I mean, take USA for example, is it even the same country after each amendment? After a Civil War? Civil Rights Movement? Landmark Court Rullings?
One could argue that Modern America began in 1965, with the passing of the Civil Rights Act. Or in 2001 when the Patriot Act was passed. Or in 2009 with Citizens United Court Ruling. Or in January 2017 when… you know. Or in January 2025.
When did the country really start?
Supposedly Australian aboriginal groups have lived in the same region for 40k+ years.
They have regional consistency, genetic continuity over which culture gradually evolved each generation.
Does that count?
This is kind of a hilarious post from a US perspective. Legitimate question from the perspective of some European countries, hilariously naive trying to apply it to the US.
There are Americans that believe the US is one of the oldest countries in the world ie. if you start counting from when nation-states became a thing. Its a super hilarious question from an Indian, Chinese or African perspective. Really almost anywhere in Eurasia.
We get called the oldest democracy currently in existence. But that streak appears to have ended.
San Marino is probably the best candidate IMO
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Marino
San Marino claims to have been founded in AD 301 and to be the oldest extant sovereign state and the oldest constitutional republic.
Apparently the Isle of Man’s parliament is around 1000 years old, but it’s not a country
Really relies on what you define as a “country”, and how those definitions might have changed across time, or might not even have existed at all.
The US is probably one of the easiest ones.Enter Europe:
Has the German Reich been a country?
Then what about the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, which today is undoubtetly a country but has also been a part of the German Reich, following its king?Similar for other claims of age.
We have e.g. 3 “oldest” cities in my country, each relying on a slightly different definition of “city”.Iran and Egypt
These are actually really interesting examples.
Take Iran:
On the one hand the area where it is located has had organized societies occupying it for an insanely long time.
This would make it one of the oldest countries by this definition.On the other hand: when asked the question if the current Iran was the same country as back in the 1970’s, I would certainly say: “No.”
Occupied area and even some of the people might still be the same, but the cultural, societal and governmental characteristics have changed too radically to still be considered the same.
So, by this definition, Iran would be one of the youngest countries.I think that uncertainty is what OP was getting at:
How much change do we allow to still consider a country the same as at a previous time in history?That makes sense and I agree with the changes in Iran would make it one of the youngest. Not sure of cultural changes through the AD time period. 3000 BCE is the stat for Iran “beginning”, that’s a long ass time lol.
I agree though, and it’s almost an impossible question to answer because every country has gone through cultural changes.
I would say a better answer would be the Sentinelese people on North Sentinel Island. Untouched culture and isolation from the rest of the modern world for 60k years.
