Across the 195 countries in the world, each one has a different way of referring to itself. For many, the population either views their home as one of two things: the Motherland or the Fatherland—both have different histories, connotations and reasons as to why.

However, some countries don’t refer to either; the US is frequently called “the Homeland”, as well as Slovenia and Turkey. The title “land of ancestors” is used by China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.

In some cases, these terms have been utilised for political reasons – mainly in different forms of propaganda. Whether to inspire populations, create an image or to justify actions, these terms have been central in orchestration.

In English, Fatherland is the older of the two terms, dating back to around 1200. The word itself has its roots in the Germanic language, and is used mainly by countries with predominantly Germanic-speaking populations: Iceland, Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands and most famously Germany have terms equating to “Fatherland”, with both the German and the Dutch national anthems using this term.

Outside of Germanic-based language, the term exists in Slavic-speaking countries such as Poland, Ukraine, Czechia and Bulgaria. Along with, Thailand, Somalia, Pakistan, Nigeria and Greece mainly refering to their home as the “Fatherland” or a similar name.

For many English speakers, the term Fatherland is closely linked with patriotism as a result of the Greek term itself. The Ancient Greek term “patris”, is the direct root of the English word patriotism; subsequently, Fatherland is viewed as a nationalist concept by many.

Motherland is a more recent term, with its first origins in English arising around 1500. Excluding English, older forms have Romantic origins – the Roman Empire referred to Rome and its surroundings as the Motherland. The UK is also often referred to as the Motherland, as well as India, Indonesia and the Philippines.

An issue with classifying the parental condition of a country emerges within languages with gendered forms. This is typical in Latin origin speaking countries such as France, Italy and Spain, where the title is “Fatherland” but the word itself is feminine. The Latin equivalent of Fatherland, pater, is feminine and creates the term “Mother Fatherland” in the aforementioned countries.

A third, non-parental form is the term “Homeland”. First used in English in the 1600s, the name is used most famously by the US, however, not in direct labelling of the country itself. The Department of Homeland Security was created in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Referring to domestic safety as “homeland” security has created a strong sense of distaste towards the word due to the actions of the department. The treatment of migrants, Asian-Americans and overall treatment of non-white Americans has led to “Homeland” being viewed as “grating”, according to Peggy Noonan, a Wall Street Journal columnist.

Homeland is used with more popularity in both Slovenia and Turkey; Turkey describes the country, translated into English, as “Mother Homeland”.

Opinions about why Fatherland or Motherland is the preferred choice vary amongst individuals. One presented argument is that it is the nation (Fatherland) vs the land itself (Motherland). Fatherland is shown to have connotations of government, militia, infrastructure and order whereas Motherland appears to suggest a nurturing and loving environment. These ideas could perhaps stem from the preconceived stereotypes we hold over parental roles; a warm, nurturing mother and a tough, disciplined Father. Therefore, adopting the terms by choice is a reflection of how we view the terms “mother” and “father”. If you wanted to portray yourself as strong, militant and patriotic, the term Fatherland would be more appropriate. Alternatively, to be seen as generous and caring, Motherland is more appropriate. Directly associating a country with these connotations, as a result, helps them form an image that may not be an accurate representation of their actions.

Within propaganda, references to parental forms have been employed, and often weaponised. The most famous example to English speakers is the use of “Fatherland” in Nazi Germany. The government called upon German citizens to protect the Fatherland, by joining the call to arms. Anti-Nazi propaganda created in response likewise referred to Germany as the “Fatherland”, causing some English speakers to associate the word directly with Nazi Germany. German populations, however, do not hold the same association—”Fatherland” has since not become a stigmatised or loaded term.

In comparison, during the same period and onwards, Russia referred to itself as “Mother Russia”. The aim was to create the image that the Soviets were caring for the population—they even went as far as to build statues depicting Russia as a woman. The contrast between the two is stark and corresponds to the idea of the militant father and the nurturing mother. The extent to which the populations were cared for is disputed, but the success of the propaganda is evident as Mother Russia is often the example most people think of when they hear of gendered personifications. The reality is that the majority of Russians refer to Russia as the “Fatherland”.

A common use for gendered personification politically has been in attempts for independence from colonialism. Both India and Ireland used figures of women representing their respective countries as symbols of their resistance. Bharat India (Mother India) became the figure of the boycott of British goods in the fight for independence. In Ireland, Kathleen Ni Houlihan was used frequently by resistance groups such as the IRA as an Irish nationalist symbol in their fight against the British. The prominence of a woman as the overall figurehead of an independence movement could be reflective of our own views of women being caring and protective against danger or threat.

Israel has opted to not use gendered personification, but a title similar to that of “homeland”. Due to the disputed nature of their legitimacy in the region, there are various titles that Israel refers to itself; the most popular names being “The Promised Land”, “The Land” and “Birth Land”. Each has its own distinct connotation, all with attempts at justification. The term “Promised” implies the land is owed to them and “Birth Land” supports the idea of an ancestral homeland. Finally, the use of the definitive article “The” in “The Land” creates a distinction between Israel and other countries in promoting it as the designated place.

Overall, the emergence through time of countries adopting gendered personification, titles or other forms stems from a variety of reasons. Their distinction in political spheres can be linked to our own biases surrounding how we view maternal and paternal figures. These have been shaped through history and will continue to change as time goes on.