Dear cismo,
You requested information about ages of current governments, and
whether the US government is the oldest current government.
I have compiled the following information for you from the pages of
the CIA world factbook. This is an excellent source for many issues
related to political science and geography. It is located at –
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
The best proxy for the creation of a government is the date of a
country’s independence. The following table lists the date of
independence for all countries covered in the CIA factbook (this list
can be obtained by searching for “independence” in the yearbook).
Country Independence
Afghanistan 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign
affairs)
Albania 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)
Algeria 5 July 1962 (from France)
Angola 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
Antigua and Barbuda 1 November 1981 (from UK)
Argentina 9 July 1816 (from Spain)
Armenia 21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Australia 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
Austria 1156 (from Bavaria)
Azerbaijan 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Bahamas, The 10 July 1973 (from UK)
Bahrain 15 August 1971 (from UK)
Bangladesh 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March
1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971
is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the
state of Bangladesh
Barbados 30 November 1966 (from UK)
Belarus 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Belgium 4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence
from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to
the throne
Belize 21 September 1981 (from UK)
Benin 1 August 1960 (from France)
Bhutan 8 August 1949 (from India)
Bolivia 6 August 1825 (from Spain)
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for
independence was completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3
March 1992)
Botswana 30 September 1966 (from UK)
Brazil 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
Brunei 1 January 1984 (from UK)
Bulgaria 3 March 1878 (from Ottoman Empire)
Burkina Faso 5 August 1960 (from France)
Burma 4 January 1948 (from UK)
Burundi 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian
administration)
Cambodia 9 November 1953 (from France)
Cameroon 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
Canada 1 July 1867 (from UK)
Cape Verde 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Central African Republic 13 August 1960 (from France)
Chad 11 August 1960 (from France)
Chile 18 September 1810 (from Spain)
China 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC; Qing
or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912;
People's Republic established 1 October 1949)
Colombia 20 July 1810 (from Spain)
Comoros 6 July 1975 (from France)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
Congo, Republic of the 15 August 1960 (from France)
Costa Rica 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Cote d'Ivoire 7 August (1960) (from France)
Croatia 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
Cuba 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US
from 1898 to 1902)
Cyprus 16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area
proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975
Czech Republic 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
Republic and Slovakia)
Denmark first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849
became a constitutional monarchy
Djibouti 27 June 1977 (from France)
Dominica 3 November 1978 (from UK)
Dominican Republic 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
East Timor 28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence
from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of
international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia
Ecuador 24 May 1822 (from Spain)
Egypt 28 February 1922 (from UK)
El Salvador 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Equatorial Guinea 12 October 1968 (from Spain)
Eritrea 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)
Estonia regained on 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Ethiopia oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest
in the world - at least 2,000 years
Fiji 10 October 1970 (from UK)
Finland 6 December 1917 (from Russia)
France 486 (unified by Clovis)
Gabon 17 August 1960 (from France)
Gambia, The 18 February 1965 (from UK)
Georgia 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Germany 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into
four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945
following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West
Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and
French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)
proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone;
unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October
1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991
Ghana 6 March 1957 (from UK)
Greece 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Grenada 7 February 1974 (from UK)
Guatemala 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Guinea 2 October 1958 (from France)
Guinea-Bissau 24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by
Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)
Guyana 26 May 1966 (from UK)
Haiti 1 January 1804 (from France)
Holy See (Vatican City) 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
Honduras 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Hungary 1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
Iceland 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
India 15 August 1947 (from UK)
Indonesia 17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December
1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)
Iran 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Iraq 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration)
Ireland 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)
Israel 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration)
Italy 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not
finally unified until 1870)
Jamaica 6 August 1962 (from UK)
Japan 660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)
Jordan 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British
administration)
Kazakhstan 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Kenya 12 December 1963 (from UK)
Kiribati 12 July 1979 (from UK)
Korea, North 15 August 1945 (from Japan)
Korea, South 15 August 1945 (from Japan)
Kuwait 19 June 1961 (from UK)
Kyrgyzstan 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Laos 19 July 1949 (from France)
Latvia 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Lebanon 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French
administration)
Lesotho 4 October 1966 (from UK)
Liberia 26 July 1847
Libya 24 December 1951 (from Italy)
Liechtenstein 23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein
established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman
Empire
Lithuania 11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6
September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)
Luxembourg 1839 (from the Netherlands)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 17 September 1991 (from
Yugoslavia)
Madagascar 26 June 1960 (from France)
Malawi 6 July 1964 (from UK)
Malaysia 31 August 1957 (from UK)
