Largest Constitutions: A Global Overview

Constitutions are fundamental documents that outline a country's legal system and detail the rights of its citizens. While most countries have a codified constitution, a small number, such as the UK, New Zealand, and Hong Kong, do not have a written constitution. The United States Constitution is often considered the oldest constitution in the world, although the Constitution of San Marino is nearly 200 years older, it is not fully codified. The US Constitution has been amended 27 times since it was ratified in 1788, while other countries, such as Venezuela, Haiti, and Ecuador, have had 20 or more constitutions throughout their history. The length of constitutions also varies, with the Indian Constitution being the longest at 146,385 words, and the Constitution of Monaco being the shortest at 3,814 words.

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Lengthiest constitutions

A country's constitution is a legal document that outlines its legal system and details the rights of its citizens. While some countries have had the same constitution for centuries, others have amended their constitutions several times or adopted entirely new ones. For instance, the United States has had only one constitution, but it has been amended several times. On the other hand, the Dominican Republic has had 32 constitutions, the most of any country.

Constitutions can be codified or uncodified. A codified constitution is contained in a single document, which serves as the single source of constitutional law in a state. An uncodified constitution, on the other hand, consists of several different sources, some of which may be written or unwritten. Examples of countries with uncodified constitutions include the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and New Zealand.

The length of a constitution can vary significantly from country to country. Here is a list of some of the lengthiest constitutions in the world:

• The Indian Constitution is the lengthiest in the world, with 146,385 words.
• The Nigerian Constitution is the second lengthiest, containing 66,263 words.
• The Brazilian Constitution is third, with 64,488 words.
• The Malaysian Constitution is the fourth lengthiest, with 64,080 words.
• The Papua New Guinean Constitution is the fifth lengthiest, comprising 58,490 words.
• The Mexican Constitution is the sixth lengthiest, with 57,087 words.

Oldest constitutions

The Constitution of San Marino, dating back to 1600, is the oldest constitution in the world. It is comprised of a series of six books written in Latin, collectively referred to as the "Statutes of 1600". These books outline the organisation of the government, the rights of citizens, and the principles that guide this ancient microstate. San Marino's current legal system is still based on this 1600 Constitution, and it has been amended over the years when necessary, with the last amendment occurring in 2002.

The United States Constitution, which came into force in 1789, is often cited as the oldest constitution due to it being a single text document, whereas the Constitution of San Marino is comprised of multiple texts. Since its implementation, the U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times, with the majority of amendments focusing on the expansion and protection of civil rights.

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Constitution, passed on May 3, 1791, is considered the world's second oldest modern constitution and the oldest in Europe. It was the continent's first codified national constitution and established a clear division of executive, legislative, and judiciary powers. Poland's modern constitution was put into effect in 1997 and was last amended in 2009.

The Constitution of Norway or Kongeriget Norges Grundlov, adopted on May 17, 1814, is one of the oldest existing constitutions in the world. It is similar to the U.S. Constitution in that it is founded on the principles of the sovereignty of the people, the separation of powers, and human rights. Norway’s Constitution establishes three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Other notable old constitutions include the Australian Constitution, which came into effect on January 1, 1901, and the Constitution of Tonga, enacted on November 4, 1875.

Number of amendments

The number of amendments to a constitution is a reflection of the changing social and political contexts of a country. While some countries have had several constitutions throughout their history, others have had one constitution that has been amended multiple times.

The United States, for example, has had only one constitution, which has been amended 27 times since its ratification in 1787-1788. On the other hand, the Dominican Republic has had 32 constitutions since its independence in 1844, the largest number of constitutions of any country. Similarly, Venezuela has had 26 constitutions, Haiti 24, and Ecuador 20.

The Constitution of Canada, also known as the British North America Act of 1867, has been amended several times since its inception, with the last amendment made in 1982. Poland's constitution, considered one of the oldest in the world, has also undergone several changes, with its modern constitution coming into effect in 1997 and being amended most recently in 2009.

