San Marino and Egypt cited among the world's oldest nations

Determining the world's oldest country depends on how a state is defined, whether by the earliest civilization, the longest-running monarchy, or the oldest continuous republic.

Egypt is cited as a primary candidate for the earliest state formation, dating back to approximately 3150 BCE when King Narmer unified the Nile kingdom. Other ancient contenders include Iran and India, though their modern political structures differ from their ancient origins.

San Marino is recognized as the world's oldest continuous republic, traditionally founded in 301 CE by Saint Marinus on Monte Titano. Meanwhile, the Japanese imperial house is noted for representing the longest-running continuous monarchy.