Mekong River runs through it, and Khmer is its official language |
| Cameroon | Yaoundé | Middle Africa | English and French are both official languages |
| Canada | Ottawa | Northern America | The second largest country in the world by total area |
| Central African Republic | Bangui | Middle Africa | A landlocked country named for its position in the center of Africa |
| Chad | N’Djamena | Middle Africa | A landlocked country named in part for Lake Chad, on its western edge |
| Chile | Santiago | Southern South America | A long, narrow country running down the Pacific coast of South America |
| China | Beijing | Eastern Asia | One of the most populous countries in the world, and home to the Great Wall |
| Colombia | Bogotá | Northern South America | The only South American country with coastlines on both the Pacific and the Caribbean |
| Comoros | Moroni | Eastern Africa, Indian Ocean islands | A volcanic island nation between Madagascar and Mozambique |
| Congo | Brazzaville | Middle Africa | The smaller of the two Congos, on the western bank of the Congo River |
| Costa Rica | San José | Central America | It abolished its armed forces on 1 December 1948 |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Yamoussoukro (official), Abidjan (economic) | Western Africa | Its name is French for Ivory Coast, and French is its official language |
| Croatia | Zagreb | Southern Europe | An Adriatic coast country in Southern Europe, with Dubrovnik on its coast |
| Cuba | Havana | Caribbean | The largest island country in the Caribbean, with Spanish as its official language |
| Cyprus | Nicosia | Western Asia, Mediterranean island | A divided island, whose capital is the last divided capital in Europe |
| Czechia | Prague | Central Europe | It became a separate country when Czechoslovakia split on 1 January 1993 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Kinshasa | Middle Africa | The larger of the two Congos, formerly called Zaire from 1971 to 1997 |
How this list was built
The standard used here is the same one used for the E list in AMB-102. A country, for this article, is a sovereign state. The cleanest test of that is membership of the United Nations, which has 193 member states. Checking that member list for short form names beginning with C produces exactly 18 names.
Two filing rules matter, and both follow normal reference practice. First, countries are filed under their familiar short form names, not their formal long form names. That is why the Democratic Republic of the Congo belongs here: its short form name is Congo, and it is commonly distinguished as Congo-Kinshasa, just as the Republic of the Congo is commonly distinguished as Congo-Brazzaville. The same rule puts Egypt under E in the earlier article even though its formal name, the Arab Republic of Egypt, begins with A. Second, a country is filed under the name it currently asks to be known by at the UN, not under an old translated name. That is why Cabo Verde is filed under C for Cabo Verde, not under a separate entry for Cape Verde, and why Côte d’Ivoire is filed under C for Côte d’Ivoire, not under I for Ivory Coast.
A note on sources: the UN member list page as fetched for this article, filtered by theme, did not display every C name in its C section, so the count here was cross checked against the full member state list, which does show Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with their admission dates. The count of 18 rests on that full list, not on any single filtered page view.
Meet the 18 countries
Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde is an island nation in the central Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal in Western Africa. Its capital is Praia, on the island of Santiago. Portuguese is the official language, and the country became independent from Portugal in 1975. On 24 October 2013, Cabo Verde asked that its name no longer be translated into other languages, so the Portuguese form Cabo Verde replaced the English form Cape Verde in official use. Cape Verde and Cabo Verde are not two countries. They are the old and new names for the same country.
Cambodia
Cambodia sits in Southeastern Asia, between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, with a coastline on the Gulf of Thailand. Its capital is Phnom Penh, and Khmer is its official language. The Mekong River flows through the country, and Cambodia is home to Angkor Wat, the vast temple complex near Siem Reap that appears on the national flag. It joined the United Nations on 14 December 1955.
Cameroon
Cameroon is in Middle Africa, on the Gulf of Guinea, between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, with Chad and the Central African Republic to its east. Its capital is Yaoundé, while Douala is its largest city and main port. Cameroon is often described as Africa in miniature because its geography runs from tropical coast to savanna to mountains in a single country. English and French are both official, alongside a large number of local languages. It joined the United Nations on 20 September 1960.
