Top 10 Most Influential Countries in the History of the World

USA number 1? Pah! England and Britain have invented world-changing things such as television, trains, the discovery of DNA, and various sports like football, rugby, cricket, tennis, and golf. They also invented the telephone, the first police force, underground travel system, and the internet. We gave the world the English language. America has to contend with just having a bad accent.

England has the most famous royal family in the world, and our Queen is the most powerful woman in the world. England has to be number one just for the fact that we are such a small country but we are the most powerful and influential country on Earth. I'm so proud to tell everyone that I am ENGLISH! Long live this green and pleasant land. The world would be nothing without this tiny but mighty country. VOTE ENGLAND!

For being such a short-lived country, no other in history has accomplished so much. There are many flaws and abuses. However, no conquering country has been as lenient and helpful to the conquered as the U.S. (Germany, Japan, and the former Soviet bloc). The current Pax Americana has led to more world freedom and prosperity than any other ruling civilization in history.

The U.S Constitution is the longest-living ruling document in history and continues to serve the U.S. very well - a tribute to its writers. Even the lower middle class of the world lives better than most kings of antiquity. Without the U.S. and its pivotal role in stopping tyranny in the 20th century, this would not be the case.

I love the Greek Empire. I admire all their beliefs, gods, stories, and everything else. The way they tricked the Trojans with that wooden horse is so funny.

The empire was so strong. They defeated the Persian Empire thanks to Alexander the Great. But I am really sad that the Romans eventually defeated the Greeks.

They have great food and weather. My favorite gods are Poseidon, Zeus, and Athena. My favorite stories are the one about Medusa and the one where the chief of all gods eats his babies, but Zeus is saved by his mother. Then Zeus makes the chief god throw them all up, saving the babies.

They also came up with the Olympics, and I love the Olympics. I watch it every four years. If I wrote down all of my love for the Greek Empire, it would take 50 years and be the chunkiest book ever, so I am stopping here.

France, the largest country in Western Europe, ranks sixth on the list of the world's most powerful and influential countries. The education level in this country is renowned worldwide.

The main earning industry of this country is the perfume industry, from which the country earns a lot. According to a survey report issued by WHO, France has top-class health facilities infrastructure. France is also a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, and there are no religious laws in its legal framework.

The space industry in France is very powerful, and its army is strong. It is said that, in addition to providing, the air force of this country is well-equipped with the latest helicopters and aircraft. By "countries," I mean current countries based on current boundaries, so France is of course in the top eight. Based on the last 500 years, France is in the top three.

I am a proud Chinese. Yes, the Americans have played a significant role in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, but China is the origin of the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cultures. China had been the strongest nation on Earth some centuries ago. Its culture is the only one of the four great ancient civilizations (Egyptian, Indian, Babylonian, and Chinese) to last to today.

If the Europeans and the Americans had not attacked China, and if China had been a part of the Industrial Revolution, China would be way stronger than America now. It is very possible that China will rise to a world superpower in the 21st century. China will eventually get out of communism and have real democracy. Though China will be a big nation, it would not invade any nation on Earth because the most important Chinese value is to make peace between every man.

Italy was known as "The Mother of the World" during the Roman period, thus implying its major contributions to the world. From art and food to language and government, every corner of the world has a piece of Italian influence. Latin America was colonized by Spain and Portugal, but the languages of Spanish and Portuguese are based off Latin, which was Proto-Italian. China was visited by Marco Polo.

The African country of Somalia got its name from Italian. There is speculation that the first non-native people to set foot onto North America were Romans. Needless to say, Europe as a whole was influenced by Italy as well, especially during the Roman period and the Renaissance.

India is a country where there is humanity. People in India care for others, often forgetting about themselves, which I experienced in India. The number system, zero, plastic surgery, algebra, and Pythagoras' theorem were first invented in India. Ayurveda and yoga also originated here.

There are great warriors who are equal to hundreds of Alexanders in India. It is true that these warriors existed before Christ. Alexander the Great himself said that the Indian soldier, King Puru, was more powerful than Alexander. King Puru is from India. The Indian marine commandos are among the most powerful in the world. Contractor Hafeez is the greatest civil engineer in the world and is from India. Many world records have been set by Indians.

Iran should be ranked number one. Modern civilization and democracy originated in Persia, and the Achaemenid Persian Empire is still the most powerful empire in human history, more powerful than Rome, Britain, or even the US today. They had the highest percentage of the world's population and were the first superpower. Unlike their rivals, they promoted social tolerance and outlawed slavery. Never has one country exerted as much power as ancient Iran.

