Determining the “oldest country” isn’t as straightforward as it seems. While we can pinpoint the age of the Earth at approximately 4.54 billion years, measuring a country’s age requires considering fluctuating borders, evolving governments, and continuous cultural shifts. Some nations with profound histories, like Russia, are relatively young due to their recent formation (1991). So, what truly defines the oldest country in the world?
For our exploration, we’ll consider locations with a documented history of governance or significant organized civilizations within areas resembling modern-day country boundaries. While historians may never reach a consensus on the definitive “oldest country,” the following nations stand as strong contenders, each boasting a remarkable and enduring legacy.
Exploring the Contenders for the Title of Oldest Country
Here are some of the oldest countries in the world, each with a unique claim to historical significance:
10. San Marino: A Republic Through the Ages
San Marino, a microstate nestled on the Italian Peninsula, proudly holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest existing republic. Covering a mere 24 square miles (62.2 square kilometers), this tiny nation has remarkably maintained its independence for centuries. (For perspective, Vatican City is even smaller, at just 121 acres or 49 hectares.)
Tradition dictates that St. Marinus founded San Marino on September 3, 301 C.E. While historians debate this precise founding date, San Marino has undeniably functioned as a self-governing republic since at least the 13th century CE.
San Marino’s historic city center, centered around Monte Titano, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO recognizes San Marino as the “only surviving Italian city-state, representing an important stage in the development of democratic models in Europe and worldwide.”
Even during Napoleon’s conquest of Italy, San Marino’s sovereignty was respected. When Italy unified in 1861, San Marino’s independence was further solidified through formal treaties.
9. Japan: An Imperial Dynasty with Ancient Roots
Japan, like San Marino, boasts a semi-mythical founding date. The legendary Emperor Jimmu, believed to be a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu, is said to have established Japan’s imperial dynasty in 660 B.C.E., making Japan the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world.
Historians typically place the nation’s founding somewhat later, around the mid-4th century C.E., coinciding with the unification of the archipelago’s various states.
According to Britannica, the unification of Japan and the emergence of the Yamato court remain subjects of ongoing historical debate.
Regardless, it is widely accepted that humans have inhabited Japan since the Paleolithic era. The archipelago’s earliest inhabitants migrated from the Korean peninsula via land connections over what is now the Korea Strait.
8. Mexico: Echoes of the Olmec Civilization
The history of present-day Mexico stretches back to 1200 B.C.E. with the rise of the Olmec civilization. Located along the Gulf of Mexico and southern Mexico, the Olmecs are renowned for their colossal basalt heads, thought to represent Olmec rulers.
The Olmecs are credited with establishing the earliest form of writing in the Americas and participating in extensive trade networks. Their influence is evident in the later Mayan and Aztec cultures that dominated the region.
7. Greece: From Mycenaean Kingdoms to Modern Nation
The foundations of governance in present-day Greece predate even ancient Greece. Around 1600 B.C.E., the Mycenaean Civilization emerged, comprising multiple kingdoms, including Thebes and Athens, some of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
Historian Dr. Carol G. Thomas notes the pervasive control evident in Mycenaean society, as reflected in “walls, roads, inventories, and orders for production,” as well as the prominence of military activity in art and weaponry, signifying the character of Mycenaean control.
The Mycenaean Civilization flourished until the mid-12th century B.C.E., after which Greece entered its Dark Age. Despite this period of upheaval, the Mycenaeans’ cultural legacy endured, shaping the subsequent development of Greek society.
The Mycenaean ruins of Mycenae and Tiryns are now recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
6. China: From the Shang Dynasty to Modern Superpower
Government in China can be traced back to at least 1600 B.C.E. with the establishment of the Shang dynasty, the first non-legendary Chinese dynasty. While evidence for the preceding Xia dynasty remains elusive, the Shang dynasty marks a significant turning point in Chinese history.
The Shang dynasty controlled the northeastern region of present-day China, extending from Hebei Province in the north to Henan Province in the west. During their rule (circa 1600-1046 B.C.E.), the Chinese developed a 12-month, 360-day calendar and began developing the writing system that is still in use today.
The archeological site of Yin Xu, the capital city of the Shang dynasty in 1300 B.C.E., is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
5. Iraq: The Cradle of Civilization
Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) is often hailed as “the cradle of civilization.” This title alone suggests Iraq’s profound antiquity. But how old is it really?
