Toponymic Etymology

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Pyongyang

Pyongyang - from Korean for “flat land” or “peaceful land”.

Not so peaceful today.

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Valencia

Valencia - from Sp. Valencia, from L. Valentia “strength, valor”. The Spanish city was settled by Roman soldiers after the victory over an Iberian pretender, according to Livy.

My heart goes out to those in Venezuela.

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Iran

Iran - “compatriots”, from Farsi Iran, from Middle Persian Ērān, “(land) of the Iranians”, genitive plural of ēr-, “an Iranian”, from Old Persian *arya-, “Iranian”, from Indo-Iranian *ārya- which likely meant “compatriot”

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Argentina

Argentina - from L. argentinus "of silver", from L. argentum "silver", from PIE *arg-ent-, from PIE *arg- "to shine; white"

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Albania

Albania - from Gk. Αλβανια (Albania), either from a pre-IE word *alb- "hill" or from PIE *albho- "white". The endonym of Albania is Albanian Shqipëri "land of eagles".

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Italy

Italy - from L. Italia, from Gk. Ιταλια (Italia), from Oscan Viteliu "Italy", of unknown origin, traditionally said to be from the Vitali, a tribe in Calabria, whose name is possibly related to L. vitulus "calf". Other theories include: being named for a man named Italus; being from an Illyrian word; and coming directly from L. vitulus "calf", as "land of cattle".

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Tibet

Tibet - from Semitic Ṭībat or Tūbātt, from Turkic Töbäd "heights"

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Switzerland

Switzerland - derived from the name of a Swiss canton, Schwyz,  of unknown origin

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Krakow

Krakow - from name of supposed founder, Krak

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Ohio

Ohio - from Seneca/Iroquoian ohi:yo' "good river"

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Bangladesh

Bangladesh - from Bengali বাংলা (Banla) "Bengali" + Bengali দেশ (desa) "country". Bengal from either the name of a Dravidian people who settled in the area around 1000 BC, or the name of a sun-god.

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Detroit

Detroit - from Fr. détroit "straits", from L. districtum "busy, occupied engaged", from L. distringo "draw apart, stretch out", from L. dis- "against, not" + L. stringo "bind, tie"

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Belgium

Belgium - from L. Gallia Belgica, from L. Gallia "Gaul" + L. Belgica "of the Belgae". The Belgae were a Germanic people who lived in the area. Belgae is from Proto-Celtic *belg-, *bolg- "to swell with emotion (esp. anger)", from PIE *bhelgh- "to swell, bulge, billow"

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France

France - from L. Francia "land of the Franks"

Extrae Essentiae - The Franks used a weapon called a frank, a kind of throwing axe. They were so well-known for using this weapon that it is unknown whether the people get their name from the weapon or the weapon gets its name from the people.

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Russia

Russia - from L. Russi "Russians", from Russian Русь (Rus), the name of a state in the area formed by Varangians, and the people who lived there. Rus' is most likely from Old Norse, which would then give it the meaning "men who row"

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Sichuan

Sichuan - shortened form of Qi. 四川路 (Sì Chuānlù) "four circuits of rivers", a shortened form of Qi. 川峡四路 (Chuānxiá Sìlù) "four circuits of rivers and gorges"

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Serbia

Serbia - Serb + -ia "land of". Serb from Serbian srb, a word with unknown meaning, but possibly means "man"