Show san marino claims to be worlds world oldest republic the little republic of san marino in central italy claims the distinction of being the oldest republic in the world holding itself to be also the oldest state in europe dating back to the fourth century the oldest consequential republic however is certainly switzerland asserts a writer in the cleveland plain dealer on august 1 1291 the men of url schwyz and lower unterwalden Unter walden entered into a defensive league in 1353 the league included eight cantons and in 1513 thirteen various allied or subject territories were acquired either by single cantons or by groups of them and in 1648 the league became formally independent of the holy roman empire no addition was made to the number of cantons until 1798 in which year under french influence the republic was orga organized nihed this did not satisfy the swiss and in 1803 napoleon gave them a new ew constitution and increased the number of cantons to nineteen the perpetual neutrality and inviolability of switzerland was guaranteed in 1815 by austria great britain portugal prussia and russia and three new cantons were added |