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(Click to enlarge. Photo Credit: foolfillment)

People of Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu in New Zealand claim that it is the longest place name in the world. In Maori, it means "The hilltop where Tamatea with big knees, conqueror of mountains, eater of land, traveller over land and sea, played his koauau to his beloved."

(Photo Credit: Chris McKenna)

But people of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch in Wales don't quite agree with the folks in New Zealand, and claim that their town has the longest place name.

So which one is it?

The answer is neither.

The longest place name in the world is กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลกภพ นพรัตน์ราชธานี บุรีรมย์อุดมราชนิเวศน์มหาสถาน อมรพิมานอวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะวิษณุกรรมประสิทธ which the rest of the world knows as just Bangkok. It is transliterated as Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit and translated as "The city of angels, the great city, the eternal jewel city, the impregnable city of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukam".

(Photo Credit: Bree Bailey, link to flickr)

The longest place name in the US is Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg in Webster, MA. The best English translation is "Englishmen at Manchaug territory at the meeting and fishing place at the boundary".

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