The first proper batch of this project of mine:
View attachment 772133
Notes:
[see above for Afghanistan]
The Sanjak of Scutari was the longest-enduring version of Albania 434 yrs. However, as it was not independent, I have depicted the Republic of Albania on this map. It has been going for thirty years.
The Kingdom of Tlemcen was arguably the longest-enduring version of Algeria, it lasted for 319 years.
The Principality of Andorra - 743 years.
Portuguese Angola existed for 400 years. As it wasn't independent (obviously), the Kingdom of Ndongo (lived to be 70) is shown here [it was not on the basemap for the corresponding years, hence the wobbly borders].
Antigua and Barbuda, has been independent for 40 years (I'm not counting its colonial history).
The Governorate of the Rio de la Plata was the longest lasting version of Argentina (227 years). The longest enduring version is the Argentine Republic (current, and 161 years so far).
Antiquity's Kingdom of Armenia lasted 749 years.
The Commonwealth of Australia is the longest-lasting (some would say only...) version of Australia. Although it was hard to work out when it was de facto independent - either it has been around for 36 years, or 121 years.
Some would argue that the Holy Roman Empire counts as the longest-enduring version of Austria. However, I went with the Archduke of Austria (404 years).
azerbaijan under the Shaddadids lived for 248 years.
The longest living incarnation of the Bahamas was the Colony of the Bahama Islands (255 years). But the longest-enduring independent Bahamas was (and is) the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (49 years...).
Bahrain & its Dependencies (188 years).
The longest-enduring version of Bangladesh or Bengal was the Pala Empire, which lasted 411 years.
As a Colony, Barbados lived for 331 years. The oldest independent Barbados was Barbados as a monarchy (55 years). It recently became a republic, btw.
The longest-enduring version of Belarus has to be the Principality of Polotsk (410 years).
The longest-enduring version of Belgium: Kingdom of Belgium (lasted for 184 successive years).
The longest-enduring version of Belize was when it was the Crown Colony of British Honduras (111 years). Of course, that was not independent, so this map features Belize (41 years so far).
Tricky one Benin - should I go literally with Benin, or would it be more accurate to put down Dahomey? That is the longest-enduring version was the Kingdom of Benin (717 years). But it is worth claiming that modern Benin has nowt to do with the original kingdom. Modern Benin is a successor to the Kingdom of Dahomey (304 years). That is the one shown on this worlda, but I understand some folks won't like that.
Kingdom of Bhutan - it has supposedly endured for 398 years but the NextGen worlda series seems to have a discrepancy in when it became British?? Maybe I just don't fully understand its complicated history.
The longest-enduring incarnation of Bosnia was the Sanjak of Bosnia (lasted 415 years). However, this map shows the Banate of Bosnia (223 years). It was Hungarian, but from my reading it was actually de facto independent.
Final one for this batch - the Bechuanaland Protectorate lasted for 81 years. The modern era's Republic of Botswana has existed for 56 years, and is shown on the map.