One estimate places its founding at 2334 B.C.E., marking the beginning of Sargon’s reign. Sargon united the region’s city-states under the Akkadian empire, establishing the first Semitic dynasty. He ruled from the capital city of Akkad (or Agade), believed to be located somewhere on the Euphrates River, though its exact location remains undiscovered.
4. Armenia: Echoes of Ancient Origins
Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi’s “History of the Armenians” spans from creation to 428 C.E., placing the founding of Armenia at 2492 B.C.E. Until recently, there was limited evidence to support this early date.
However, a 2016 study published in the journal Nature uncovered genetic evidence of Armenian origins dating between 3000 and 2000 B.C.E. The study’s authors noted that “these mixture dates also coincide with the legendary establishment of Armenia in 2492 B.C.E.”
As historian Hovann Simonian told the New York Times, “This DNA study confirms in general outline much of what we know about Armenian history.”
The study also revealed a decline in genetic mixing around 1200 B.C.E., coinciding with the collapse of Bronze Age civilizations in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as a change in genetic makeup around 500 years ago, when the Ottoman-Persian wars divided Armenia in two.
If Khorenatsi’s account holds true, Armenia could be one of the oldest countries in the world.
3. India: A Subcontinent Steeped in History
In 2023, the United Nations declared India the most populous country in the world. It also stands as one of the world’s oldest.
The Indus Valley civilization thrived on the Indian subcontinent from 2500 B.C.E. until it was succeeded by the Vedic civilization around 1500 B.C.E. This civilization was the most extensive of the world’s three major early civilizations, alongside Mesopotamia and Egypt.
The Indus civilization stretched as far west as Sutkagan Dor near the Arabian Sea (in present-day Pakistan) and as far east as Alamgirpur, near India’s current capital city of New Delhi.
However, India’s history also includes a period of British rule, lasting nearly a century from 1858 to 1947. August 15, 1947, is celebrated as Independence Day, marking India’s re-emergence as a self-governing country.
2. Iran: Echoes of the Ancient Kingdom of Elam
The ancient kingdom of Elam was established in present-day Iran around 2600 B.C.E., with its capital city at Susa, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Archaeological evidence suggests urban life in Susa thrived from the fifth millennium B.C.E. to the 13th century C.E. At its peak under Shilkhak-In-Shushinak, Elam extended west to the Tigris River (modern-day Iraq) and south to Persepolis.
Due to limited available materials and the undeciphered Elamite language, much about Elamite culture and religion remains unknown.
However, it’s important to note that the Islamic Republic of Iran was established more recently, in 1979.
1. Egypt: A Legacy of Pharaohs and Pyramids
Egypt claims the title of the oldest country in the world if we accept its founding as 3150 B.C.E. This date marks the estimated beginning of the reign of Narmer, the first king of the first dynasty of Egypt, and the end of the predynastic period.
The Narmer Palette (circa 3200-3000 B.C.E.) suggests Narmer unified Upper and Lower Egypt, depicted through his wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt on one side and the Red Crown of Lower Egypt on the other.
Whether Narmer’s unification of Egypt is historically accurate, the Palette dates to “precisely the period in which Egypt first became a unified, powerful, wealthy, and literate state,” according to historian Robert J. Wenke in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt.
Alternative Perspectives on Measuring a Country’s Age
The age of a country can be measured in different ways. Here are a few alternative methods:
By Date of Self-Sovereignty
This method considers the date when a country became a sovereign state:
- Iran, 2600 B.C.E.
- India, 2500 B.C.E.
- China, 1600 B.C.E.
- Taiwan, 1600 B.C.E.
- Japan, 660 B.C.E.
- China, 221 B.C.E.
- Algeria, 202 B.C.E.
- San Marino, 301 C.E.
- France, 843 C.E.
- Austria, 976 C.E.
By Oldest Constitution
This approach focuses on the age of a country’s constitution. The United Kingdom’s Magna Carta is the oldest, though it is not fully in use today.
- United Kingdom, 1215
- San Marino, 1600
- United States, 1789
- Norway, 1814
- Netherlands, 1815
- Belgium, 1831
- New Zealand, 1852
- Argentina, 1853
- Canada, 1867
- Luxembourg, 1868
Conclusion: A Tapestry of Time and Civilization
Ultimately, determining the “oldest country in the world” depends on the criteria used. Whether considering continuous governance, ancient civilizations, or foundational documents, the nations explored here represent a rich tapestry of human history and enduring legacies. Each country offers a unique perspective on the long and complex journey of civilization.
