You have one or multiple letters each country and the country ends on those specific letters. Any letters between () symbols are letters that make out the beginning of the country's name. This is to prevent very easy countries, and also to help with countries like the ones that end with "Stan".
Had to guess all of the BIA countries to get Saudi Arabia. United States is generally accepted for USA re: Hint of erica. One l and three p,s in Philippines.
There was no "AMBIA" in the quiz, yet i somehow forgot to add Zambia. So now i added Zambia for (Z)mbia, and Gambia is still, like it already was, (G)mbia
Note: DAN can also be SUDAN
-Edit: I've changed it to RDAN now.
Good quiz, surprisingly challenging.