“Holy Land” and Other Nicknames of the World: Why Israel Found Itself at the Center of the Cultural Ranking

Israel has entered the international list of unofficial country names — a kind of cultural ranking where countries are represented not by formal names, but by established nicknames. These definitions are not artificially invented: they have historically formed and become entrenched in public consciousness through religion, geography, mythology, and mass culture.

This is not about diplomacy or politics. Such names live in textbooks, journalism, tourist reviews, and people’s conversations — where associations matter, not protocol.

The project Globas Statistics notes that in recent weeks the list has actively spread across international media and educational platforms. It is used as a tool for cultural navigation — a way to explain how exactly countries are perceived beyond their own borders.

In this context, Israel is designated as Israel — “The Holy Land”. This is one of the few definitions that is equally recognizable in three world religions. Israel occupies a central place in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and the expression “The Holy Land” has been used for centuries in sacred texts, chronicles, and modern international discussions.

The creators of the ranking emphasize: the list has no official status and carries no political weight. It is the result of analyzing which names have truly taken root in languages and cultures — from Europe to Asia and the Middle East.

Besides Israel, the list includes dozens of countries, each with its own established image:

— USA — “Land of Freedom”
— China — “Red Dragon”
— Egypt — “Gift of the Nile”
— France — “Land of Love”
— Turkey — “Gateway between East and West”
— Russia — “Land of Tsars”
— United Kingdom — “Land of Hope and Glory”
— Saudi Arabia — “Land of the Two Holy Mosques”
— Greece — “Cradle of Western Civilization”
— Morocco — “Gateway to Africa”
— Germany — “Land of Poets and Thinkers”
— Poland — “Land of Fields”
— Romania — “Land of Dracula”
— Ukraine — “Breadbasket of Europe”
— Qatar — “Land of Wealth”
— UAE — “Land of Innovation”
— Georgia — “Land of the Golden Fleece”
— Armenia — “Land of Stones”
— Belarus — “Land of Swamps”
— Moldova — “Land of Vineyards”
— Cyprus — “Island of Aphrodite”
— Kazakhstan — “Land of the Great Steppe”
— Japan — “Land of the Rising Sun”

In total, there are 116 countries on the list. For some, it’s a reason to smile, for others — to think about how the country looks in the eyes of the world not through politics, but through culture, history, and symbols.

For Israel, the definition “The Holy Land” remains not just a poetic image, but a part of global perception that has been formed over millennia and continues to influence the international context today. It is in this dimension — cultural, meaningful, human — that such rankings are analyzed by NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency, capturing how countries exist in the world’s imagination, not just on political maps.