Which came first? · Counterintuitive

Which came first: IKEA or NATO?

IKEA came first, in 1943 (founded). NATO followed 6 years later, in 1949 (founded).

Older Than You ThinkOlder Than You ThinkWhich came first? Sixteen pairs, from obvious to "wait, really?"Quiz11 seconds a pairMobile & desktop
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  1. First1943

    IKEA

    company · founded

    IKEA was founded in 1943 by a 17-year-old as a mail-order business; it only began selling furniture five years later.

    Checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata

  2. Second1949

    NATO

    institution · founded

    NATO was founded in 1949 by 12 countries.

    Checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata

All which-came-first pairs · About Older Than You Think · Quiz games

Years from Wikidata, each checked against the item’s English Wikipedia article on 2026-10-18. A year stands for what its label says: a founding, a first patent, a premiere.