Top 10 Countries with the Best History

History is one of the most fascinating aspects of any country. It shapes national identity, influences culture, and provides lessons for the future. Some nations have histories that span thousands of years, filled with legendary leaders, groundbreaking innovations, and defining moments that changed the course of the world. Others have more recent pasts that still hold immense significance, shaping global politics, technology, and human rights.

This list highlights the countries with the most impressive and influential histories, as chosen by voters. The rankings are based on public opinion, so you can help decide which nations deserve the top spots. Think about the civilizations that have left behind incredible architecture, literature, and philosophies. Consider the events that have redefined borders, sparked revolutions, or led to great scientific discoveries.
The Top Ten
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey... read more

1. Ancient Greece was the first European civilization and the father of mathematics, science, English, the Olympics, and more!
2. The Macedonian Empire conquered most of what was then the known world (in under a few decades) while never losing a battle.
3. The Byzantine Empire lasted for over an entire millennium and spread the Christian Orthodox faith to many countries.
4. Modern-day Greece won the 2004 Euros and currently has arguably the best military pilots on Earth.

Greece is the birthplace of the entire world! Everything starts and ends here. Take a look back in history at arts, science, civilization, and you can easily think and consider it, despite your origin, as one of the most important and influential nations in the history of our planet.

Italy Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana) is a sovereign state and unitary parliamentary republic in south-central Europe.

Italy covers an area of 301,338 km². With almost 62 million inhabitants, it is the third most populous EU member state. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares... read more

Italy, in my opinion, is the cradle of civilization. The contact between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens happened here. It boasts one of the oldest cities in the world, Matera, dating back to 8000 BC. It hosted mysterious civilizations like the Rinaldonian (4000 BC) and Nuragic (2000 BC). It gave rise to the Etruscans, the first great Italic civilization.

Why is it the cradle of civilization? Not so much because of its antiquity, but because from this place originates the world as we know it today. That place, which later became the greatest power in every sense, is called Rome. Rome is the meeting point of all civilizations, where all their knowledge was reinterpreted, solidified, integrated, and disseminated into a universal system across the world.

The Romans innovated in every field: their mathematics and science enabled incredible engineering works. Their art forms the basis of Western art, central to the Renaissance and later artistic movements. They created the first republic, made democracy a true democracy, and established law through the Corpus Iuris Civilis. They created the most influential language in the world and the most influential religion in the world - Christianity, which was born and spread thanks to them.

Their military and social tactics form the foundation of the modern world. They developed an extensive infrastructure network and the first automated irrigation system. They were the only ancient civilization to persist into the Middle Ages. If their fall in 1453 had been delayed by just 39 years, they would have existed in the ancient, medieval, and modern eras.

They created Stoic philosophy and turned Greek philosophers into the cornerstone of thought, thanks to Cicero and Seneca. From the Middle Ages to today, everyone considers themselves successors of the Romans. Leaders call themselves "Kaiser," derived from Caesar. The eagle, symbol of the Romans, became a symbol of power.

How can one argue that they... more

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation (RF), is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world by area, covering over 17,125,191 square kilometres (6,612,073 sq mi), and encompassing one-eighth of Earth's inhabitable landmass. Russia extends across... read more

Russian imperial history is the most fascinating one so far, with changes in power and conflicts rivaling those of George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels.

The great Russian minds in science.

Ivan the Terrible, Russian Empire, Seven Years War, Napoleonic Wars, World War I, Russian Revolution, Russian Civil War, Communism, World War II, Cold War, etc. It's fun to learn, even though Russia is not in a great state right now.

China China, officially known as the People's Republic of China, is a country located in East Asia. It is the world's second most populous country, boasting a population of more than 1.4 billion. China spans five geographical time zones and shares its borders with 14 countries, making it second only to Russia... read more

The best history can honestly only be given to China, or maybe India, though I would pick China.

