Which country has the shortest national anthem?

In terms of anthems of all the countries spread across planet Earth the nation with the shortest (and one of the oldest) national anthems belongs to the island nation of Japan. Officially referred to as “Kimigayo”, the title of this four line anthem can be translated to “His Imperial Majesty's Reign”. The origin of its lyrics can be traced all the way back to a Japanese waka poem which is thought to have been written sometime in the Heian period between the years of 794 and 1185.

Kimigayo also has the distinction of being one of the oldest national anthems in the world. Breaking it down, Kimigayo has a total of 32 characters and runs a length of eleven measures. In accordance to Japanese law no translation of either the title or lyrics is allowed by law.