Maldives 26 July 1965 (from UK)
Mali 22 September 1960 (from France)
Malta 21 September 1964 (from UK)
Marshall Islands 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN
trusteeship)
Mauritania 28 November 1960 (from France)
Mauritius 12 March 1968 (from UK)
Mexico 16 September 1810 (from Spain)
Micronesia, Federated States of 3 November 1986 (from the
US-administered UN Trusteeship)
Moldova 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Monaco 1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)
Mongolia 11 July 1921 (from China)
Morocco 2 March 1956 (from France)
Mozambique 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
Namibia 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
Nauru 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered
UN trusteeship)
Nepal 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)
Netherlands 1579 (from Spain); note - the northern provinces of the
Low Country concluded the Union of Utrecht, but it was 1648 before
Spain finally recognized their independence
New Zealand 26 September 1907 (from UK)
Nicaragua 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Niger 3 August 1958 (from France)
Nigeria 1 October 1960 (from UK)
Niue on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary
government in free association with New Zealand
Norway 7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved;
26 October 1905 Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union
Oman 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
Pakistan 14 August 1947 (from UK)
Palau 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
Panama 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain
28 November 1821)
Papua New Guinea 16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered
UN trusteeship)
Paraguay 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Peru 28 July 1821 (from Spain)
Philippines 4 July 1946 (from US)
Poland 11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
Portugal 1143 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)
Qatar 3 September 1971 (from UK)
Romania 9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey; independence
recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; kingdom proclaimed 26
March 1881; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)
Russia 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Rwanda 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
Saint Kitts and Nevis 19 September 1983 (from UK)
Saint Lucia 22 February 1979 (from UK)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 27 October 1979 (from UK)
Samoa 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
San Marino 3 September 301
Sao Tome and Principe 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Saudi Arabia 23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)
Senegal 4 April 1960 (from France); complete independence was
achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960
Seychelles 29 June 1976 (from UK)
Sierra Leone 27 April 1961 (from UK)
Singapore 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)
Slovakia 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic
and Slovakia)
Slovenia 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
Solomon Islands 7 July 1978 (from UK)
Somalia 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which
became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN
trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
South Africa 31 May 1910 (from UK)
Spain the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of
independent kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the
early 8th Century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small
Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost
immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event
completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally
considered the forging of present-day Spain
Sri Lanka 4 February 1948 (from UK)
Sudan 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)
Suriname 25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)
Swaziland 6 September 1968 (from UK)
Sweden 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)
Switzerland 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Syria 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French
administration)
Tajikistan 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Tanzania 26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961
(from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19
December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964
to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United
Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964
Thailand 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Togo 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
Tonga 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
Trinidad and Tobago 31 August 1962 (from UK)
Tunisia 20 March 1956 (from France)
Turkey 29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
Turkmenistan 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Tuvalu 1 October 1978 (from UK)
Uganda 9 October 1962 (from UK)
Ukraine 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
United Arab Emirates 2 December 1971 (from UK)
United Kingdom England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th
century; the union between England and Wales was enacted under the
Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284; in the Act of Union of 1707, England and
Scotland agreed to permanent union as Great Britain; the legislative
union of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the
adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland;
the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six
northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as
Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927
United States 4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)
Uruguay 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)
Uzbekistan 1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Vanuatu 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
Venezuela 5 July 1811 (from Spain)
Vietnam 2 September 1945 (from France)
Yemen 22 May 1990, Republic of Yemen was established with the merger
of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the
Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden)
or South Yemen]; previously North Yemen had become independent on NA
November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become
independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)
Yugoslavia 27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY
formed as self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia or SFRY)
Zambia 24 October 1964 (from UK)
Zimbabwe 18 April 1980 (from UK)
A quick glance demonstrates that the US government is not the oldest
of current governments. Austria, Hungary, France, Ethiopia, San
Marino, Monaco, several Asian countries’ governments – and of course
the United Kingdom! - predate the US government, some by several
hundred years. If we only consider governments that have operated
continuously and still operate today in the same format that they had
been running for hundreds of years, then the United Kingdom and Monaco
both predate the US government.
I hope this response adequately addresses your request. Please let me
know if you are in need of additional information concerning this
query.
Thanks,
ragingacademic |
