No, Australia is not the youngest country; South Sudan is widely considered the world's newest nation, gaining independence in 2011, while countries in Africa like Niger and Uganda have the youngest populations by median age. Australia became a federation (a country) in 1901, making it much older than South Sudan, though it's a relatively young nation compared to ancient civilizations.
South Sudan is often named as The World's Youngest Nation, where the 70 percent of the population are under 30 years of age.
However, the "First World" is generally thought of as the capitalist, industrial, wealthy, and developed countries. This definition includes the countries of North America and Western Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
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Egypt. Egypt is the oldest country in the world if we accept its founding as 3150 B.C.E. That's the estimated beginning of the reign of Narmer, the first king of the first dynasty of Egypt, and the end of the period considered predynastic or ancient Egypt. The Narmer Palette (circa 3200-3000 B.C.E.)
Based on the establishment of the earliest known organized governments, Egypt is the second oldest country in the world, following Iran, with its unified rule beginning around 3100 BCE, just after Iran's government from 3200 BCE. Other ancient nations like Vietnam, Armenia, China, and India also feature high on the list of oldest nations by government establishment.
A "first world" country is usually an industrialized, democratic nation with political and economic stability, a capitalist economy, and a high standard of living. The term originated during the Cold War, referring to nations aligned with the United States and Western allies.
Denmark. Denmark is at the top of the list of the top ten countries for quality of life. This small Nordic country consistently ranks highly in international surveys on factors like happiness, income equality, safety, and access to education.
Kiribati, specifically its Line Islands (like Kiritimati), is the first country to celebrate the New Year, followed closely by Samoa, Tonga, and New Zealand's Chatham Islands, all thanks to their location just west of the International Date Line. These Pacific island nations usher in January 1st hours before most other countries, making them the first to welcome the new year.
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Private debt is currently around 130% of GDP as contrasted with government (public) debt which is quite low at 34% of GDP. So yes the Australian public has a lot of debt. Having said that Australia is still a very rich country with median wealth per capita roughly $270k USD or $400k AUD.
Most English-speaking countries recognize seven continents (Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, Australia/Oceania), but some models, particularly geological ones, propose eight, adding Zealandia (a largely submerged continent) to the traditional seven, while others merge Asia and Europe into Eurasia. So, it's either 7 or 8 depending on the classification system used, with 7 being the common educational standard and 8 (including Zealandia) gaining scientific traction.
The richest country by GDP (PPP) per capita is often cited as Singapore, followed closely by Luxembourg, depending on the specific report and year, with Singapore leading in 2025 estimates with around $156,000-$157,000 per person, while Luxembourg is a strong contender just below that, highlighting small, finance-heavy economies as wealthiest per person.
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Qatar and the UAE have the world's lowest proportion of older adults (65+ years), at 1.7% and 1.8% respectively. African nations dominate this list, with countries such as Zambia, Chad, Uganda, and Burundi showing similarly low shares of elderly populations.
One of the distinctions that the UK holds is that it is the country with the longest name in the world. The UK's formal name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland which comes in at a total of 56 characters.
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While Baker and Howland Islands are technically last on the clock, they are uninhabited. For travelers, the meaningful “last New Year” celebrations happen in American Samoa, Niue, and Hawaii.
Kiritimati is in the world's furthest forward time zone, UTC+14, and is therefore one of the first inhabited places on Earth to experience New Year's Day (see also Caroline Atoll, Kiribati).
According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, Finland is the happiest country in the world for the eighth year in a row. It's followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands in the annual survey released on Thursday, March 20, 2025, that ranks countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be.
Switzerland tops the list of countries with the highest monthly salaries in 2025, offering an impressive average of USD 8,247. Luxembourg follows in second place with USD 6,764, driven by its strong financial sector and high standard of living.
Mexico. Mexico is one of the most popular countries for Americans moving abroad, thanks to its proximity to the U.S., affordable cost of living, strong healthcare system, and large expat communities. Many Americans find it easy to integrate, especially in cities and regions with established expat populations.
South Sudan is widely considered the poorest country in the world in 2025-2026, consistently ranking first due to extremely low GDP per capita and a high percentage (over 80%) of its population living in extreme poverty, driven by prolonged civil conflict, displacement, and disruption of its agricultural economy. Other nations frequently cited as among the poorest include Burundi, the Central African Republic, and Yemen, also suffering from conflict and instability.
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