A comprehensive list of former names for Asian countries can be found on this website: http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/hist_country_names.htm#Asia The website includes the previous names of countries, the current names as well as some brief descriptions and historical recaps. Some of the countries that may be of interest are as follows:
The country we now know as Turkey was previously known as the Ottoman Empire. The named originated from the empire that was founded by Osman Gazi Khan in the 13th Century. Turkey was the base for the empire as they continued to gain control of various other areas of the world, including southeastern Europe.
Interestingly - the empire also seized control of Istanbul in 1453, which back then was known as Constantinople. The Ottoman Empire then reached a peak of authority in the 16th and 17th century when the controlled a large amount of land in Europe, Asia and North Africa. However - the empire began to lose a considerable amount of power towards the end of the 19th century and had completely dissipated by the end of the first World War.
The country that is today known as Iran has only had that name since 1935. Before then it was known as Persia; a historical empire that is widely documented both in history and in the media. Cyrus the Great was then controller of the empire and he conquered areas in Asia, Europe and Egypt.
However - in 330BC, Cyrus the Great was defeated and his empire conquered by the famous Alexander the Great. From here, the Arabic people gained control of the country by the year 651.
- Turkey
The country we now know as Turkey was previously known as the Ottoman Empire. The named originated from the empire that was founded by Osman Gazi Khan in the 13th Century. Turkey was the base for the empire as they continued to gain control of various other areas of the world, including southeastern Europe.
Interestingly - the empire also seized control of Istanbul in 1453, which back then was known as Constantinople. The Ottoman Empire then reached a peak of authority in the 16th and 17th century when the controlled a large amount of land in Europe, Asia and North Africa. However - the empire began to lose a considerable amount of power towards the end of the 19th century and had completely dissipated by the end of the first World War.
- Iran
The country that is today known as Iran has only had that name since 1935. Before then it was known as Persia; a historical empire that is widely documented both in history and in the media. Cyrus the Great was then controller of the empire and he conquered areas in Asia, Europe and Egypt.
However - in 330BC, Cyrus the Great was defeated and his empire conquered by the famous Alexander the Great. From here, the Arabic people gained control of the country by the year 651.
