List of constitutions by age
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The world's oldest countries based on a continuous form of government, i.e. a national constitution.
A country is defined by its government, not its borders.
The term "oldest countries" is sometimes used to refer to countries with the oldest populations, which is unrelated - see Demography.
Years given are when each country's current constitution took effect, unless otherwise noted.
Contents |
[edit] Oldest constitutions
- San Marino, 1600, Constitution of San Marino, constitutional republic
- United States of America, 1789, United States Constitution, constitutional republic
- Poland and Lithuania, 1791, Constitution of May 3, 1791, constitutional republic
- France, 1791, French Constitution of 1791 (September 3), constitutional monarchy
- Liechtenstein, 1806, parliamentary representative democratic monarchy
- Norway, 1814, constitutional monarchy
- Netherlands, 1815, constitutional monarchy
- Belgium, 1831, constitutional monarchy
- Costa Rica, 1838, democratic republic
- Denmark, 1849, constitutional monarchy
- Switzerland, 1849, federal parliamentary democratic republic
- Argentina, 1853, federal presidential representative democratic republic
- Canada, 1867, British North America Act[1]
- Luxembourg, 1868, parliamentary representative democratic monarchy
[edit] Other constitutions
- Finland, 1906
- Monaco, 1911
- Mexico, 1917
- United Kingdom, 1927, no constitution[2]
- Vatican City, 1929, as defined in the Lateran Treaties
- Japan, 1947
- Italy, 1948
- China, 1949
- India, 1950
- Egypt, 1953
- France, 1958
- Malta, 1964
- Pakistan, 1973
- Sweden, 1974
- Greece, 1975
- Madagascar, 1975
- Portugal, 1976
- Spain, 1978
- Chile, 1980
- Turkey, 1982
- Honduras, 1982
- Guatemala, 1985
- Bulgaria, 1989
- Macedonia, 1991
- Colombia, 1991
- Paraguay, 1992
- Peru, 1992
- Belgium, 1993, Constitution of Belgium
- Andorra, 1993
- Haiti, 1994, presidential republic, constitution approved 1987 but suspended in 1988, reinstated 1994
- Venezuela, 1999
- Nepal, 2006 (pending)
[edit] Notes
- ^ The Canadian Constitution of 1867 was based on earlier constitutions of Canadian provinces, going as far back as 1763. Major additions were made to the Canadian Constitution in 1982, but the 1867 text is still in effect.
- ^ The United Kingdom has no codified constitution, but instead relies on traditional customs and separate pieces of constitutional law. The Act of Union 1800 was enacted in 1801 and created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. However, the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 was a major governmental change that created the current official country name, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, after the emergence of the Irish Free State (Ireland). Other significant governmental revisions include the Balfour Declaration of 1926, and the Statute of Westminster 1931.
