The name Puntland gestures at a contested ancient Egyptian trading region

Evidence

The name refers to the mysterious ‘Land of Punt’ frequented by ancient Egyptian expeditions in search of myrrh and frankincense. This location is by no means uncontroversial, and the letter ‘p’, ironically, does not occur in Somali, being pronounced as ‘b’. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 924

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explains the etymology of ‘Puntland’ as a political name, tying regional identity claims to an ancient toponym.
• QUESTION: The irony of the letter ‘p’ not existing in Somali is worth noting — how do Somalis actually render the name?