Depending on the definition, San Marino is the oldest country in the world.Image: www.imago-images.de
Countries don’t always exist, they were founded over time. But which country has the most years under its belt? We’ll tell you.
April 14, 2026, 9:06 p.mApril 14, 2026, 9:06 p.m
Jessica Rülicke-Jantz / t-online
It sounds like a simple question and yet the answer is not as simple as you might think. Which country is the oldest in the world depends on how you look at it and whether republics are counted. You can find out more with us.
The oldest country by year of foundation
According to the year it was founded Egypt the oldest country in the world. The founding dates back to around 3150 BC. Traced back to 400 BC, when King Narmer brought Lower and Upper Egypt together under his rule.
In 2013 there was a military coup in Egypt and a new constitution was drawn up. Since the date of the constitution of nation states is also viewed as the birth of a state, Egypt can also be seen as the youngest country in the world, although this is actually not true.
Egypt is a highlight for visitors today, not least because of its ancient culture. The ancient civilization of the Egyptians was already four centuries BC. Established in BC. Discover pyramids and exciting relics of the past that confirm the age of the country.
Top 3 oldest countries according to the year they were founded
Since many years of founding can only be estimated, it is difficult to determine the oldest country in the world. Here are the three top candidates:
- Egypt was born in 3150 BC. Founded in BC
- The Iran was 2600 B.C. Founded in BC
- India was 2500 B.C. Founded in BC
The oldest country according to the constitution
If you take the birth of the constitution as the basis for determining your age, San Marino the world’s oldest country. It was founded in 301 AD, the constitution was written in 1600. San Marino is not an official part of the EU, but is surrounded by Italy and uses Italian as its national language. The euro is the official currency here.
From this point of view, San Marino is not only considered the oldest country in the world, it is also the fifth smallest internationally recognized country. The dwarf state makes a name for itself with, among other things, football successes. Here the old motto “small but mighty” takes on a whole new meaning.
Top 5 oldest countries according to the constitution
According to the constitutions that are still valid today, San Marino is the absolute leader of the old countries. The United States of America (USA) only followed suit in 1787, making it the second oldest country in the world. The following countries can be found in the next three places:
- Great Britain with the constitution of 1801
- Finland with the constitution of 1809
- Norway with the constitution of 1814
But there are also countries with older constitutions that no longer apply today:
- If you see the Magna Carta as a constitution, that is United Kingdom in first place. The Magna Carta was drafted in 1215 and is still considered the most important source of English constitutional law today.
- The first constitution in Europe was written on May 3, 1791 Poland. Since Poland was divided three times, the constitution was repealed. After regaining independence and again after the fall of communism in 1989, May 3rd was made a national holiday in Poland: Constitution Day.
- On September 3, 1791, the French constitution transformed the absolutist monarchy into a constitutional monarchy France, which was abolished after just one year. The current constitution in France has been in force since October 4, 1958.
Did you know that the oldest country in the world can also be determined from a geological point of view? Then Australia would be the front runner. The landmass has existed for billions of years and has hardly changed since then.