Take everything you would attribute to Egypt, Iran, or Italy. Think about the legacies of ancient rulers, the religious and ideological development, the culture and works of engineering, the technology and warfare, and the thousands of years of continuous civilization. Then place all of that on a geographic scale several to even dozens of times larger than those other nations.

I could talk about how superb the histories of China and India are, but this size factor is, in my opinion, the true deciding argument.

Egypt Egypt, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip (Palestine) and Israel to the northeast,... read more

This is nonsense. Egypt has hands down the best history and basically everything is still there. The US and Russia's history is nothing compared to Egypt. All Italy has is Rome, Greece has good history, but Egypt's is better. Talking history, Egypt makes France look irrelevant.

Egypt's history should be considered the best because, in Ancient Egypt, they were able to build the Pyramids. They were famous for knowledge and were the ones who practiced embalming, which the world still has no idea how to do until now.

United States The United States of America, or the U.S.A. for short, is a federal republic composed of 50 states, 48 of them are contiguous states. There are two other states, Alaska and Hawaii, which are north and south of the contiguous states, respectively. The United States declared its independence from the... read more

The United States and its history are really incredible. Though I'm American and may be biased, you can't say for really any other country that we broke away from one of the powerful nations in the world at the time, the British Empire, and became the most powerful country in the entire world within only 200 years.

America could have had Canada in the Revolution and it could have had Mexico in the Mexican-American War, but they didn't take it. Look it up yourself. It also broke away from one of the greatest empires ever.

France France, officially the French Republic, is a sovereign state comprising territory in western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. The European part of France, called metropolitan France, extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to... read more

France created two empires which allowed them to dominate half of the western world: the Carolingian Empire and the Napoleonic Empire. On several occasions, they made all western countries sit up and take notice, especially under Philippe le Bel. Furthermore, France is the country that inspired all modern democracies. All countries that display a flag containing blue, red, and white pay homage to France, with the British flag being an exception.

Honestly, I think France has the best history because of everything from Napoleon to... I don't know how to say it, but it had so much history throughout the years. I personally think it should be higher than this.

Germany Germany was formally united in 1871 under the initiative of Bismarck with King Wilhelm of Prussia as emperor. The previous 'Holy Roman Empire', basically a continuation of the empire of Charlemagne/Karl der Grosse was dissolved in 1806... read more

I think it's Germany because Germany has history dating back to the Roman Empire, where it stood against the invaders. Also, Germany's story really began with Otto Von Bismarck, one of the best strategists in history. He tricked France into declaring war on Prussia and then occupied Paris, something that even the British had trouble doing. He accomplished this in six months.

The greatest minds in science ever.

India India, officially known as the Republic of India, is a country located in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area and the most populous country, with over 1.4 billion people. Additionally, it is the most populous democracy in the world... read more

India literally has one of the most brutal and glorified histories. The subcontinent was so ahead until the mid-medieval period but soon suffered a downfall due to foreign invaders and traitors.

The history of India should be glorified and brought into the light so that more people can learn about it.

THANKS!!!

India is the mother of all civilizations. When every civilization was building itself, India's glory was at its peak. In Indian texts, the seers and sages don't talk about years, decades, or millennia. They talk about eons.

To top it all, what many modern philosophers consider to be works of poetry or mythology in Indian texts are receiving scientific validation with modern science. The temples and buildings we see in India are so sophisticated that even modern tools and machinery cannot replicate many of these structures.

India is not just a nation. It's the very last piece of world history remaining on this planet. It is the responsibility of every person on this planet to own this piece of history and preserve it because it reaches each one of us in some way.

