# Any Country Never Taken Over? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 23, 2018, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389 "2018-02-23T03:38:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/21 "2018-02-23T12:20:08Z")
Note that [Iceland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland_in_World_War_II) was occupied during WWII, first by the UK and then by the US. The US occupation actually began before Pearl Harbor! (It was a quasi-sovereign nation at the start of the occupation but later declared complete independence.) Japan was also occupied by the US, the UK and allies as well. I’m guessing occupied countries aren’t counting here, but if it does it rules out several more. OTOH you have to consider whether China, for example, was “occupied” by the Mongols and Manchus or not. Neither group replaced the native Chinese and only took over the top government apparatus. And then it’s a slippery slope to many other such examples. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/22 "2018-02-23T12:41:27Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Take Great Britain. First the Celts were there. Then the Anglo-Saxons came in, and took it from them. Then the Normans conquered the island in 1066. (I shutter to think who the Celts took it from.) Your grasp of history is on the shaky side. In this context, Great Britain is not a country, it’s just a land mass like Scandinavia or the Balkans. The Britons occupied most of Great Britain, with the Picts in the northern half of what’s now Scotland. Once the Romans lost power there were many small kingdoms across the island. The Saxons only took a small part of what’s now Scotland from the Britons (in other words there are huge areas that they did not occupy). The Gaels/Scots came from Ireland and conquered the Pictish and British kingdoms, and then permanently conquered the northern part of the northernmost Saxon kingdom, roughly the area between Stirling and Berwick-on-Tweed. The Normans did not ‘conquer the island’ in 1066 - the Scottish kingdom was by then well established and it was not involved with the battle of Hastings. The Normans did inveigle their way into Scottish life in subsequent centuries, but it’s important to understand that “England” does not equate to “Britain”. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/23 "2018-02-23T12:48:59Z")
There’s also the question as to where you draw the line between the OP’s idea of taking over a country, and some people moving into an area that might be sparsely populated (as must have been the case everywhere at some time) by other people who had no notion of themselves and the land they used as a “country”. Maybe neither group had such an idea of themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/24 "2018-02-23T13:10:22Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > What about Basque? de Gama, or Núñez de Balboa? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/25 "2018-02-23T13:41:03Z")
Do partial or short-lived conquests count? How about vassal or protectorate status? Whatever the answers to these, Thailand is not a solution to OP. England hasn’t been taken over since 1066 (excepting the short-lived loss of sovereignty to the E.U.) but the ethnic/linguistic Thais may have had little or no presence in Thailand by 1066. Instead various parts of the country were controlled by Mon, Khmer, Burmese and Malays — the land was then “taken over” by Thai invaders from the North. Even after the establishment of Thai kingdoms, there were constant wars fought against neighboring non-Thai kingdoms. For example, [according to Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Toungoo_Empire), in 1580 almost all of present-day Thailand was dominated by the Toungoo (Burmese) Empire. And of course, the Kingdom of Siam surrendered to the Empire of Japan just hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/26 "2018-02-23T13:46:08Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Note that [Iceland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceland_in_World_War_II) was occupied during WWII, first by the UK and then by the US. The US occupation actually began before Pearl Harbor! I don’t think either of those counts as the kind of “taking over” the OP seems to mean, although they’re welcome to correct me on that. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/27 "2018-02-23T13:53:55Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Unlike Iceland, Pitcairn isn’t a country, it’s a territory of Britain. Otherwise lots of little isolated island territories would doubtless qualify. It’s not entirely clear what the OP has in mind. While he does speak of “countries,” he also speaks of “original inhabitants.” The territory of the US was not a country in the sense of a nation-state when taken over by other countries. North Sentinel is probably occupied by descendants of the people who originally colonized the island, and is not under direct control by anyone else. However, it is under the political control of India (and before that, Britain). India could take control of the island whenever it chooses to; it simply has not chosen to up to this point. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/28 "2018-02-23T14:07:47Z")
China … Lots of wars, lots of petty kingdoms, lots of invasions … but these were all Chinese people in a broader sense of the word … I don’t think that area was ever _completely_ overrun by foreigners … meh, it’s the Chinese who claim to be the oldest country in the world … ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/29 "2018-02-23T14:24:43Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > I don’t think that area was ever _completely_ overrun by foreigners You seem to forget the [Mongols](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_conquest_of_China), who were not Chinese and conquered all of China proper and more. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/30 "2018-02-23T14:25:19Z")
