From: esquel@sommarskog.se   
      
   Here are my answers to my question. To make it fair and even, I'm writing   
   this without having looked at the other answers, and without consulting   
   sources. In fact, this option is not open to me, as I'm typing this in   
   an airplane.   
      
   Once I'm on the ground and can read the other answers, I will followup   
   if there is anything of interest.   
      
   This is my list of countries that existed since 1523-06-06 without   
   interruption since:   
      
   Sweden, Denmark, France, Spain, Andorra. Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland,   
   Turkey, Russia, Iran, China, Japan, Thailand and Ethiopia.   
      
   Remarks:   
   Sweden - On June 6 1523, the Swedish parliament elected Gustav Vasa as   
   king of Sweden. This resurrected Sweden as an independent kingdom, and   
   marked the end of Sweden's union with Denmark and Norway. So, yes, there   
   was a reason that I posted this question on the day I did.   
      
   Russia - There was no Russia in 1523, but here was The Grand Duchy of   
   Moscow. It had long stopped being a small city state, but it was a   
   greedy imprialistic state that was always on the move for territories   
   to swallow. Ivan the Terrible rebranded the country about the 30 years   
   later. (Soviet Union must be considered Russia by another name.)   
      
   Turkey - I see no reason not to consider Turkey as a contiuation of the   
   Ottonman Empitre.   
      
   Japan - This is not as clear-cut as one may think. In 1523 Japan had   
   fallen into a number of smaller feudal state. But, yes, there was an   
   emperor, and there was a shogun, even if they were mainly figureheads.   
   You could compare Japan to the Holy German-Roman Empire at the time -   
   a loose confederation.   
      
   Austria - A prime example of why this cannot be a true quiz question.   
   Was there an Austria in 1523? Yes. But was it an independent statotre?   
   Well, there was an emperor based in Vienna. But what was the emperor   
   over? Nominally, he was emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and he held   
   real power of Austria, Bohemia and some more territory. But can we   
   say that was a country called Austria? I more or less give up.   
      
   Iran, Thailand and Etiopia - Here I don't know very much about their   
   history. I'm somewhat sure that Iran is correct, but when it comes to   
   the other two, I would need to look it up to confirm.   
      
      
   There are a few countries which existed in 1523 and which exist today,   
   but which have not existed continously during this period:   
      
   Poland - Taken off the map entirely after its third partition in   
   1794. Back on the map after WWI.   
      
   Hungary - The disaster in Mohacs was only three years away in 1523.   
   This put most of Hungary under Ottoman rule, and what was left sought   
   refuge under the Habsburgs.   
      
   Portugal - Part of Span 1580-1640.   
      
   Morrocco - I think Morrocco was indpendent in some form in 1532.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)