The Indian constitution, which is the lengthiest in the world, comprising 146,385 words, has been amended multiple times since its inception. While the specific number of amendments is unclear, the Indian constitution has undergone numerous changes to keep up with the evolving social and political landscape of the country.

In summary, the number of amendments to a constitution varies from country to country and depends on a range of factors, including historical context, social and political changes, and the evolution of legal systems and citizen rights.

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Constitutional history

A country's constitution reflects its unique history, traditions, and beliefs. While some countries have had the good fortune of witnessing the peaceful evolution of their constitutions over the centuries, others have experienced constitutions born out of war, conflict, and revolutions. The constitutions of the world can be classified as codified or uncodified. A codified constitution is contained in a single document that acts as the sole source of constitutional law in a state. On the other hand, an uncodified constitution is not contained in a single document but consists of several different sources, some of which may be written or unwritten.

The United States, for instance, has had only one constitution that has been amended several times. The U.S. Constitution, ratified between 1787 and 1788, has been amended 27 times, with the first amendments proposed by James Madison. The United States Constitution is often cited as the oldest due to the uncodified nature of the Constitution of San Marino, which is the oldest constitution in the world, with its history traced back to the 1600s. San Marino's current legal system is based on this 1600 Constitution, making it the world's oldest existing constitution. It is worth noting that the Dominican Republic has had the most constitutions of any country, with a total of 32 since its independence in 1844.

The Constitution of Norway or Kongeriget Norges Grundlov, adopted on May 17, 1814, is one of the oldest existing constitutions in the world. It is similar to the U.S. Constitution in that it is founded on the principles of the sovereignty of the people, the separation of powers, and human rights. Norway's Constitution establishes three branches of government: legislative, budgetary, and supervisory powers vested in the Storting; executive power vested in the King and Council; and judicial power vested in the Supreme Courts, subordinate courts, and the Court of Impeachment.

Poland's Constitution of May 3, 1791, is considered the world's second oldest modern constitution and the oldest in Europe. It aimed to establish a more effective constitutional monarchy with a clear division of executive, legislative, and judiciary powers. Poland's modern constitution was implemented in 1997 and last amended in 2009.

In terms of length, the Indian constitution is the lengthiest in the world, with 146,385 words. The Nigerian Constitution is the second lengthiest, containing 66,263 words. The constitutions of Brazil, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea are also among the lengthiest, with word counts of 64,488, 64,080, and 58,490, respectively.

Judicial independence

The length of a constitution is not necessarily indicative of its quality or the stability of the political system it outlines. The US Constitution, for example, is the oldest and shortest written constitution still in force, and it has been amended several times. In contrast, many constitutions do not last more than ten years, and around 10% don't last more than a year.

A notable example of an uncodified constitution is the United Kingdom's constitution, which is written in numerous fundamental acts of a legislature, court cases, and treaties. Other countries without codified constitutions include Hong Kong and New Zealand.

On the other hand, Latin America has had the most convoluted constitutional history, with the Dominican Republic having had 32 constitutions, the most of any country. Three other Latin American countries have also had 20 or more constitutions: Venezuela (26), Haiti (24), and Ecuador (20).

The Constitution of India, which came into force on 26 January 1950, is an example of a codified constitution that establishes an independent judiciary. The Indian Constitution provides for a three-tier governmental structure (central, state, and local) and a division of powers, with the judiciary protecting the fundamental rights of the people enshrined in the Constitution. The courts are expected to remain unaffected by pressure exerted by other branches of the state, citizens, or interest groups, and Article 50 mandates that the state must separate the judiciary from the executive in the public services.

The Constitution Rankings by the Comparative Constitutions Project (CCP) include an index for Judicial Independence, which captures the constitutional presence or absence of six features thought to enhance judicial independence:

• An explicit statement of judicial independence
• Lifetime appointments for judges
• A judicial council or multiple actors involved in appointments to the highest court
• Limited removal requiring a supermajority vote in the legislature or approval by another political actor
• Removal limited to crimes, misconduct, treason, or violations of the constitution
• Protection of judicial salaries from reduction

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