Throughout the course of human history, many countries have grown, divided, or even disappeared. In fact, some of the countries we know today are less than a hundred years old. This is natural because human civilization is constantly growing and evolving. But there are some countries that have stood the test of time. These countries have been around for thousands of years and they are full of ancient artifacts and have very rich histories. There is so much we can learn about the growth of human society from these amazing countries, so read on to discover more about them!
Top 10 Oldest Countries in the World
1. Iran
At the top of this list is the Middle Eastern country of Iran. The country has its roots in the ancient civilization of Persia and was known as the Land of Aryans. Today, the country is estimated to be more than 4000 years old. However, settlers were already recorded to have been in the land of Iran since 7000 BC. As Iran has continued to grow and shape its culture and politics, remnants of the ancient Persian civilization can still be seen and felt in its unique customs, traditions, and art today.
2. Egypt
Famous for its magnificent ancient pyramids, Egypt is one of the oldest countries in the world. It was the home of the ancient Egyptians, who developed many important elements of human society such as writing and government. You may have heard of hieroglyphs, which were the ancient form of writing in Egypt that used pictures to tell stories, histories, or ideas. To this day, archaeologists and anthropologists work in Egypt to learn more about the history of the world and human civilization.
3. Vietnam
Vietnam is another country with a history that dates back to around 4000 years ago, making Vietnam one of the oldest countries in the world. Known to be even older than China, Vietnam is believed to be one of the first places in the world where agriculture was practiced. Ancient civilizations living in Vietnam learned to farm crops and raise animals. These discoveries were important because they provided early societies with an easier way to get food, clothing, and other animal and plant products.
4. Armenia
The recorded history of Armenia dates back to 3500 years ago. Thousands of years ago, the country of Armenia was named Urartu. It was home to many indigenous tribes whose diverse practices and beliefs helped shape the unique culture of Armenia to what it is today. The people were able to develop the nation thanks to the fertile land that helped them grow food and raise animals. Armenia was one of the first places where horse breeding and wine-making were successfully practiced. Metalwork was also a popular practice in the country thanks to the rich supply of minerals in the land. The world’s oldest large metal production factory was found here.
5. North Korea
North Korea and South Korea are two very different countries that were once united under one kingdom known as Joseon. Historians have been having a hard time finding out the country’s exact age, but it’s believed that the nation has been around since at least 2333 BC. The name Korea was popularized thousands of years later when its new name at the time, Goryeo, was mispronounced by Persian traders. Korea divided into two nations later in the 1940s because of World War II, with many of the artifacts and culture from the older civilization being left in North Korea.
6. India
The next oldest country in the world is India. Though there has been evidence of humans in India dating as far back as 10,000 years ago, the people didn’t create a stable civilization until around 2000 BC. The Vedic Period that started in 1500 BC was when the earliest influences of India’s modern culture began appearing. Ancient texts from the time contained many religious ideas that are still practiced in India today. For example, this is when the people of India began viewing cows as sacred.
7. Georgia
Though not as well-known as some of the places on this list, Georgia is one of the oldest countries in the world. Its history as a kingdom began in 1300 BC, more than 3000 years ago. It’s had a rough history of invasion, division, and unification since then, but has managed to stay the homeland for the Georgian people for thousands of years.
8. Israel
Israel is located next to another one of the oldest nations on this list, Egypt. After years of struggling with the powerful Egyptian civilization, the kingdom defined itself with the name Israel around 1200 BC. In a span of 200 years, the Israelites were able to expand from 25 villages to more than 300. The society continued to grow and the nation evolved overtime to become the Israel we know today.
9. Sudan
Although Sudan is not known as one of the oldest countries in the world, Sudan actually is! It is another nation that grew alongside the civilization of ancient Egypt. The country traded with Egypt and produced luxury resources such as ivory and incense. At the time, it was known as the kingdom of Kush and was heavily dominated by Egyptian culture and politics. When ancient Egypt began to weaken, Sudan was able to become a more independent nation.
10. Afghanistan
The Middle East is home to some of the oldest countries in the world and Afghanistan is one of them. The written history of the country dates as far back as 678 BC. In those times, Afghanistan traded with many other ancient civilizations such as those in India, Sudan, and China. Because of its location, Afghanistan’s culture was heavily influenced by many early civilizations such as the ancient Sudanese people. The nation was even part of the country of Iran for a period of time.
Conclusion
The world has gone through some major changes throughout the thousands of years that we have been living in it. It’s interesting to know that some of the earliest civilizations are still alive today and that their customs and beliefs are still being practiced in some places. The countries on this list are proof of the endurance and continuous innovation of mankind.
I hope that this article on the oldest countries in the world was helpful! If you are interested, visit the Country Rankings Page!
