The first anthem to be officially adopted as such was the Spanish anthem "La Marcha Real" The Japanese anthem, "Kimigayo", employs the oldest lyrics of any national anthem. The Dutch national anthem, the "Wilhelmus", was written between 1568 and 1572.
See also: National anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, National anthem of Hong Kong, List of former national anthems, God Save the King, and National anthem of Russia.