Canada
Canada is the northern neighbor of the United States and the second largest country in the world by total area, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic Ocean. Its capital is Ottawa, while Toronto is its largest city. English and French are both official languages, and it became a self governing federation, through Confederation, on 1 July 1867. It is the only C country in Northern America, and the largest C country by total area. It is an original member of the United Nations, admitted on 9 November 1945.
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic is a landlocked country in Middle Africa, and its name is self descriptive: it sits near the center of the continent. Its capital is Bangui, on the Ubangi River, which forms part of its southern border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. French is the official language, and Sango is also widely used. The country was known for a short period, from 1976 to 1979, as the Central African Empire, but it returned to the name Central African Republic. It joined the United Nations on 20 September 1960.
Chad
Chad is a large landlocked country in Middle Africa, south of Libya and east of Niger and Nigeria. Its capital is N’Djamena, in the southwest of the country near the border with Cameroon. The country takes part of its name from Lake Chad, the shallow lake on its western edge, and its geography runs from the Sahara Desert in the north to savanna in the south. French and Arabic are official languages. Chad joined the United Nations on 20 September 1960, the same day as Cameroon and the Central African Republic.
Chile
Chile is the long, narrow country on the Pacific coast of Southern South America, squeezed between the Andes mountains and the ocean, with Peru to the north and Argentina to the east. Its capital is Santiago, in the central valley, and Spanish is its official language. Chile stretches so far from north to south that its climates run from the Atacama Desert in the north, one of the driest places on Earth, to the cold tip of Patagonia in the south. Chile is an original member of the United Nations, admitted on 24 October 1945.
China
China, in Eastern Asia, is one of the most populous countries in the world and one of its oldest continuous civilizations. Its capital is Beijing, while Shanghai is its largest city. Mandarin Chinese is the official language. The Great Wall, built and rebuilt over many centuries along China’s northern frontier, remains its most famous landmark, and the Yangtze River, Asia’s longest river, flows from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea. China is an original member of the United Nations, admitted on 24 October 1945, and its UN seat is now held by the People’s Republic of China.
Colombia
Colombia sits in the northwest corner of South America, with Panama to the northwest, Venezuela and Brazil to the east, and Ecuador and Peru to the south. Its capital is Bogotá, high in the Andes, and Spanish is its official language. Colombia is the only South American country with coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Inland, the Andes split into three ranges across the country, and the Amazon rainforest covers much of the southeast. Colombia joined the United Nations on 5 November 1945.
Comoros
Comoros is a volcanic island nation in the Indian Ocean, in the Mozambique Channel between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique. Its capital is Moroni, on the island of Grande Comore. The country is made up of three main islands, Grande Comore, Mohéli and Anjouan, and its official languages are Comorian, French and Arabic. It joined the United Nations on 12 November 1975.
Congo
The Republic of the Congo, commonly called Congo-Brazzaville to distinguish it from its much larger neighbor, sits on the western bank of the Congo River in Middle Africa, between Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. Its capital is Brazzaville, directly across the river from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. French is the official language. The Republic of the Congo joined the United Nations on 20 September 1960. When a list says simply Congo, without saying which one, it is usually this country that is meant, and that vagueness is part of why the other Congo so often goes missing.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is in Central America, between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, with the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. Its capital is San José, and Spanish is its official language. Costa Rica is best known for a decision no other C country has made: on 1 December 1948, it abolished its armed forces, and the abolition was written into its constitution the following year. The country has since relied on police forces for internal security. It joined the United Nations on 2 November 1945.
Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire is on the southern coast of Western Africa, on the Gulf of Guinea, between Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana. Its official capital is Yamoussoukro, in the center of the country, while Abidjan, the former capital, remains the largest city and the economic capital. French is the official language, and the name itself is French: Côte d’Ivoire means Ivory Coast, a name that reflects the ivory trade that once passed through the region. Until 31 December 1985, the country was commonly referred to in English as Ivory Coast, which is why older lists file it under I. Under its current UN name, it belongs under C. It joined the United Nations on 20 September 1960.
