Longest- and shortest-lived nations?

[mobo85]

@bigbabysweets2000

Brainainia wasn’t around for more than a few weeks, right?

I think they still have a P.O. box somewhere.

[Epimetheus]

@Alive At Both Ends

Problem is, there’s no evidence for the existence of a Japanese nation either. Not only did the Ainu people occupy much of northern Honshu as well as Hokkaido, there was an ethnically Japanese people called the Emishi in eastern Honshu and another ethnically Japanese tribe called the Kumaso in Kyushu. The tribe which eventually won out, probably assimilating the other two and driving the Ainu out of Honshu, eventually became the Japanese nation; but this process wasn’t complete until about 800 CE. Before 400 CE it’s certainly meaningless to talk of a Japanese nation; there were several nations, none of which had control over the whole country. They didn’t think of themselves as a single nation, which is an essential requirement to be one.

Good info, thanks.

[nate_parrish]

Two that I believe are probably in the Top 10 of Youngest-Lived Nations:

#1 … The Republic of Texas … founded 02 MAR 1836 … recognized by the United States of America and the United Kingdom as an independent Republic in North America. The Republic of Texas was annexed into the United States 19 FEB 1846 by annexation due to the results of popular vote in the Republic. AGE: 9 years, 11 months, 17 days

#2 … The Confederate States of America … founded 17 FEB 1861 by a handful of states seceding from the United States of America … recognized as a sovereign nation solely by Great Britain but the French “stood on a fence” over the issue. The Confederate States capitulated 10 MAY 1865 when their President was captured by the United States Army and imprisoned for a forthcoming treason trial. AGE: 4 years, 2 months, 23 days

[Northern_Piper]

Britain never recognised the CSA as a state. It recognised the CSA as a belligerent under the laws of war, but that was not the same as recognising it as a sovereign state.

[dtilque]

You might note that you’re doing thread necromancy. Not a requirement, but nice to do.

The shortest-lived country with international recognition is probably the State of Somaliland which existed for 5 days in 1960. The current Republic of Somaliland claims to be the successor state, but it hasn’t gotten much recognition.

[jtur88]

You’re right about Somaliland, I thought of it as soon as I saw this thread resurface.

[Leo_Bloom]

I remember something repeated here and there in histories of Zionism and the IDF: “Large nations get conquered, small nations disappear,” or something like that. Does that sound familiar?

In modern history Poland and Italy are most often cited, I believe, as examples of the former, which definitely sucks, but not as bad as the latter.

[dtilque]

It should be noted that probably the only recognition the State of Somaliland got was from the UK, which granted them independence. They claim a number of other countries, but those recognitions were most likely for Somalia.

[Amateur_Barbarian]

@Baffle

I vote for the Republic of Hatay.

About ten seconds, right?

[Peter_Morris]

Youtube video : 10 Shortest Lived Countries

[Amateur_Barbarian]

@Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor

Even the written language had been eliminated. If we hadn’t located the Rosetta Stone, we wouldn’t be able to read one single inscription.

Not arguing your contention that Egypt’s history had a long break and thus doesn’t qualify for this argument, but I believe we would have deciphered hieroglyphics (and thus the two scripts) by now, probably around 1900, had it not been for the Rosetta Stone. There are many texts and thousands of points of context. It just had to stop being the hobby of a few French linguists.

[Kent_Clark]

North Borneo was officially granted independence from Great Britain on August 31, 1963 and joined the federation of Malaysia on September 16. It beats Sarawak, which gained independence on July 22.

Singapore also gained independence on August 31 and joined Malaysia on September 16, but it was kicked out of Malaysia not even two years later.