list of countries by date of nationhood

Below is a list of nations in chronological order of their nationhood. Nation-building is a long evolutionary process. It is therefore practically impossible to come up with a single date for a nation's "birth". However, most nations have accepted some dates in their respective histories as their symbolic starting points. This is usually done more for nationalistic propaganda than for scientific reasons. For many ancient and medieval nations these starting points are usually the dates when a nation was mentioned in a written document for the first time or simply a date from their national mythology. In Europe this often coincides with the ruler's conversion to Christianity. For post-colonial nations, starting with the United States, the beginning of nationhood is usually considered to be the date when independence was declared, granted or recognised. The following list is based on data published by the CIA, and is therefore restricted to nations whose independence is recognised by the USA. Independence dates earlier than 1919 should be treated with caution, since prior to the founding of the League of Nations, there was no international body to recognise nationhood, and independence had no meaning beyond mutual recognition of de facto sovereigns (the role of the League of Nations was effectively taken over by the United Nations after the Second World War). See also Disputed territories.

Before 1200

660 BC - Japan - traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu
550 BC – Iran – founding Persia by Cyrus the Great as an independent country
221 BC - China - unification under the Qin Dynasty
1 - Ethiopia - oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world
3 September, 301 - San Marino
486 - France - unified by Clovis
680 - Serbia - Vlastimirovic dynasty lead Serbs to the Balkans during the reign of Byzantine emperor Heraclius
681 - Bulgaria - unification of Bulgars and Slavs by Asparukh after the Byzantine empire was forced to sign a peace treaty with them.
843 - Scotland - unified by Kenneth mac Alpin
864 - Bulgaria - khan Boris becomes the first Bulgarian Christian king
9th century - England - Alfred the Great (871-899) the first King of England
10th century - Croatia - transformation of the medieval Croatian state into a kingdom under Tomislav around 925
930 - Iceland - founding of a central parliament (Alingi) for the newly settled country
966 - Poland - christianized after being unified by Mieszko I, the first Duke of Poland
10th century - Denmark - organized as a unified state by Harold Bluetooth around 980
1001 - Hungary - unification by King Stephen I
1025 - Poland - coronation of Bolesław Chrobry, the first King of Poland
1085 - Bohemia - coronation of Vratislav II, the first King of Bohemia
23 June 1128 - Portugal - from Kingdom of Leon
5 October 1143 - Portugal - king Afonso Henriques' rule recognized as independent
1156 - Austria - raised from a Bavarian margravate to an independent duchy under the Babenbergs
1180 - Serbia - first king Konstantin Bodin

1200-1799

1236 - Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Mindaugas becomes the first Grand Duke of Lithuania
1238 - Thailand - traditional founding date; never colonized
1278 - Andorra - formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel
1290 - Wallachia - traditional founding date
1 August, 1291 - Switzerland - date of the Federal Charter
1349 - Moldavia - founded by Bogdan I
1419 - Monaco - beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi
1492 - Spain - unification of several kingdoms
6 June, 1523 - Sweden - Gustav Vasa elected king
1579 - Netherlands - from Spain
1650 - Oman - expulsion of the Portuguese
26 March 1707 - Great Britain - union of England and Scotland
23 January, 1719 - Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein
1768 - Nepal - unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah
4 July, 1776 - United States - from Great Britain

1800-1899

1 January 1801 - United Kingdom - union of Great Britain and Ireland
1 January, 1804 - Haiti - from France
12 July, 1806 - Liechtenstein - from the Holy Roman Empire
20 July, 1810 - Colombia - from Spain
16 September, 1810 - Mexico - from Spain
18 September, 1810 - Chile - from Spain
14 May, 1811 - Paraguay - from Spain
5 July, 1811 - Venezuela - from Spain
1815 - Netherlands - became a constitutional monarchy
9 July, 1816 - Argentina - from Spain
28 July, 1821 - Peru - from Spain
15 September, 1821 - Costa Rica - from Spain
15 September, 1821 - El Salvador - from Spain
15 September, 1821 - Guatemala - from Spain
15 September, 1821 - Honduras - from Spain
15 September, 1821 - Nicaragua - from Spain
28 November, 1821 - Panama - from Spain
24 May, 1822 - Ecuador - from Spain
7 September, 1822 - Brazil - from Portugal
6 August, 1825 - Bolivia - from Spain
25 August, 1825 - Uruguay - from Brazil
1829 - Greece - from the Ottoman Empire
4 October, 1830 - Belgium - independence from the Netherlands
1839 - Luxembourg - from the Netherlands
27 February, 1844 - Dominican Republic - from Haiti
26 July, 1847 - Liberia
founded by American black slaves 1849 - Denmark - became a constitutional monarchy
17 March, 1861 - Italy - Kingdom of Italy unified under King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy
1 July, 1867 - Canada - granted self-government from UK
18 January, 1871 - German Empire - German Empire unification
9 May, 1877 - Romania - from the Ottoman Empire
3 March, 1878 - Bulgaria - from the Ottoman Empire
26 March, 1881 - Kingdom of Romania
12 June, 1898 - Philippines - from Spain
10 December, 1898 - Cuba - from Spain