Croatia
Croatia is in Southern Europe, on the Adriatic Sea, between Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Its capital is Zagreb, inland in the north, while Dubrovnik, on the southern Adriatic coast, is its most famous historic city. Croatian is the official language, and the country is known for its long coastline, with more than a thousand islands along the Adriatic. Croatia became independent as Yugoslavia broke apart, and it joined the United Nations on 22 May 1992. It is one of two C countries in Europe, along with Czechia.
Cuba
Cuba is the largest island country in the Caribbean, south of Florida and east of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Its capital is Havana, on the northwest coast, and Spanish is its official language. Cuba’s history as a Spanish colony, its independence struggles in the nineteenth century, and its revolution in 1959 have all shaped its modern identity. Cuba is an original member of the United Nations, admitted on 24 October 1945.
Cyprus
Cyprus is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon. Its capital is Nicosia, which is also the last divided capital in Europe: a UN buffer zone, often called the Green Line, runs through the city and across the island, separating the Republic of Cyprus in the south from the northern area administered by Turkish Cypriots. The northern administration declared itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983, but it is recognized only by Turkey, so it is not counted separately here. Greek and Turkish are the official languages of the Republic of Cyprus. Cyprus joined the United Nations on 20 September 1960.
Czechia
Czechia, also known by its longer name, the Czech Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Austria. Its capital is Prague, a city famous for its medieval old town, its castle and the Charles Bridge over the Vltava River. Czech is the official language. Czechia became a separate country on 1 January 1993, when Czechoslovakia split peacefully into two sovereign states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, in a separation sometimes called the Velvet Divorce. The short name Czechia was adopted as the official short form in 2016, which is why newer lists use Czechia and older lists use Czech Republic. Czechia joined the United Nations on 19 January 1993.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, commonly called Congo-Kinshasa to distinguish it from the Republic of the Congo, is in Middle Africa, and it is the second largest country in Africa by land area. Its capital is Kinshasa, on the southern bank of the Congo River, directly across from Brazzaville. French is the official language, alongside widely used national languages including Lingala, Swahili, Kikongo and Tshiluba. The country used the name Zaire from 27 October 1971 to 16 May 1997, then returned to the name Democratic Republic of the Congo. It joined the United Nations on 20 September 1960, the same day as the Republic of the Congo: if a list shows only one Congo admitted on that date, it has merged two countries into one.
Names that do not belong
Cape Verde as a separate country. As explained under Cabo Verde above, Cape Verde is the old English name for Cabo Verde, not a second country. A list that shows both Cabo Verde and Cape Verde has counted one country twice.
Cayman Islands, Cook Islands and Curacao. These three appear on at least one high ranking C list, and none of them belongs here. The Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. Curacao is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, not a sovereign state with its own UN seat. The Cook Islands are a self governing island country in free association with New Zealand, and they are not a UN member state. All three are real places, but a list of sovereign countries cannot include them.
Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia did exist, and it was a UN member, but it ceased to exist on 1 January 1993 when it split into Czechia and Slovakia. A list of countries that start with C in the present tense cannot include it, and it cannot include both Czechoslovakia and Czechia, which would double count the same territory.
Northern Cyprus. As explained under Cyprus above, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognized only by Turkey. It has no UN seat, so it is not counted separately from Cyprus.
Taiwan. Taiwan is not a UN member state, and its UN seat is held by the People’s Republic of China. It is not counted here, and it does not begin with C in any case.
Why lists disagree
Nearly every disagreement about this list comes from one of four causes. First, the missing Congo: lists that write Congo once, without distinguishing Congo-Brazzaville from Congo-Kinshasa, end up with 17 names instead of 18. This is the most common error. Second, old names: lists that file Côte d’Ivoire under I for Ivory Coast, or that use Cape Verde instead of Cabo Verde, or that list the Democratic Republic of the Congo under D or Z, will differ from a current short form list. Third, what counts as a country: lists that quietly include territories like the Cayman Islands, the Cook Islands or Curacao will always be longer than lists of sovereign states, and lists that include them while missing a Congo can still land on 18 by accident, with the wrong 18 names. Fourth, simple copying: letter lists are among the most copied pages on the internet, and an error in one popular list propagates for years. The fix for all four is the same: build the list from the full UN member list, use current short form names, count both Congos, and state the standard you used, as this article does.
