[defrost]

That's your "definition" of country?

These countries:

https://mgnsw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/map_col_high...

remained sovereign for tens of thousands of years.

Whereas, for example, the "United Kingdom" as a country (of four kingdoms) only dates back to 1801, prior to which there was a long history of contested sovereignty claims, there's some interesting paperwork declaring a King of Scotland as a the King of England, etc.

[gadders]

My OP specifically mentioned "England".

[defrost]

That might have some relevance were you 'relaxing' who I was replying to.

Do you have a definition of what makes a country yet?

This question of oldest country that you've laid claim to does rather rest on something that works about the globe so that we can compare.

The "definition" (as such) provided by 'relaxing' fails England as England has been claimed by a Scottish King to be his realm.

I'm with you though, I reject that definition.