Countries That Start with D | Facts & Example

Introduction

There are only five sovereign countries in the world that start with the letter D. Whether you are writing a geography assignment, answering a quiz question, or checking a fact for academic writing, spelling country names correctly is important.

This article lists:
1. Every country that starts with D.
2. Provides key facts about each one.
3. Explains how to use these country names in sentences.
4. Highlights countries that end with the letter D.

Tip:

Country names such as Djibouti and Dominican Republic can be easy to misspell or confuse. Trinka’s free grammar checker can help you check spelling, grammar, and consistency in your writing from the very first sentence.

What Are All the Countries That Start With D?

There are exactly five sovereign nations that begin with the letter D:

Each country is located in a different part of the world or belongs to a distinct region. Let’s look at each one in detail.

What Is the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as the DRC, is located in Central Africa.

It is the second-largest country in Africa by land area and has a population of more than 100 million people.

The country is home to a large part of the Congo rainforest, one of the most important tropical forests in the world.

The Congo River also flows through the region and is one of Africa’s major rivers.

Example sentence:
The Congo rainforest, which covers a significant portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the second-largest tropical forest in the world.

Spelling note:
Do not confuse the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the Republic of the Congo. They are two separate countries. Use the full country name when clarity is important.

What Is Denmark?

Denmark is a Nordic country located in Northern Europe. It is the only European country whose name starts with the letter D.

Denmark includes the Jutland Peninsula and hundreds of islands, many of which are inhabited.

The country is known for its design, cycling culture, high quality of life, and long-standing monarchy.

Example sentence:
Denmark is famous for its distinctive design, cycling-friendly cities, and one of the oldest monarchies in the world.

Spelling note:
Denmark is sometimes misspelled as Danemark or Dennmark. The correct spelling is Denmark. The adjective form is Danish.

What Is Djibouti?

Djibouti is a small country in the Horn of Africa. It borders Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia.

Djibouti has strategic importance because it is located near the entrance to the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.

Example sentence:
Djibouti, situated near the entrance to the Red Sea, is an important transshipment point for international shipping.

Spelling note:
Djibouti can be difficult to spell. The correct spelling is D-j-i-b-o-u-t-i.

What Is Dominica?

Dominica is a small island country in the Caribbean Sea. It lies between the French territories of Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Dominica is often called the Nature Isle of the Caribbean because of its rainforests, rivers, volcanic peaks, and natural hot springs.

Example sentence:
Dominica attracts eco-tourists who want to explore rainforests, volcanic hot springs, and natural landscapes.

Spelling note:
Dominica is not the same as the Dominican Republic. Dominica is an English-speaking island country, while the Dominican Republic is a Spanish-speaking country located on Hispaniola.

What Is the Dominican Republic?

The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It shares the island with Haiti.

The Dominican Republic is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Caribbean.

It is known for beaches, resorts, colonial-era architecture, and mountains such as Pico Duarte.

Example sentence:
Tourists visit the Dominican Republic for its beaches, resorts, and colonial architecture in Santo Domingo.

Spelling note:
Do not write Dominican’s Republic. The correct country name is Dominican Republic, with no apostrophe.

Which Region Has the Most Countries Starting With D?

The five countries that start with D are distributed as follows:

What Countries End with the Letter D?

Several country names end with the letter D. Some end with the suffix -land, while others simply end in d.

Countries That End With D

• Chad
• Finland
• Iceland
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• Poland
• Switzerland
• Thailand

Countries Ending in “-land”

• Finland
• Iceland
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• Poland
• Switzerland
• Thailand

How Do You Use Country Names Starting with D in a Sentence?

Some country names require the article the, while others do not.

Use “the” Before These Country Names

• The Democratic Republic of the Congo
• The Dominican Republic

Do Not Use “the” Before These Country Names

• Denmark
• Djibouti
• Dominica

Example Sentences

• I traveled to Denmark to learn more about its culture.
• The film I watched was set in Djibouti.
• Dominica is known as the Nature Isle of the Caribbean.
• We decided to visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• We booked our tickets for the Dominican Republic last week.

Conclusion

The five countries that start with ‘D’ are Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, and Dominican Republic.

While the list is short, some of these names are easy to misspell or confuse, especially Djibouti, Dominica, and Dominican Republic.

When using country names in academic, professional, or general writing, make sure your spelling and article usage are correct.