# Are we the only United States? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 3, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-the-only-united-states/232203 "2004-03-03T01:05:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Thrillhouse15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@Thrillhouse15](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thrillhouse15)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-the-only-united-states/232203/1 "2004-03-03T01:05:54Z")
Citizens of the United States of America often refer to their country as “America,” which we all know is technically incorrect, as the region made up of North America and South America is technically “America.” We also often refer to our country as “The United States,” leaving off the “of America.” What I’m wondering is, are there other countries whose official name starts with or contains “The United States?” Many other countries have subdivisions within them called “states” (like the USA). So do any of these countries call themselves, officially, “The United States of something?” Like The United States of Russia, or the United States of Brazil? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-the-only-united-states/232203/2 "2004-03-03T01:11:25Z")
The United States of Mexico, but everyone just calls it Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-the-only-united-states/232203/3 "2004-03-03T01:17:58Z")
I just looked it up and it seems the proper English translation is actually “United Mexican States.” Close enough, though. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-the-only-united-states/232203/4 "2004-03-03T02:14:44Z")
Brazil, too, is “The United States of.” That is, if my long-ago high school teachers are to be believed. It is rarely called anything but Brazil, though. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-the-only-united-states/232203/5 "2004-03-03T02:23:29Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I just looked it up and it seems the proper English translation is actually “United Mexican States.” > > Close enough, though. 🆒 Yep, it’s _Estados Unidos Mexicanos_, not _Estados Unidos de Mexico_. I don’t know how to put an accent on the “e”, for all those nit-pickers out there! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Willmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ad7895/32.png) [@Willmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Willmore)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-the-only-united-states/232203/6 "2004-03-03T02:35:29Z")
I’m fairly sure that there has been a United States of Central America in the 19th century. ---
**Author:** ![Willmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ad7895/32.png) [@Willmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Willmore)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-the-only-united-states/232203/7 "2004-03-03T02:36:51Z")
here it is from wikipedia: The United States of Central America In 1823 the nation of Central America was formed. It was known alternately as “The United States of Central America” or “The United Provinces of Central America”, but most commonly simply as “Central America” (“Centroamerica”). The Central American nation consisted of the states of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. In the 1830s an additional state was added, Los Altos, with its capital in Quetzaltenango, occupying parts of what is now the western highlands of Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-the-only-united-states/232203/8 "2004-03-03T02:41:01Z")
You can copy and paste this one, **John** : é Or, use alt+0233 if you’re using a Windows machine. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2004, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-the-only-united-states/232203/9 "2004-03-03T02:51:33Z")
[United States of Central America Wikipedia link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Central_America#The_United_States_of_Central_America).