How many minutes did the shortest war in history last?

History hard Data from 1896

Guess before you scroll — the answer is below

Answer in minutes. Shorthand like 9m or 1.2bn works.

The answer

38 minutes

The Anglo-Zanzibar War of 1896 lasted 38 minutes. The British opened fire at 9:02 am and the palace surrendered by 9:40. It remains the shortest recorded war between sovereign states.

Where this number comes from

Source Guinness World Records
Figure refers to 1896
Last checked
Unit minutes

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