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For example, a centenarian who has spent her entire life in Rijeka would have lived in five:

  • The Austro-Hungarian Empire (until 1920)
  • The Free State of Fiume (1920-1924)
  • Italy (1924-1947)
  • Yugoslavia (1947-1991)
  • Croatia (1991-present)

Is there any piece of land in the world which has been in more hands than that since March 5, 1898 (the birthdate of the oldest living person)? If so, where?

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  • 8
    I understand why this was put on hold but consider that in attempting to answer the question, you end up exploring a very interesting maze of historical geopolitics. I know I did. So I personally encourage these quirky historical questions as they often act an unique lens for viewing the past. Sep 25, 2013 at 8:42
  • 2
    You will likely find your city in Eastern Europe. For example, Carpatho-Ukraine appears to have been part of A-H, then Czechoslovakia, then declared independent, then Hungary, then Soviet Union, then Ukraine. Of course, it depends on how you define "change of countries" - is Hungary distinct from A-H, is Ukrainian SSR distinct from Ukraine, is Croatia distinct from Yugoslavia?
    – Jørgen
    Sep 26, 2013 at 8:01

5 Answers 5

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I think the Carpathian Ruthenia area (the little triangle on the "end" of Czechoslovakia after the end of WW1) gives us five bona fide separate national entities and more if pseudo-states (such as your Fiume) and other periods of loose or brief control are allowed.

up to 1918 Austria-Hungary
1918 Hungary
1918 West Ukraine
1918-1939 Czechoslovakia
1939 Carpatho-Ukraine Republic
1939-1944 Hungary
1944-1945 Czechoslovakia
1945-1991 USSR
1991 - Ukraine

I've marked in bold where nation states were recognisably exercising full sovereignty over the area. Looser claims in italics.

Memelland (now Klaipeda) in Lithuania is another possible candidate.

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  • Now if you could find some pre-1939 border adjustments between Czechoslovakia or A-H and Poland or Romania...
    – Jørgen
    Sep 27, 2013 at 7:20
  • 2
    @Jørgen yes! we need some small Carpathian town to have been temporarily given to Romania for a few years, perhaps by cartographic oversight or to solve a problem with a road or some such Sep 27, 2013 at 23:19
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Metohija

  1. Ottoman Empire (until 1912)
  2. Montenegro (1912-1915)
  3. Austria-Hungary (1915-1918)
  4. Serbia (1918)
  5. Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (1918–1929)
  6. Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1929–1941)
  7. Italian protectorate of Albania (1941-1943)
  8. Nazi Germany (1943-1944)
  9. Serbia (1944-1946)
  10. Yugoslavia (1946-1991)
  11. Federal Republic of Yugoslavia(1992-2003)
  12. Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006)
  13. Serbia (2006-2008)
  14. Kosovo (2008-
6

Lviv:

  1. Austria-Hungary (until 1918)
  2. Western Ukrainian National Republic
  3. Poland (1918-1939)
  4. USSR (1939-1941)
  5. Reichskommissariat Ukraine (1941-1944)
  6. Poland (1944-1946)
  7. USSR (1946-1991)
  8. Ukraine (1991-now)

This does not qualify as the most number of different countries, but probably qualifies as the most number of changes in national flag.

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  • 4
    I bet the residents were glad when not in Russia as the Russian winters are so cold. Mar 28, 2014 at 20:40
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Cešký Těšin, the western part of Cieszyn, Silesia:

  • to 1918: Austria-Hungary
  • October 31-November 5 1918: competing Czech and Polish local administrations
  • November 5 1918- Jan 30 1919: Polish occupation
  • 1919-1920: Czech occupation
  • 1920-1938: First Czechoslovak Republic (formalized by 1920 Spa Conference)
  • 1938-1939: Second Polish Republic (Polish occupation after Munich Agreement)
  • 1939-1945: Großdeutsches Reich (i.e. annexed by Nazi Germany)
  • 1945-1992: Czechoslovakia
  • 1993-: Czech Republic/Czechia
1

U Sabotů, now Šance (see the map).

  • until 1918: Austria(-Hungary)
  • 1918 - 1939 Czechoslovakia
  • 1939 - 1945 Germany (Protektorat Böhmen und Mähren)
  • 1945 - 1992 Czechoslovakia
  • 1993 - 1997 Czech Republic
  • 1997 - Slovakia

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