In this piece, we will take a look at the 25 oldest countries in the world. If you want to skip our analysis of the heritage tourism industry, head on over to 5 Oldest Countries in the World.
The Earth is a diverse place. And while humanity has only been around for a fraction of the planet’s history, it’s left its mark in both negative and positive ways. And today, we’ll focus on the positive.
The latest data from the United Nations shows that as of January 2023, there were 1,157 World Heritage Sites. A heritage site is described as a location that is historically or culturally significant. Scattered throughout the globe, these mark humanity’s evolution from hunter gatherers to a technologically advanced civilization.
These sites, combined with other traces of civilization also give birth to a vibrant tourism industry. These see millions of people travel all over the world each year to take a glimpse of the past. Officially, this tourism is dubbed Heritage Tourism. A quite self explanatory title, the industry covers a wide variety of locations that range from the popular pyramids to military installations and other facilities. And you might be surprised to know, this sector is also worth hundreds of billions of dollars. At least that’s what a report from Grand View Market Research suggests, with the firm estimating that the heritage tourism market was worth $570 billion in 2022 and will grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.8% to be worth $778 billion by the end of 2030. This makes it one of the biggest non industrial and non technology industries in the world. The research firm also estimates that Asia was the biggest market and the Middle East will be the fastest growing region – with the industry as a whole also being dominated by the growth in online booking.
At the same time, just as humanity has evolved, so has the tourism industry. According to McKinsey, the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic that dealt a massive shock to the tourism industry has naturally created new trends in it as well. As a whole, the tourism industry is worth a whopping $9 trillion. Now, governments and the private sector need to work together to coordinate their response to future disasters believes the consulting firm. It also has a rather somber prediction for the sector, believing that it can take as much as seven years for demand to normalize to 2019 levels. To help the companies deal with this overcapacity, McKinsey believes that governments need to step up and help the industry.
Alongside progressing in technology, healthcare, and education, humanity has also become greatly interlinked since the time of the Ancient Mayans and the Egyptians. In terms of monetary value, global merchandise trade stood at $25.3 trillion in 2022, marking a 12% annual growth according to the World Trade Organization (WTO) which attributes this growth to rising inflation in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And, the oldest countries in the world are also the largest economies. The largest economy right now is the United States. In nominal terms, the American economy is worth $26.8 trillion, larger than the combined GDPs of the next two countries on the list, namely Japan and China. Looking at the top five economies in the world though, all are in the list of the oldest countries in the world. Quite interesting one would say, indicating that perhaps the age of a civilization does induce a level of stability that leads to economic growth. However, the rise of America as the most powerful nation in human history provides a glaring contrast showing that the supremacy of the rule of law and human enterprise carries the potential to stand against the tide of time.
With these rather inspiring conclusions, let’s take a look at the oldest countries in the world. If you’re interested in visiting cultural destinations and learning more about this market, head on over to 35 Best Destinations in the World for Cultural Tourism.
Pixabay/Public Domain
Our Methodology
To compile our list of the world’s oldest countries, we consulted a variety of sources to pick out which countries have had the oldest established civilizations.
25 Oldest Countries in the World
25. Kingdom of Cambodia
Date of first major civilization: 3 CE
The Kingdom of Cambodia is believed to be settled at least eight thousand years ago. It was once home to the Khmer Empire, with some of the most beautiful temples in the world.
24. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Date of first major civilization: 325 BCE
The U.K., as you’d have guessed after reading our introduction, is one of the most consequential countries in human history. Having ruled most of the world in the 20th century, Britain is still a global power and one of the largest economies in the world.
23. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Date of first major civilization: 500 BCE
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or North Korea is an East Asian country. It was home to one of Korea’s oldest civilizations, called the Gojoseon civilization.
22. State of Eritrea
Date of first major civilization: 500 BCE
The State of Eritrea is an Eastern African country. One of the oldest civilizations in the area is the D’mt Civilization which is believed to have dated as far back as at least 500 BCE.
21. Republic of Chile
Date of first major civilization: 600 BCE
The Republic of Chile is a South American country best known for its Easter Island special territory located in the Polynesian region of Oceania.
20. Italian Republic
Date of first major civilization: 700 BCE
Italy is a European country best known for its association with the Roman Empire. One of its oldest civilizations is the Etruscan civilization which traces its roots back to 700 BCE.
19. United Mexican States
Date of first major civilization: 1200 BCE
The United Mexican States, or Mexico, is known to be full of temples belonging to some of the world’s oldest civilizations such as the Mayans.
18. Belize
Date of first major civilization: 2000 BCE
Like Mexico, Belize was also home to the Mayan Civilization – one of the oldest in the world. The Maya ruins of Belize are dated back to 2,000 BCE.
17. Republic of Indonesia
Date of first major civilization: 2000 BCE
The Republic of Indonesia is a Southeast Asian and Oceanic country. It is made up of thousands of islands and is one of the few countries with a record of fossils of one of man’s earliest ancestors, Home Erectus.
16. Federal Republic of Germany
Date of first major civilization: 2000 BCE
The Federal Republic of Germany is a global power and Europe’s largest economy.
15. State of Israel
Date of first major civilization: 2100 BCE
The State of Israel is an Asian country that is known to be the center of one of the world’s oldest Abrahamic religions, Judaism.
14. Republic of the Sudan
Date of first major civilization: 2450 BCE
The Republic of the Sudan is a Northeast African country. One of its oldest kingdoms is the Kerma Kingdom which was set up around 2450 BCE.
13. Republic of Türkiye
Date of first major civilization: 2500 BCE
The Republic of Türkiye is an Asian and European country. It is part of the Anatolian peninsula, one of the oldest inhabited regions in the world.
12. Hellenic Republic
Date of first major civilization: 3000 BCE
Any mention of the oldest countries in the world would be incomplete without a mention of the Hellenic Republic. Also known as Greece, the country is called the cradle of modern day civilization. Ancient Greece introduced the principles of collective governance and democracy to humans, and its philosophical thought was pioneered by greats such as Aristotle and Plato.
11. The Arab Republic of Egypt
Date of first major civilization: 3100 BCE
Just like Greece, any list of the oldest countries in the world would be incomplete without Egypt. It is home to the Pyramids, which are remnants of one of the oldest proper civilizations in the world.
10. Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Date of first major civilization: 3300 BCE
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a Southeast Asian country. It was home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world, known as the Indus Valley Civilization.
9. Republic of Guatemala
Date of first major civilization: 3500 BCE
The Republic of Guatemala is a Central American country that was also home to the Mayan Civilization with traces found as back as 3500 BCE.
8. Republic of Peru
Date of first major civilization: 3500 BCE
The Republic of Peru is a South American country. Peru has one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, which is the Machu Pichu cathedral built high in the mountains. The entire sacred valley of the Incas has some of the best archaeological sites as well, from fortresses to terraces. As if this weren’t enough, Peru has plenty of relics of the Spanish colonial past too.
7. Islamic Republic of Iran
Date of first major civilization: 3680 BCE
The Islamic Republic of Iran is an Asian country. It has a $1.6 trillion economy and a GDP per capita of $19.548. Modern day Iran was first set up by the Elam people who set up their own kingdoms in the area. The Elam also has the unique distinction of a language that is unrelated to any other language in the world.
6. Republic of Iraq
Date of first major civilization: 4000 BCE
The Republic of Iraq is one of the Cradles of Civilization and was home to the Ancient Sumerians who have the honor of having developed the world’s first writing system.
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Disclosure: None. 25 Oldest Countries in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.