Oldest country

The idea of the “oldest country in the world” can be looked at in a few different ways—by continuous civilization, continuous government, or official recognition as a nation-state. Here are the main contenders:
• San Marino (301 CE) – Often considered the oldest existing sovereign state and republic in the world. It has maintained independence since the early 4th century.
• China (221 BCE) – The oldest continuous civilization, dating back thousands of years. The Qin Dynasty (221 BCE) unified China into a single empire.
• Egypt (~3100 BCE) – One of the earliest organized states in history, when Upper and Lower Egypt were unified under Pharaoh Narmer.
• Iran (Persia, ~550 BCE) – The Persian Empire was established by Cyrus the Great. The name “Iran” has been in use since ancient times.
• Japan (660 BCE, mythological foundation) – According to tradition, Japan was founded by Emperor Jimmu in 660 BCE, and the imperial line is still in place, making it the oldest hereditary monarchy.

👉 So, depending on how you define it:
• San Marino = oldest sovereign state.
• China & Egypt = oldest continuous civilizations.
• Japan = oldest monarchy.

Would you like me to list them in a ranked order with dates so it’s easier to compare?