There has been one great Ninja war thus far, a war spurred on by Kirigakure, Sunagakure, Konohagakure and Kumogakure.
Due to the massacre of the Uzumaki, Kumogakure and Konohagakure joint forces in war against Kirigakure. Having control over Suna, Kirigakure utilised their puppet-state in the ensuing battle. The war was long and tenacious, intense enough to the point all involved village parties lost posession of their Bijuu and Jinchuriki respectively.
Prior to the Ninja war, all countries were in the 'Warring States' era, wars breaking out between minor clans and populations within or across their respective land masses.
TEMP TIMELINE:
KONOHA is made -> 40 years of peace w/ small feuds and battles -> Great Ninja War for 5 years -> 20 years of peace in modern day
The continent in which the server is roleplayed in is dubbed the 'Elemental Continent'. A lot of the other continents and lands outside of the Five Great Villages have inhabitants, some even possessing entire countries, but with far less Ninja. The elemental continent, as a whole, is the most powerful landmass on the globe.
On the elemental continent there are smaller villages wedged between the great five. A noteable country is the Land of Iron.