The UK is still screwing people in the Indian Ocean. _Chagos islanders who were expelled in the 1960s to make way for military bases will not be allowed to return to their Indian Ocean homes, the British Foreign Office has announced, citing the UK’s interest in its “defence relationship” with the US._ > **[Chagos islanders cannot return home, UK Foreign Office confirms](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/16/chagos-islanders-cannot-return-home-uk-foreign-office-confirms)** > > Decision follows decades of failed legal challenges by people who were removed to make way for military bases Side note. BIOT (British Indian Ocean Territory) is an exceptionally beautiful area popular with fishermen and sailors. The assholes in London want it all for “defense.” Trust me, it makes Wake Island look like a continent, so there’s little defense value, except for that Navy Base at Diego Garcia, which the US happily agreed to allow the UK to steal from the population so they could lease it. ETA, was popular. Getting a permit to visit takes up to 9 months. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/31 "2018-02-23T14:26:51Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > The assholes in London want it all for “defense.” **Moderator Note** Let’s refrain from political jabs in General Questions. No warning issued, but keep your comments factual. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/32 "2018-02-23T14:34:25Z")
Tonga? They did have a treaty with Britain which had the UK look after their foreign affairs but Tonga never gave up sovereignty. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/33 "2018-02-23T14:37:50Z")
Yeah, I’m not sure whether swelling and shrinking borders, over centuries, really necessarily means invasion. Or if a region being dominated by a neighbour counts as actually losing your country to another power. Ditto things like surrender to the Japanese, when they never took control of the country, as pure political expedience during a time of war, should count either. I think maybe terms need to be defined more clearly for this discussion. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/34 "2018-02-23T14:38:00Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > You would understand that only if you had completely misread the OP. The OP says the contrary: that the US was taken from its original inhabitants. (Well, actually, areas that became the US were taken from their original inhabitants by Britain, France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Russia.) Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/35 "2018-02-23T14:39:11Z")
The United States has never been taken over, full stop. Whatever geographical or political entities existed in the North American landmass prior to the establishment of the United States was not the United States. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/36 "2018-02-23T15:25:37Z")
The Cape Verde islands were uninhabited until the 1400s, when the Portuguese discovered them and began settling them. The islands were attacked a few times, but never conquered. They are now an independent nation. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/37 "2018-02-23T15:35:00Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > The United States has never been taken over, full stop. Whatever geographical or political entities existed in the North American landmass prior to the establishment of the United States was not the United States. A nitpick about the wording in the OP that is in no way relevant to the discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/38 "2018-02-23T15:51:31Z")
Easter Island? The original settlers went extinct but were never, AFAIK, conquered. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/39 "2018-02-23T15:54:23Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > I was going to say Thailand. Thailand was conquered by [Burma in 1350](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burmese%E2%80%93Siamese_War_(1765%E2%80%9367)) but reemerged shortly thereafter: > [@](#): > > Meanwhile, the Siamese leadership had grown desperate. The king and princes tried to escape the city but were driven back. The king finally offered to become a Burmese tributary but the Burmese, who had just received the king’s order to persevere, would not accept anything less than an unconditional surrender. Shortly after, Maha Nawrahta died of illness, and by royal decree was buried with extraordinary honours. Ne Myo Thihapate now assumed the role of sole commander-in-chief.[25] > > By late March, the Burmese had dug tunnels to the walls, and mined them. At 4 pm on 7 April, several sections of the wall were brought down by the mines underneath, and the Burmese troops supported by artillery fire stormed the walls. (Harvey reports the date as 28 March but the Konbaung Hset Chronicle gives Tuesday, 5th waxing of Tabaung 1125 ME, which is 7 April.[2]) The attackers finally breached the walls by sunset, and entered the city. The Siamese fought on inside the city but were eventually overwhelmed. Indiscriminate slaughter followed. Everything in sight was put to the torch.[25] Even images of the Buddha were hacked for the gold with which they were coated.[3] > > Tens of thousands of captives were led away to Burma in captivity. Virtually nothing was left of the 14th century Grand Palace, home to 33 kings of five dynasties, or the glittering Sanphet Prasat, used to welcome foreign envoys and state visitors. The Siamese king was found dead, identified by his brother Uthumphon. The Burmese brought Uthumphon and hundreds of Siamese nobles and members of the royal family to be resettled in Burma. The city of Ayutthaya, far greater than any in Burma, with a population said to rival contemporary London or Paris, was reduced to ashes by the “seemingly unstoppable Burmese military machine.”[23] > > So it was that the Ayutthaya Kingdom founded in 1350 came to its final end. But Siam was soon to reemerge. > [@septimus](#): > > And of course, the Kingdom of Siam surrendered to the Empire of Japan just hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. That’s a bit more tricky. Thailand didn’t surrender to Japan, it in fact joined the Axis and declared war on Britain and the United States. After brief resistance to Japanese forces, Thailand acceded to Japan’s demand that Japanese forces be allowed military passage through the country. Already by 1942 though there was a deep split in the government, with the country ostensibly allied to the Empire of Japan and at war with the Allies but with a large and active pro-Allied resistance movement. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389/40 "2018-02-23T16:04:09Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Easter Island? The original settlers went extinct but were never, AFAIK, conquered. The Polynesian population on Easter Island declined but was still present when Europeans arrived and when Chile took it over. You may be thinking of Pitcairn. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-country-never-taken-over/809389.md?page=3)