History is always written by the winning side, and therefore, ancient Greece took credit for a lot of Iran's accomplishments. Anti-Iranian sentiment is so prevalent today that people like to overlook that it was the Persians who created the world as we know it. Furthermore, Iran really is the only country on Earth that has consistently remained powerful for over 5,000 years.

Japan was the country to end imperialism while also participating in it. It was the first Asian country to modernize and surprise the West. This demonstrates the strength of Japan. Napoleon once said that we should let China sleep, for one day she will shake the world. However, Japan was the true sleeping giant, as it has become one of the most influential capitalist cultures in the world. All of East Asian modern history owes its roots to Japan.

The whole 'cute Asian trend' came from Japan, as did the amazing electronics. People don't really see Japan for what it is: the true shining star of Asia, culturally and economically. Japanese culture will continue to influence the youth of other countries for years to come.

Do you think a country like "New Zealand" is more influential than Russia? The Russian Empire, the third largest empire in history, stretched from Poland to Alaska. And the Soviet Union, which was the most powerful nation at the time, had a relationship with every nation on earth and was one of only two superpowers. They were primarily responsible for the Allied victory in World War II, and they also put the first satellite and human in space. Russia is the most powerful country of the 20th century... And possibly of all time, next to the British Empire. Vote for Russia, my comrades!

Of course it should be Egypt. We are one of the cradles of civilization. We are the ones who built the pyramids. We are the ones who taught the Greeks and gave them our knowledge and philosophy. We were the people who made temples and pyramids when the whole world was living like monkeys in the jungle.

We were the ones who invented the clock, the calendar, makeup, dancing, chess, surgical instruments, cosmetics, the plow, paper, the ink pen, shoes, haircuts, hairbrushes, haircombs, toothpaste, the solar calendar, the 365-day calendar, keys, levers, chisels, door locks, writing, astronomy, medicine, mathematics, government, high-heeled shoes, condoms, hair wigs, paved roads, vases, glass, perfumes, wine, scissors, needles, and ramps. Not only that, but there are still many more Egyptian inventions that I haven't mentioned because it would take forever to list them all.

The first physicist in history was Egyptian, and also the first engineer and the first architect - Imhotep - were Egyptians. Egypt's Nile River is the world's longest river. We are the land of the pharaohs and the land of Moses, Joseph, Jacob, Aaron, Elijah, and Enoch. Many other prophets lived in Egypt and were even born here.

We have the oldest and last-standing wonder of the Seven Wonders, which are the Pyramids of Giza. The oldest surviving work on mathematics was written by the ancient Egyptian scribe Ahmes. Also, the Egyptian language is one of the oldest languages in history. We were the first people to keep cattle, and the most important thing is that we have never enslaved people to do our work, unlike many other ancient world civilizations.

We are the pharaohs. No country compares to us. By the way, everything written here is factual and has already been proven by experts. I still have a lot to say, but if I keep on talking about how great Egypt is, I would never stop writing.

Scotland is in with a shout. Just a short look on wiki shows the sheer impact. Contrast with England, where military and weapon innovations are notably less. However, scientific and medical innovations are much the same or greater, which says a lot about the country's priorities.

I would also say the significance of some of these is quite staggering, such as the discovery of electromagnetism, identification of its origins, and treatment of malaria. Go Scotland!

Stop naming Scottish inventions as English or British. They are Scottish inventions. Just like English inventions are England's. If we did so, England would be way down in the list. Also, the US is laughable being at the top. They have provided very little, especially in their short existence.

The Dutch deserve a higher place since modern capitalism, the Declaration of Independence, and even the success of the British Empire were based on Dutch ideas. No nation had as much influence on modern Western ideas as they did. Truly the Athens of modern history. For a long time, many great thinkers flocked to Amsterdam in search of freedom and tolerance and contributed to the enlightenment of Western civilization. I bet John Adams and Peter the Great would agree.

The Dutch East India Company was arguably the first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers. These included the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money, and establish colonies. Many economic and political historians consider the Dutch East India Company as the most valuable, powerful, and influential corporation in world history.

If the Iberians had never declared war against the Moors, the peninsula would still be an Arab state, and another failure for the crusaders. If they hadn't won the war 500 years ago, the Portuguese would have never sailed south to Africa and begun the slave trade. Most importantly, the Spanish would have never sailed west to the Americas. This was a huge point in history that literally changed the world and is among the most important. Although they haven't made any changes after their American colonies gained independence in the 1800s, this would not have been possible if they had never won the war. Spain also helped to spread new ideas, like math and science as well as art and literature during the Renaissance.