Countries that start with C at a glance
- How many: 18 sovereign states
- The full list: Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechia, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- By region: Africa 8 (Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo); the Americas 5 (Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba); Asia 3 (Cambodia, China, Cyprus); Europe 2 (Croatia, Czechia)
- Largest by total area: Canada, followed by China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Smallest by land area: Comoros and Cabo Verde
- Most recent to join the UN: Czechia, 19 January 1993
- Not on the list, despite appearances: Cape Verde as a separate entry, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Curacao, Czechoslovakia, Northern Cyprus
Frequently asked questions
How many countries start with the letter C?
Eighteen. Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are the only sovereign states whose short form names begin with C, based on the United Nations member state list.
Why do most lists say there are 17 countries that start with C?
Because they count only one Congo. There are two sovereign states called Congo: the Republic of the Congo, with its capital at Brazzaville, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with its capital at Kinshasa. Count both, and the total is 18. Some lists also lose Côte d’Ivoire by filing it under I for Ivory Coast, which has the same effect.
Is Côte d’Ivoire the same as Ivory Coast?
Yes. Côte d’Ivoire is French for Ivory Coast, and it is the name the country uses at the United Nations. Until the end of 1985 it was commonly called Ivory Coast in English, so older lists file it under I. Under its current name, it belongs under C.
What is the difference between the two Congos?
The Republic of the Congo, or Congo-Brazzaville, is the smaller country, on the western side of the Congo River, with its capital at Brazzaville. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, or Congo-Kinshasa, is much larger, on the eastern and southern side of the river, with its capital at Kinshasa. The two capitals face each other across the river. They are separate sovereign states, both admitted to the United Nations on 20 September 1960, and they should never be merged into a single entry.
Is Cape Verde a different country from Cabo Verde?
No. Cabo Verde is the current official name, in Portuguese, and Cape Verde is the older English translation of the same name. The country asked in 2013 that its name no longer be translated, so current lists use Cabo Verde. Counting both names would count one country twice.
Are the Cayman Islands, the Cook Islands and Curacao countries that start with C?
No, not as sovereign states. The Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory, Curacao is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands without its own UN seat, and the Cook Islands are in free association with New Zealand and are not UN member states. They are real places, but they do not belong on a list of sovereign countries.
What is the largest country that starts with C?
By total area, Canada, which is the second largest country in the world overall. By population, China is the largest C country, although India has now passed China as the most populous country in the world overall.
Sources & references
- United Nations, Member States list (193 member states; C names and admission dates used for the count, including Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo). https://www.un.org/about-us/member-states?blocks=0&f%5B0%5D=field_un_themes%3A35
- Member states of the United Nations, full list with admission dates and name change notes (Cabo Verde previously referred to as Cape Verde, with the request of 24 October 2013 not to translate the name; Côte d'Ivoire referred to as Ivory Coast until 31 December 1985; Czechia name changed from Czech Republic on 17 May 2016; Democratic Republic of the Congo used the name Zaire from 27 October 1971 to 16 May 1997; Congo admitted 20 September 1960). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_the_United_Nations
- United Nations, Secretary-General statement SG/SM/9040, Secretary-General Hails Anniversary of Costa Rica's Abolition of Its Armed Forces (Costa Rica abolished its armed forces on 1 December 1948). http://unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/pressrels/2003/sgsm9040.html
- CIA World Factbook, Central African Republic (capital Bangui; former names Ubangi-Shari and Central African Empire). https://theworldfactbook.org/country/ct.html
- CIA World Factbook, Côte d'Ivoire country entry via archived Factbook text (capital Yamoussoukro as legislative capital and Abidjan as administrative and economic capital; former name Ivory Coast; name reflects the ivory trade). https://bandarlampung.imigrasi.go.id/atp/api/crawl-website.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fweb.archive.org%2Fweb%2F20230112143845%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cia.gov%2Fthe-world-factbook%2Fcountries%2Fcote-divoire%2F
