This article has been verified for the current version (1.30) of the game.
Lucky nations is a setting changeable at game set-up. It grants the luck bonus to eight countries, depending on the setting, either a predetermined historical group or at random. If a lucky nation is annexed, no new country is assigned lucky nation status. Ironman mode is locked to the "historic lucky nations" setting. The player’s nation will never receive the lucky status.
In a default "historical" setting,[3] the following nations have Luck modifier if they are not player controlled, exist at chosen date, and have the corresponding secondary requirement.
Castile (before year 1700 and Spain does not exist) / Spain (before year 1700 and Castile does not exist)
Poland (If Commonwealth does not exist) / Commonwealth (before year 1700)
The first eight nations from the top of the list will get priority on acquiring the Luck modifier, therefore, at the beginning of 1444, the lucky nations are (unless you pick one of them):
Via province interface:
A lucky nation can most easily be determined by viewing the defensiveness in a province of that nation, which receives a +10% fort defense bonus for “luck”.
Via country interface:
It is also possible to identify a lucky nation by scrolling over the spy icon in the diplomacy tab as lucky nations will receive a +10% spy network construction bonus.
Castile (before year 1700 and Spain does not exist) / 
Spain (before year 1700 and Castile does not exist)
Ottomans (before year 1700)
Muscovy (if Russia does not exist) / 
Russia
England (if Great Britain does not exist) / 
Great Britain
France
Austria
Prussia (after year 1700)
Netherlands
Portugal (before year 1700)
Jianzhou (if neither Manchu nor Qing exist)/ 
Manchu (if Qing doesn't exist)/ 
Qing
Brandenburg
Sweden (before year 1700)
Poland (If Commonwealth does not exist) / 
Commonwealth (before year 1700)