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia (independence since 1991), is a sovereign state at the crossroads of Central Europe, Southeast Europe, and the Mediterranean. Its capital city is Zagreb. It is a member of the European Union. During the Cold War it was part of Yugoslavia. It is a cultural... read more

The Newcomers

? Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, abbreviated BiH or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. The capital and largest city is Sarajevo. Bosnia and Herzegovina borders Serbia to the east,... read more
? Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, was established in 681 ad. and since then it never changed it's name, which makes it one of the oldest countries in Europe. Located in the Balkan Peninsula between Greece, Turkey, Romania, Serbia, Macedonia and Black Sea. The Capital of Bulgaria is Sofia,... read more
The Contenders
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, is a transcontinental country in Eurasia, mainly in Anatolia in Western Asia, with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries with Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia,... read more

Turkey has thousands of years of history and culture. It founded the most powerful empire in history, ruling the world for hundreds of years. This empire was secular, and it ruled a centuries-old empire with many races, cultures, languages, and religions.

Turkey established the foundations of the modern world with many inventions. For example, they made the first robot (Cezeri), were the first to fly (Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi), drew the first world map (Piri Reis), invented the cannon (Fatih Sultan Mehmet), and invented the vaccine. Also, they developed the best foods.

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly shortened to United Kingdom, UK or Britain is a Sovereign State located of the Northwestern coast of Europe. It is a Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy currently lead by Monarch Queen Elizabeth II and its current prime minister is... read more

Wow! The fact that America is above us on this list is crazy. When it comes to history, they are practically brand new. The UK surpasses most countries by far in terms of history. Only Greece, Egypt, and possibly France can rival us.

We had the largest empire the world has ever known. We fought and have the blood of the Vikings, Romans, Saxons, and French. Without us declaring war on Germany in WW2, the world would be a different place. English is one of the top languages learned and spoken globally. We have 2000 years of history. We practically made America.

If it weren't for the French coming to their aid in the Revolutionary War, they would be speaking proper English, not broken English. And before anyone starts complaining, we would've never surrendered against the Germans in WW2.

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of 7,617,930 square kilometres (2,941,300 sq mi), Australia is the largest country by area in Oceania and... read more

Many people call Australia a 'young' country because it was 'discovered' in 1770. Wrong. The culture of the Indigenous Australians is 40,000 years old, the oldest in the world. If that's not history, I don't know what is.

Also, what is the USA doing at 3? They are only 500-odd years old. This list is obviously influenced by stronger countries.

Criminals and Aboriginals turned gold miners, shearers, and criminals (bushrangers) turned soldiers, turned athletes and inventors. What's not to like?

Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked unitary sovereign state in East Asia. Its area is roughly equivalent with the historical territory of Outer Mongolia, and that term is sometimes used to refer to the current state.

Xiongnu Empire, Xianbei Empire, Rouran Khaganate, Gokturk Empire, Uighur Khaganate, Khitan Empire, Mongol Empire, Yuan Dynasty, Golden Horde, Ilkhanate, Chagatai Khanate, Northern Yuan Dynasty, Dzungaria Khanate, Bogd Khanate, and Socialist Mongolia existed in today's Mongolian plateau.

The historical role of Mongols in the formation of today's Russia and China is great. Bat Khan conquered Eastern Europe and united the scattered Slavic Russian principalities, which later became the basis for the establishment of a unified Russian state. During the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan conquered the whole of China and united it under one banner.

It defined the scope of the later Qing Dynasty and today's China.

Ireland Formed in 1916 after the Easter uprising, Ireland is a small country with a population of roughly 5 million.

I think Ireland is in a good place because we have a very good Celtic culture that very few other nations have. However, as an Irish person, I have to admit that we didn't practice it a lot when we were under the control of Britain.

Honestly, the reason we are independent today was probably the revival of our culture a hundred years ago. If it wasn't for the Celtic revival, our Irish language and heritage might have disappeared. Just saying, if we lost our culture, we would probably have British culture and still be part of the United Kingdom. God bless Ireland.

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia in the Pacific Ocean. It lies off the eastern coast of the Asia Mainland (east of China, Korea, Russia) and stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and near Taiwan in the southwest... read more

An extremely productive, ingenious, and culturally rich nation, with a long history of art, invention, and empire.

Iran Iran, also known as Persia, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a sovereign state in Western Asia. The capital city is Teheran and the major city is also Tehran. The country's official language is Persian... read more

A nation with a great impact on the world.