1900-1939

1 January, 1901 - Australia - granted self-government as federation of UK colonies
20 May, 1902 - Cuba - from U.S. administration
3 November, 1903 - Panama - from Colombia
June 7, 1905 - Norway - union with Sweden dissolved
September 26, 1907 - New Zealand - granted self-government from UK
May 31, 1910 - South Africa - granted self-government from UK
January 1 (February 12, O.S.), 1912 - Republic of China - from Qing Dynasty
November 28, 1912 - Albania - from Ottoman Empire
December 6, 1917 - Finland - from Russia
February 24, 1918 - Estonia - from Russia
March 25, 1918 - Belarus - from Russia
November 1, 1918 - North Yemen - from the Ottoman Empire
November 11, 1918 - Poland - regained independence, proclaimed as a republic
December 1, 1918 - Iceland - became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown
August 19, 1919 - Afghanistan - from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs
July 11, 1921 - Mongolia - from China
December 6, 1921 - Ireland - from UK by treaty
1922 - Soviet Union - fall of the Russian Empire
February 28, 1922 - Egypt - from UK
October 29, 1923 - Turkey - successor state to the Ottoman Empire
February 11, 1929 - Vatican City - from Italy
September 23, 1932 - Saudi Arabia - Unification of the Kingdom
October 3, 1932 - Iraq - from League of Nations mandate under British administration

1940-1949

November 22, 1943 - Lebanon - from League of Nations mandate under French administration
June 17, 1944 - Iceland - from Denmark
August 15, 1945 - North Korea - from Japan
August 15, 1945 - South Korea - from Japan
August 17, 1945 - Indonesia - from the Netherlands
September 2, 1945 - Vietnam - from France
April 17, 1946 - Syria - from League of Nations mandate under French administration
May 25, 1946 - Jordan - from League of Nations mandate under British administration
August 14, 1947 - Pakistan - from UK
August 15, 1947 - India - from UK
December 30, 1947 - Romania - proclaimed as a republic
January 4, 1948 - Burma - from UK
February 4, 1948 - Sri Lanka - from UK
May 14, 1948 - Israel - from League of Nations mandate under British administration
May 23, 1949 - Federal Republic of Germany - from the western part of occupied Germany
July 19, 1949 - Laos - from France
August 8, 1949 - Bhutan - from India
October 1, 1949 - People's Republic of China - from Republic of China
October 7, 1949 - German Democratic Republic - from the eastern part of occupied Germany

1950-1959

December 24, 1951 - Libya - from Italy
November 9, 1953 - Cambodia - from France
January 1, 1956 - Sudan - from Egypt and UK
March 2, 1956 - Morocco - from France
March 20, 1956 - Tunisia - from France
March 6, 1957 - Ghana - from UK
August 31, 1957 - Malaysia - from UK
October 2, 1958 - Guinea - from France

1960-1969

January 1, 1960 - Cameroon - from French-administered UN trusteeship
April 4, 1960 - Senegal - from France
April 27, 1960 - Togo - from French-administered UN trusteeship
June 26, 1960 - Madagascar - from France
June 26, 1960 - Somalia - from the UK
June 30, 1960 - Democratic Republic of the Congo - from Belgium
July 1, 1960 - Somalia - from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship
August 1, 1960 - Benin - from France
August 3, 1960 - Niger - from France
August 5, 1960 - Burkina Faso - from France
August 7, 1960 - Cte d'Ivoire - from France
August 11, 1960 - Chad - from France
August 13, 1960 - Central African Republic - from France
August 15, 1960 - Republic of the Congo - from France
August 16, 1960 - Cyprus - from UK
August 17, 1960 - Gabon - from France
September 22, 1960 - Mali - from France
October 1, 1960 - Nigeria - from UK
November 28, 1960 - Mauritania - from France
April 27, 1961 - Sierra Leone - from UK
June 19, 1961 - Kuwait - from UK
January 1, 1962 - Samoa - from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship
July 1, 1962 - Burundi - from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration
July 1, 1962 - Rwanda - from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship
July 5, 1962 - Algeria - from France
August 6, 1962 - Jamaica - from UK
August 31, 1962 - Trinidad and Tobago - from UK
October 9, 1962 - Uganda - from UK
December 12, 1963 - Kenya - from UK
April 26, 1964 - Tanzania - from UK-administered UN trusteeship
July 6, 1964 - Malawi - from UK
September 21, 1964 - Malta - from UK
October 24, 1964 - Zambia - from UK
February 18, 1965 - The Gambia - from UK
July 26, 1965 - Maldives - from UK
August 9, 1965 - Singapore - from Malaysian Federation
May 26, 1966 - Guyana - from UK
September 30, 1966 - Botswana - from UK
October 4, 1966 - Lesotho - from UK
November 30, 1966 - Barbados - from UK
November 30, 1967 - South Yemen - from the UK
January 31, 1968 - Nauru - from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship
March 12, 1968 - Mauritius - from UK
September 6, 1968 - Swaziland - from UK
October 12, 1968 - Equatorial Guinea - from Spain

