Some early personifications in the Western world tended to be national manifestations of the majestic wisdom and war goddess Minerva/Athena, and often took the Latin name of the ancient Roman province. Examples of this type include Britannia, Germania, Hibernia, Helvetia and Polonia. Representations of the citizenry of a nation—rather than of the nation itself—are Deutscher Michel and John Bull.[1]
| Country |
Personification |
| Albania |
Mother Albania |
| Argentina |
Effigy of the Republic/Liberty/Progress/Fatherland, Gaucho |
| Armenia |
Mother Armenia (Mayr Hayastan; lit. "Mother Hayastan") |
| Australia |
Boxing kangaroo |
| Austria |
Austria |
| Brazil |
Efígie da República, the Candango (only in Brasília), the Bandeirante (only in São Paulo state) |
| Cambodia |
Preah Thaong and Neang Neak |
| Canada |
Mountie, Johnny Canuck, Le Vieux de '37 (French Canada), Adam Dollard des Ormeaux (used during the two World Wars as a military example), Miss Canada, Mother Canada (at the Vimy Memorial) |
| Czech Republic |
Švejk, Hloupý Honza, Český Vašek, Praotec Čech (Forefather Czech), Čechie, Double-tailed lion |
| Chile |
El Roto, El Huaso, La Carmela, Doña Juanita (an average Chilean woman from the countryside) |
| China |
Chinese dragon |
| Denmark |
Holger Danske |
| Dominican Republic |
Anacaona |
| Egypt |
Mother of the World (Om el-Donia) |
| England |
John Bull |
| Europe |
Europa |
| Finland |
Finnish Maiden (Suomi-neito) |
| France |
Marianne , Gallic rooster |
| Germany |
Germany: Germania, Arminius (Hermann der Cherusker), Deutscher Michel
Bavaria: Bavaria, Berlin: Berolina, Franconia: Franconia, Hamburg: Hammonia, Prussia: Borussia, Palatinate: Palatia, Saxony: Saxonia
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| Greece |
Athena, "Greece" of Delacroix |
| Honduras |
Juan Pueblo |
| Hungary |
Hungária/ Hunnia |
| Iceland |
The Lady of the Mountains (Fjallkonan) |
| Ireland |
Ériu, Kathleen Ni Houlihan, Hibernia, Granuaile |
| India |
Bharat Mata ("Mother India") |
| Indonesia |
Ibu Pertiwi |
| Israel |
Srulik, King David |
| Italy |
Italia Turrita |
| Japan |
Amaterasu Omikami, Samurai |
| Macedonia |
Mother Macedonia,[2] Macedonian lion (national symbol) |
| Malta |
Melita |
| Mexico |
Adelita |
| Netherlands |
Hans Brinker (outside the Netherlands), De Leeuw van Oranje, de Nederlandse Maagd` ("Netherlands Maiden"), (Zeeland: Zeeuws Meisje) |
| New Zealand |
Kiwi, Zealandia, Southern man (for the South Island) |
| Norway |
Ola Nordmann, Kari Nordmann, hist. Nór |
| Pakistan |
Pak Watan is a national personification and a term of endearment for Pakistan. |
| Palestinian territories |
Handala |
| Peru |
The chalán, La Madre Patria |
| Philippines |
Juan dela Cruz, Maria Clara |
| Poland |
Polonia |
| Portugal |
Zé Povinho, Eu nacional (National Self), Lusitania, República, Rooster of Barcelos |
| Russia |
Mother Russia/Mother Motherland, Russian Bear |
| Scotland |
Jock Tamson |
| Serbia |
Wolf (national personification based on Serbian tradition), Prince Marko (mythical hero, stereotype of the average Serb mentality), Kosovo Maiden, Typical Serb (bearded, stubborn man wearing a fur hat) |
| Slovenia |
Kranjski Janez ("John from Carniola", an average man from Slovenia's central region), Peter Klepec |
| Spain |
Hispania, Juan Español, Osborne Bull/Toro Osborne |
| Sweden |
Mother Svea |
| Switzerland |
Helvetia |
| Turkey |
Anatolia |
| United Kingdom |
Britannia, John Bull, Lion |
| United States |
Uncle Sam (government personification), Lady Liberty, Columbia, Brother Jonathan (obsolete), Johnny Rebel (The South, obsolete), Billy Yank (The North, obsolete) |
| Ukraine |
Cossack Mamay |
| USSR |
Mother Motherland |
| Venezuela |
Liberty's White Horse |
| Wales |
Dame Wales, Deffroad Cymru, the Awakening of Wales |
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French political cartoon from the late 1890s, depicting European powers and Japan carving their shares out of China who protests in vain.
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Norway, Denmark and Sweden joining hands in a 19th Century poster
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World War I recruiting poster featuring John Bull.
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James Gillray's cartoon on the 1803 Peace of Amiens, features a fat and non-marital Britannia kissing "Citizen François", a personifiaction of Revolutionary France never used by the French themselves
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Romania Breaking off Her Chains on the Field of Liberty, also by C. D. Rosenthal
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A later depiction of Romania as a woman in a World War I French caricature
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The figures in this late 18th century painting by Shiba Kōkan represent Japan, China, and the West.
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17th century map by Frederik de Wit showing mythological Europa as the continent's personification
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"Mrs. Britannia" and her daughter "Miss Canada" discussing "Cousin Jonathan"(the US) in a 1886 political cartoon
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