It has had many powerful empires and significant cultural influence throughout world history.

Iran is one of the oldest countries in the world. You could go to the Louvre Museum in Paris and see the number of Iranian objects and their dates.

The Iranians are very hospitable and warm.

Persia shares almost the same history as Greece.

It should at least have the second-best history on this list.

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine and Belarus to the east; and the Baltic Sea, Kaliningrad Oblast (a Russian exclave) and Lithuania to the north. With a population of approximately... read more

Polish people have gone through a lot, after the Russian and Soviet Communists attacked Poland, and also in WWII the Germans and Hitler targeted them. It's been a hard time for the Polish, but still, they've managed to stand up and be strong. By the way, this is coming from a Turk.

Poland has a rich and enduring culture that has withstood numerous invasions, persecutions, and setbacks. This explains how Poland managed to rise from the ashes and become a strong nation even after being wiped off the map for 123 years.

Furthermore, Poland's culture has the power to unite different states and create a powerful country such as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which was the largest country in Europe for more than two centuries. Polish culture places great value on freedom, which is evident in Poland's many historical achievements. For example, Poland was the first country in Europe to adopt a democratic constitution, the first to halt the Ottoman invasion and Bolshevik revolution, the first to resist the Germans in 1939, and the first to free itself from communism in 1989.

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in southwestern Europe with parts of territory in the Atlantic Ocean and across the Mediterranean Sea. The largest part of Spain is situated on the Iberian Peninsula; its territory also includes the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, the Balearic Islands... read more

Just for starters, if you want to evaluate the importance of a country, try to imagine the world WITHOUT it. Japan, Turkey, Germany are great, but our present world cannot be understood without England, China, Rome, Persia, Greece, Spain, Arabia, India, Russia. These countries and empires shaped continents.

Greatest history in Europe besides Italy, Greece, and perhaps Russia.

The great Spanish Empire and its kings.

Portugal Portugal (est.1152), officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost country of mainland Europe, bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain. Its territory also includes... read more

Portugal has one of the best histories because it pioneered the Age of Exploration, established the first global empire, and influenced cultures worldwide while maintaining a unique identity.

Once the mightiest empire of the world, they discovered half the known world. Pioneers of the Golden Age. One of the richest histories Earth has ever seen. Proud military history. August 1385. Aljubarrota Battle. 7,000 Portuguese versus 30,000 Spanish. Guess who won.

Discovered more than half of the known world.

Hungary Hungary is a sovereign state in Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Romania to the east, Serbia to the south, Croatia to the southwest, Slovenia to the west, Austria to the northwest, and Ukraine to the northeast.

Hungarian history encompasses countless attacks and eras of war on Europe. Because of Hungary's role in defending Europe from foreign adversaries, they have a unique part in all these different cultures and invasions.

I'm from Hungary, and when I heard the history, I just fell in love with it!

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the most populous and politically central constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland in the North Atlantic Ocean. European Denmark is the southernmost... read more

The great history of the Danes and how they ruled part of England, eventually uniting as one after King Alfred's vision.

Ah, home to the greatest Vikings... The Great Heathen Army is the only comment I need to leave.

I love Denmark. Let's take over Russia and make it Danish!

Netherlands The Netherlands, informally Holland, is a country located in north-western Europe with overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Netherlands consists of twelve provinces, and borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the... read more

It's amazing, mate. So many rich stories about Hugo and his book chest to the rivalry with Spain. It's amazing!

Romania Romania is a sovereign state located in Southeastern Europe It borders the Black Sea, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, and Moldova. It has an area of 238,391 square kilometres and a temperate-continental climate. With over 19 million inhabitants, the country is the seventh-most-populous member state... read more
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a federal republic located in North America. The country is located between the U.S. and Central America, and is known for its Pacific and Gulf of Mexico beaches and its diverse landscape of mountains, deserts, and jungles.

An underrated country with a great history.

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