1970-1979

June 4, 1970 - Tonga - from UK protectorate
October 10, 1970 - Fiji - from UK
March 26, 1971 - Bangladesh - independence from West Pakistan
August 15, 1971 - Bahrain - from UK
September 3, 1971 - Qatar - from UK
December 2, 1971 - United Arab Emirates - from UK
December 16, 1971 - Bangladesh - creation of the state of Bangladesh
July 10, 1973 - The Bahamas - from UK
September 24, 1973 - Guinea-Bissau - from Portugal (declaration)
February 7, 1974 - Grenada - from UK
October 19, 1974 - Niue - became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand
June 25, 1975 - Mozambique - from Portugal
July 5, 1975 - Cape Verde - from Portugal
July 6, 1975 - Comoros - from France
July 12, 1975 - So Tom and Prncipe - from Portugal
September 16, 1975 - Papua New Guinea - from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship
November 11, 1975 - Angola - from Portugal
November 25, 1975 - Suriname - from Netherlands
November 28, 1975 - East Timor - from Portugal (declaration)
- from Portugal / UN Trusteeship (recognition, East Timor was invaded by Indonesia from 1975 to 1999, officially Portugal never gave up its claim) June 29, 1976 - Seychelles - from UK
June 27, 1977 - Djibouti - from France
July 7, 1978 - Solomon Islands - from UK
October 1, 1978 - Tuvalu - from UK
November 3, 1978 - Dominica - from UK
February 22, 1979 - Saint Lucia - from UK
July 12, 1979 - Kiribati - from UK
October 27, 1979 - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - from UK

1980-1989

April 18, 1980 - Zimbabwe - from UK
July 30, 1980 - Vanuatu - from France and UK
September 21, 1981 - Belize - from UK
November 1, 1981 - Antigua and Barbuda - from UK
September 19, 1983 - Saint Kitts and Nevis - from UK
January 1, 1984 - Brunei - from UK
October 21, 1986 - Marshall Islands - from the US-administered UN trusteeship
November 3, 1986 - Federated States of Micronesia - from the US-administered UN Trusteeship

1990-1999

March 11, 1990 - Lithuania - from Soviet Union
March 21, 1990 - Namibia - from South African mandate
May 22, 1990 - Yemen - merger North Yemen and South Yemen
October 3, 1990 - Germany - unification of West Germany and East Germany
April 9, 1991 - Georgia - from Soviet Union
June 25, 1991 - Croatia - from Yugoslavia
June 25, 1991 - Slovenia - from Yugoslavia
August 20, 1991 - Estonia - from Soviet Union
August 21, 1991 - Latvia - from Soviet Union
August 24, 1991 - Russia - from Soviet Union
August 24, 1991 - Ukraine - from the Soviet Union
August 25, 1991 - Belarus - from Soviet Union
August 27, 1991 - Moldova - from Soviet Union
August 30, 1991 - Azerbaijan - from Soviet Union
August 31, 1991 - Kyrgyzstan - from Soviet Union
September 1, 1991 - Uzbekistan - from Soviet Union
September 8, 1991 - Republic of Macedonia - from Yugoslavia
September 9, 1991 - Tajikistan - from Soviet Union
September 21, 1991 - Armenia - from Soviet Union
October 27, 1991 - Turkmenistan - from the Soviet Union
December 16, 1991 - Kazakhstan - from the Soviet Union
March 1, 1992 - Bosnia and Herzegovina - from Yugoslavia
April 27, 1992 - Serbia and Montenegro - formed as self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
January 1, 1993 - Czech Republic - Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia
January 1, 1993 - Slovakia - Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia
May 24, 1993 - Eritrea - from Ethiopia
October 1, 1994 - Palau - from the US-administered UN Trusteeship

Since 2000

May 20, 2002 - East Timor - from Portugal / UN Trusteeship (recognition, East Timor was invaded by Indonesia from 1975 to 1999; officially Portugal never gave up its claim)