FYI: State, Territory, and Country Nicknames

The U.S. states and territories got their nicknames for several reasons. Some are from historical events, some from their crops, some due to weather, some due to plants and animals, and some based on sports teams. The countries operate in much the same manner. They get their nicknames due to their terrain shape and type, mythical creatures, historical events, and cultural practices. Enjoy.

State/Territory	Nicknames
Alabama	Cotton State, Yellowhammer State, Heart of Dixie
Alaska	The Last Frontier, Land of the Midnight Sun
Arizona	Grand Canyon State, Copper State
Arkansas	Natural State, Land of Opportunity, Hot Springs State
California	Golden State, Beach State
Colorado	Centennial State
Connecticut	Nutmeg State, Constitution State, Blue Law State
Delaware	First State or Diamond State
Florida	Sunshine State, Alligator State, Everglade State, Orange State
Georgia	Peach State, Empire State of the South, Goober State
Hawaii	Aloha State, Pineapple State, Youngest State
Idaho	Gem State, Spud State
Illinois	Prairie State, Land of Lincoln
Indiana	Hoosier State
Iowa	Hawkeye State
Kansas	Sunflower State, Jayhawker State
Kentucky	Bluegrass State, Hemp State, Tobacco State
Louisiana	Pelican State, Creole State, Sugar State
Maine	Pine Tree State, Lumber State
Maryland	Chesapeake State, Free State, Old Line State, Oyster State
Massachusetts	Bay State, Old Colony State, Pilgrim State, Baked Bean State
Michigan	Wolverine State, Great Lakes State, The Mitten State
Minnesota	North Star State, Gopher State, Land of 10,000 Lakes, Bread and Butter State
Mississippi	Magnolia State, The Bayou State
Missouri	Show Me State, Bullion State
Montana	Treasure State, Big Sky Country, The Last Best Place
Nebraska	Cornhusker State, Antelope State, Blackwater State
Nevada	Silver State, Sagebrush State, Battle Born State, Casino State
State/Territory	Nicknames
New Hampshire	Granite State, White Mountain State
New Jersey	Garden State
New Mexico	Land of Enchantment, Land of Sunshine
New York	Empire State, Excelsior State
North Carolina	Tar Heel State, Old North State
North Dakota	Flickertail State, Sioux State, Peace Garden State, Rough Rider State
Ohio	Buckeye State
Oklahoma	Sooner State, Native America
Oregon	Beaver State, Webfoot State, Pacific Wonderland
Pennsylvania	Keystone State, Quaker State, Coal State, Railroad State
Rhode Island	Ocean State, Little Rhody, Smallest State
South Carolina	Palmetto State
South Dakota	The Mount Rushmore State, Land of Infinite Variety, Coyote State
Tennessee	Volunteer State, Butternut State, Big Bend State
Texas	Lone Star State
Utah	Beehive State, Mormon State
Vermont	Green Mountain State
Virginia	The Old Dominion, Mother of Presidents, Horse Country
Washington	Evergreen State, Chinook State
West Virginia	Mountain State, Panhandle State
Wisconsin	Badger State, America’s Dairyland, The Mitten State, The Dairy State
Wyoming	Equality State, Cowboy State
American Samoa	Motu o Fiafiaga (Islands of Paradise)
District of Columbia	Nation’s Capital
Guam	Tano y Chamorro (Land of the Chamorro), Hub of the Pacific
Northern Mariana Islands	Håfa Adai (Hello), America’s Best Kept Secret
Puerto Rico	Isla del Encanto (Island of Enchantment)
U.S. Virgin Islands	America’s Caribbean, American Paradise

Country	Nicknames
Bhutan	Land of the Thunder Dragon
China	The Red Dragon
Indonesia	The Emerald of the Equator
Japan	Land of the Rising Sun
Mongolia	Land of the Blue Sky
North Korea	The Hermit Kingdom
Philippines	The Pearl of the Orient Seas
South Korea	Land of the Morning Calm
Sri Lanka	India’s Teardrop
Thailand	Land of Smiles
Singapore	The Lion City
Myanmar	Land of the Golden Pagodas
Hong Kong	Asia’s World City
Macau	Vegas of the East
Afghanistan	Graveyard of Empires
Israel	The Holy Land
Lebanon	Switzerland of the Middle East
Iraq	Cradle of Ancient Civilization
Burkina Faso	Land of the Upright Men
Egypt	The Gift of the Nile
Lesotho	The Kingdom in the Sky
Madagascar	The Red Island
Rwanda	Land of a Thousand Hills
South Africa	Rainbow Nation
New Zealand	Land of the Long White Cloud
Australia	Land Down Under
Venezuela	Land of Grace
United States of America	The Land of the Free
Paraguay	The Island Surrounded by Land
Guyana	Land of Many Waters
Chile	Land of Poets
Canada	The Great White North
Brazil	Land of the Palms (Pindorama)
Peru	Land of the Incas
Switzerland	Helvetia
Slovenia	The Sunny Side of the Alps
Italy	The Boot
Ireland	The Emerald Isle
Iceland	Land of Fire and Ice
Switzerland	Helvetia
England	Land of Hope and Glory
Belarus	The White Russia
Albania	Land of the Eagles
Austria	Land of Beauty and Music
Portugal	Lusitania
Spain	The Bull Skin
France	L’hexagone (The Hexagon)
United Kingdom	Albion
Norway	The Land of the Midnight Sun
Sweden	The Elongated Country
Finland	The Land of a Thousand Lakes
Denmark	Danevang
Netherlands	Holland
Belgium	The Flat Country
Luxembourg	The Grand Duchy
Germany	The Land of Poets and Thinkers
Austria	The Musical Centre of Europe
Poland	The Land of Fields
Czech Republic	Bohemia
Malta	The Land of Honey
Romania	The Land of Count Dracula
Estonia	Mary’s Land
Lithuania	The Land of Storks
Latvia	The Land of Blue Lakes
Ukraine	The Bread Basket of Europe
Turkey	Anatolia
Slovakia	The Heart of Europe
Moldova	Bessarabia
Hungary	The Land of Magyars
Croatia	Our Beautiful
Serbia	Rascia
Bosnia and Herzegovina	The Heart Shaped Land
Montenegro	The Black Mountain
Kosovo	The Land of Freedom
Albania	The Land of Eagles
Bulgaria	The Land of Roses
North Macedonia	The Land of the Sun
Greece	Hellas
Cyprus	The Island of Love