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Below is a list of countries in alphabetical order listing their dates of formation. Before reading this list please note the following:

Nation-building is a long evolutionary process. It is therefore practically impossible to come up with a single date for a nation's "birth". However, most nations have accepted some dates in their respective histories as their symbolic starting points. This is usually done more for nationalistic propaganda than for scientific reasons. For many ancient and medieval nations these starting points are usually the dates when a nation was mentioned in a written document for the first time or simply a date from their national mythology. In Europe, this often coincides with the ruler's conversion to Christianity. For post-colonial nations, starting with the United States, the beginning of statehood is usually considered to be the date when independence was declared, granted or recognised.

Independence dates earlier than 1919 should be treated with caution, since prior to the founding of the League of Nations, there was no international body to recognise nationhood, and independence had no meaning beyond mutual recognition of de facto sovereigns (the role of the League of Nations was effectively taken over by the United Nations after the Second World War). See also: disputed territories.

The situation is further complicated by the confusion between the terms nation (generally considered an ethnic or cultural grouping) and state (an independent political entity). (These two words are commonly used as synonyms.)

[edit] Definitions

• Date of statehood : Date at which current country first appeared as a unified political entity within its approximate present-day borders

• Date of most recent independence : Date at which country obtained its current independence (the exercise of sovereignty must have been uninterrupted to this day)

• Date of most recent territorial modification : Date at which country acquired its current territorial shape (minor modifications and still disputed territories excluded)

[edit] List

Country	Date of statehood		Date of most recent independence		Date of most recent territorial modification
	Date	Event	Date	Event	Date	Event
Denmark	10th century	organized as a unified state by Harold Bluetooth around 980.	May 4, 1945	German occupying forces sourender.	July 10, 1920	Sønderjylland was recovered from Germany
Egypt	3100 BC	Unification of Upper and Lower Egypt by Pharaoh Menes	February 28, 1922	Nominal independence from UK	April 25, 1982	Return of the Sinai peninsula under Egyptian control following the completion of the Israeli withdrawal
			June 18, 1956	Departure of last British colonial troops
Finland	March 29, 1806	Established as a semiautonomous Grand Duchy under the Russian Empire.	December 6, 1917	Independence from Russia declared	January, 1956	Porkkala returned from Soviet controll.
			January 3, 1918	Independence from Russia recognized by the highest Soviet executive body - VTsIK.
France	843	Treaty of Verdun, whereby Charles the Bald receives West Francia, the precursor of modern France	August 9, 1944	Ordinance issued by the Provisional Government of the French Republic reinstating Republican legality and disestablishing the German-backed puppet government of Vichy France	July 5, 1962	Loss of the French départements in Algeria following the latter's independence
Germany	January 18, 1871	German Empire unification	March 15, 1991	All 4 post-World War II occupying powers (France, UK, USA, USSR) relinquish all remaining rights	October 3, 1990	Reunification of West Germany and East Germany
Iceland	930	The Icelandic Commonwealth established.	June 17, 1944	Seceeds from a Union with Denmark formally as an independent republic.	September 1, 1972	No territorial changes on land have taken place, however the expantion of the Exclusive Economic Zone was such an important change in territory for Iceland that in merits a spesial inclution here.
			1946	Departure of last US occupation troops
Jordan	April 11, 1921	Creation of Transjordan as an administrative entity	May 25, 1946	End of British League of Nations mandate	October 26, 1994	Signing of the Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace, whereby most of the disputed 400 square-kilometer area in the Arava is handed back to Jordan
Norway	c. 872	Harald Fairhair creates the first unified Norwegian state by uniting the Norwegian petty kingdoms.	May 8, 1945	German occupying forces sourender.	February 27, 1930	Jan Mayen was made part of the Kingdom of Norway.
Sweden	995	Olof Skötkonung became the first king to rule both Svealand and Götaland.	June 6, 1523	Gustav Vasa elected King of Sweden and marking a definite secession from the Kalmar Union.	1809	Loss of Finland to Imperial Russia.
United States	July 4, 1776	The Thirteen Colonies proclame their independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain	July 4, 1776	Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain declared	August 21, 1959	Admission of Hawaii to the Union
			September 3, 1783	Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain recognized