Spain should be ranked above not only the US but also France, Germany, Italy, England/UK, Russia, and Japan since their changes are more recent. The only other countries that should be above Spain are Greece, China, Ancient Egypt, Persia/Iran, the Roman Empire, and India.

Rulers of the world from the Mongols to the Seljuks to the Ottomans. The Ottoman Empire is regarded as the most important, powerful, and longest-lasting empire in recent history. The Turks effectively controlled all of Asia, Northern Africa, and half of Europe.

Any poll not including Turks in the top 3 is complete nonsense. From the fifth century to today, every great event owes its place to Turks as enemy or friend. If you take Turks out, there won't be any history for two millennia.

Admit it... Turkey had a ton of influence before the fall of the Ottoman Empire! Now, it's looking to rebuild a new Ottoman Empire under Erdogan. I don't know if ultra-conservative Erdogan will be able to pull it off, though.

Ancient Mesopotamia (Iraq) is the place where modern civilization started. Things like writing, reading, building, and the most essential part was from Iraq. All other civilizations are based on Iraqi civilization. Iraq laid the foundation for modern civilization. Is that not enough to be on the top list?

Iraq has a long and mysterious history. After the war with the USA, they became economically and mentally impoverished.

Ethiopia should be at least in the top five. It is the only African country that was never colonized.

In fact, we defeated Italy (number 11 on your list) in the Battle of Adwa and became the pride of all Africans and Black people worldwide. We are a symbol of freedom and bravery. The current state of the world would have been different if not for us. This is just one example.

P.S. You should read more about Ethiopian history.

Well, all of us, you and I, the one reading this comment, can trace our origins back to Ethiopia. We all have an ancestor from there.

Everybody, no matter their skin color, should be proud of this country.

Without Portugal, there would not be Brazil and Mozambique! We were the richest country, yes, more than The British Empire, for 400 years. We were the ones that brought curry to India, and we are much older than Spain! We are the Longest Global Empire In The World. Without us, 900 million people would not be Christians as they are today. At least we should be in the top 10!

Portugal is definitely among the top 10 most influential countries.

There is something everyone keeps forgetting: the Portuguese introduced the concept of diplomacy, imposing themselves through their trading power instead of military force.

Viva Portugal!

Great Genghis Khan took over almost half of the world with the smallest army in the world, equipped with the toughest and wisest warriors and the best tactics of the 12th century. The Mongols could have conquered all the discovered lands at that time, but due to Genghis Khan's children competing for the throne, the Mongol Empire was divided into pieces and fell. In modern days, Genghis Khan's war tactics are still being used and admired among the powerful nations' armies, like the U.S. Army and Russian Army.

All Latin languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, etc.) originate from Latin. English also has heavy Latin influences. Rome essentially spread the roots of modern Western culture. Yes, Rome is undeniably important.

Art, music, engineering, architecture, politics, military, religion, food, culture... And the copious list could keep going. The most significant innovations in human history have come from Italy/the Roman Empire. I don't believe anyone could argue that.

Rome is one of, if not the most, influential empires in history, perhaps even up there with Greece.

Erasing Canada from the world would result in the loss of many important cities, like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, etc. It would be the loss of once the tallest tower in the world (CN Tower), followed by the loss of skyscrapers that defined many important things today (1000 De La Gauchetière: the center of Bell, First Canadian Place: One of the tallest structures in the world). It would also erase a huge portion of Niagara Falls, an important tourist attraction. Thinking about it, Canada shapes the world.

The Abrahamic faiths are spread across the globe. (I know this should include the Arabian Peninsula as a whole) People who are religious put more importance on their faith than other things. And their faith can change their opinions on everything.

This is where the fastest-spreading religion in the world started. What more can we say? What a shame Saudi Arabia is ranked 23rd! By the way, I am not an Arab.

From here, the whole world witnessed one of the greatest movements in history: Islam.

Behind Italy, Greece, the United Kingdom, the United States, and all of the above... It's so unfair. We discovered America first, we have a Viking culture, and we are one of the travelers in Europe. We rule the north, and we also have the oldest flag in the world. I can't believe it's in the top 20. This should be in the top 3.

A country once full of fierce Vikings who exerted great control over the surrounding area. Now, a somewhat tiny country whose influence can, however, still be felt. Lego was born in Denmark. It is a nice, happy country with a great economy.