# What is the oldest country in the world **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 22, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117 "2015-12-22T18:59:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/1 "2015-12-22T18:59:57Z")
So I’ve got a theory that the UK is actually the oldest country in the world. Now if we’re to debate this we have to set up some rules on how a country qualifies. If the country was conquered, colonized, had their government change by violent or extra-legal means or military coup then the clock on that country starts over. For example if your country was occupied by Nazis your clock starts up in 1945. we can’t count the UK, or England, back to 1066 but only to the 1707 act of union although you might argue and take it back to when parliament took control after the glorious revolution (I’m not sure). ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/2 "2015-12-22T19:03:42Z")
In its current incarnation, it dates only from 1922. I would say the U.S is the oldest government established. Everybody else exist in their current form since later. ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/3 "2015-12-22T19:11:19Z")
Isn’t it[San Marino](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Marino)? And didn’t we have a thread like this? eta - yep: > **[Which country can claim to be the oldest uninterrupted democracy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=607731)** > > I’ve been reading and listening to a lot of British media recently. I’ve heard/read several times from reliable-seeming sources (e.g. Janan Ganesh, Chris Skidmore, Shami Chakrabarti) that Britain is the oldest continuous democracy in the world. But... > **[Is the US the oldest running government?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=273516)** > > I hope this question doesn’t sound too dumb, but someone brought it up in a chatroom and had a cite… They (the person in the chatroom) stated the following: “did you know the US has the longest-standing government in the world?” and cited this... > **[Oldest country??](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=159926)** > > I don’t really know if there is a definitive answer to this, but is there an OLDEST country in the world?? Nation?? Thanks, Ken ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/4 "2015-12-22T19:13:49Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > In its current incarnation, it dates only from 1922. > > I would say the U.S is the oldest government established. Everybody else exist in their current form since later. Why 1922? Because Ireland split? Then it seems like you have started a clock over when a country has lost part of its territory. Why include Ireland but not the US ceding the Canal Zone to Panama? Or, what is your criteria, and is it what the OP wants? ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/5 "2015-12-22T19:22:43Z")
> [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](#): > > Isn’t it[San Marino](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Marino)? > > And didn’t we have a thread like this? > > eta - yep: > > [Which country can claim to be the oldest uninterrupted democracy? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=607731) > [Is the US the oldest running government? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=273516) > [Oldest country?? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=159926) I didn’t realize I was supposed to resurrect old threads for discussion. Or are you saying that they had the definitive answer and nothing more can be said on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/6 "2015-12-22T19:52:59Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > I didn’t realize I was supposed to resurrect old threads for discussion. Or are you saying that they had the definitive answer and nothing more can be said on the subject. We’ve had this discussion before, and problem is that there’s no objective way to define when a country “starts over.” It’s like trying to define what the best country is. Everybody ends up setting the criteria so their favorite country wins, and/or their least favorite country doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/7 "2015-12-22T20:05:41Z")
Monaco? ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/8 "2015-12-22T20:15:50Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Monaco? Monegasque Revolution in 1910 led to an end to absolute monarchy and the creation of their constitution. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/9 "2015-12-22T20:23:34Z")
Sweden…no military occupations or violent revolutions. ---
**Author:** ![Torontonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/45deac/32.png) [@Torontonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torontonian)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/10 "2015-12-22T20:28:42Z")
Canada ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/11 "2015-12-22T20:45:31Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Everybody ends up setting the criteria . . . To be fair, that’s kind of par for the course around here. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/12 "2015-12-22T22:40:21Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Why 1922? Because Ireland split? > > Then it seems like you have started a clock over when a country has lost part of its territory. Why include Ireland but not the US ceding the Canal Zone to Panama? Ireland was actually part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The Canal Zone was never more than a territory owned by the US. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/13 "2015-12-22T23:37:48Z")
The Canal Zone is probably more analogous to the UK’s handover of Hong Kong. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2015, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/14 "2015-12-22T23:48:34Z")
Any big changes in Japan after the Meiji Restoration in 1868? ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/15 "2015-12-23T00:27:06Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Any big changes in Japan after the Meiji Restoration in 1868? They were conquered and had their government and constitution rewritten to please their conquers? ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/16 "2015-12-23T05:29:59Z")
Isle of Man would be my guess. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/17 "2015-12-23T05:42:39Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > They were conquered and had their government and constitution rewritten to please their conquers? But the Emperor stayed in power, which means that it could be seen as more of a sweeping reform than an actual change in government. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/18 "2015-12-23T05:48:44Z")
For Japan, I’d say the second half of 1500’s when Hideyoshi established some semblance of unity. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/19 "2015-12-23T08:13:47Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > But the Emperor stayed in power, which means that it could be seen as more of a sweeping reform than an actual change in government. No, it cant be seen that way. The Emperor did not stay in power. The government was wiped away ana the Americans ran Japan for several years. When Japan regained her independence, it was in no way connected to the old Japan. ---
**Author:** ![Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fool\_in\_the\_Rain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fool_in_the_Rain)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117/20 "2015-12-23T11:26:03Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > I didn’t realize I was supposed to resurrect old threads for discussion. Or are you saying that they had the definitive answer and nothing more can be said on the subject. No, I was just bringing more information to the thread, tis all… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-country-in-the-world/741117.md?page=2)