Independence Day
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For other uses, see Independence Day (disambiguation).
An Independence Day is an annual celebration commemorating the anniversary of a nation's assumption of independent statehood, usually after ceasing to be a colony or part of another state, more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Most countries honour their respective independence day as a national holiday and some countries or nations' independence-date honours are contested.
The following is a partial list of independence days of countries around the world:
| Country | Date | Significant event |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | August 19 | Independence from United Kingdom control over Afghan foreign affairs in 1919. |
| Albania | November 28 | (Dita e Pavarësisë) Declared by Ismail Qemali in 1912 and signalled the end of five centuries of Ottoman rule. |
| Algeria | July 5 | Independence from France in 1962. |
| Angola | November 11 | Portugal grants independence to its former colony in 1975. |
| Antigua and Barbuda | November 1 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1981. |
| Argentina | July 9 | Independence declared from Spain in 1816. |
| Armenia | September 21 | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
|
| Azerbaijan | October 18 | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. |
| Bahamas | July 10 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1973. |
| Bahrain | December 15 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1971. |
| Bangladesh | March 26 | Independence was declared from Pakistan and this led to a nine month war ending on December 16, 1971. |
| Barbados | November 30 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. |
| Belarus | July 3 | Liberation of Minsk from German occupation by Soviet troops in 1944. |
| Belgium | July 21 | (Belgian revolution) Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld takes the oath as first king of the Belgians in 1831. |
| Belize | September 21 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1981. See September Celebrations. |
| Benin | August 1 | Independence from France in 1960. |
| Bolivia | August 6 | Independence from Spain in 1825. |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | March 1 | Independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992. |
| Botswana | September 30 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. |
| Brazil | September 7 | (Sete de Setembro) Declared Independence from Portugal on that date in 1822. It was declared by Dom Pedro I, son of the King of Portugal and the first Brazilian Emperor, but the independence act was not recognized until August 29, 1825. |
| Brunei | January 1 | Independence from United Kingdom in 1984 |
| Bulgaria | September 22 | Independence from Ottoman Empire in 1878 |
| Burkina Faso | August 5 | Independence from France in 1960 |
| Burundi | July 1 | Independence from Belgium in 1962 |
| Cambodia | November 9 | Independence from France in 1953 |
| Cape Verde Islands | July 5 | (Cape Verde Independence Day) Independence from Portugal in 1975. |
| Central African Republic | August 13 | Independence from France in 1960. |
| Chad | August 11 | Independence from France in 1960. |
| Chile | February 12 | Declared Independence from Spain on that date in 1818. Actually, Chileans celebrate the date of the first Government Junta, September 18. This date was not recognized as until 25 April 1844. |
| Colombia | July 20 and August 07 | Independence from Spain in 1810. |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | June 30 | Independence from Belgium in 1960. |
| Costa Rica | September 15 | Independence from Spain in 1821. |
| Croatia | October 8 | Independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. |
| Cyprus | October 1 | Independence from the United Kingdom on August 16, 1960, but Cyprus Independence Day is commonly celebrated on October 1.[1][2] |
| Czech & Slovak Republics | October 28 | As Czechoslovakia, marking restored independence from Austria-Hungary in 1918.
As Czechoslovakia, marking the Velvet Revolution in 1989. |
| Dominican Republic | February 27 | Independence from Haiti in 1844, after a 22-year occupation. |
| East Timor | May 20 | Independence from Indonesia in 2002. Portugal granted independence to East Timor in 1975, but was soon after invaded by Indonesia, which only recognized East Timorese independence in 2002. |
| Ecuador | August 10 and May 24 | Proclaimed independence from Spain on August 10, 1809, but failed with the execution of all the conspirators of the movement on August 2, 1810. Independence finally occurred on May 24, 1822 at the Battle of Pichincha. |
| El Salvador | September 15 | Independence from Spain in 1821 |
| Eritrea | May 24 | Independence from Ethiopia in 1993. |
| Estonia | February 24 | Independence from the Bolshevist Russia in 1918. |
| Fiji | October 10 | Fiji Independence Day Independence from United Kingdom in 1970. |
| Finland | December 6 | Independence Day of Finland Independence from Russia in 1917. |
| Republic of Macedonia | September 8 | (Den na nezavisnosta or Ден на независноста) Independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. |
| The Gambia | February 18 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1965. |
| Georgia | May 26 | Day of First Republic in 1918.
Independence from USSR in 1991. |
| Ghana | March 6 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1957. |
| Greece | March 25 | Declaration of independence from Ottoman Empire in 1821. Start of the Greek War of Independence |
| Guatemala | September 15 | Independence from Spain in 1821. |
| Guyana | May 26 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. |
| Haiti | January 1 | Declaration of Independence from France in 1804. |
| Hawaiʻi | November 28 | Independence from Great Britain in 1843. |
| Honduras | September 15 | Independence from Kingdom of Spain in 1821. |
| Iceland | June 17 | Independence from Kingdom of Denmark in 1944. |
| India | August 15 | Independence (Freedom/svatantrataa/स्वतंत्रता) from the British in 1947. |
| Indonesia | August 17 | Proclamation of Independence day (Hari Proklamasi Kemerdekaan R.I.) from Japan in 1945. The Netherlands acknowledged Indonesian independence and sovereignty in 1949. |
| Ireland | Easter Monday | Proclamation of the Irish Republic commencing the Easter Rising in 1916. |
| Israel | 5 Iyar | (Yom Ha'atzmaut) celebrated on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday nearest to 5 Iyar, so it actually occurs between the 3rd and 6th of Iyar, which may fall between April 15 and May 15. The Gregorian date in which Israeli independence was proclaimed is May 14, 1948 (from the British Mandate of Palestine). |
| Jamaica | August 6 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. |
| Jordan | May 25 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1946. |
| Kazakhstan | December 16 | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. |
| Kenya | December 12 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1963. |
| Korea, North | September 9 | Founding of the DPRK in 1948. |
| Korea, South | August 15 | (Gwangbokjeol) Independence from Japan in 1945. |
| Kuwait | January 26 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1961. |
| Kyrgyzstan | August 31 | Independence from USSR in 1991. |
| Latvia | November 18 4 May |
Independence from Russia in 1918. Independence from Soviet Union in 1990 |
| Lebanon | November 22 | Independence from France in 1943. |
| Lesotho | October 4 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. |
| Liberia | July 26 | Independence from the United States in 1847. |
| Lithuania | February 16 and March 11 | Independence from Russia and Germany in February, 1918; independence from the Soviet Union in March, 1990. |
| Madagascar | June 26 | Independence from France in 1960. |
| Malawi | July 6 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1964. |
| Malaysia | August 31 | (Hari Merdeka) Independence from the United Kingdom in 1957 |
| Maldives | July 26 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1965 join [3] |
| Mali | September 22 | Independence from France in 1960 |
| Malta | September 21 | (Independence Day (Malta)) Independence from the United Kingdom in 1964. |
| Mauritius | March 12 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1968. |
| Mexico | September 16 | (Grito de Dolores) Independence from Spain declared in 1810. Recognized on September 27, 1821 |
| Moldova | August 27 | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 |
| Mongolia | November 26 | Independence from China on July 11, 1921 |
| Montenegro | May 21 | Independence from State union with Serbia, in 2006 |
| Morocco | March 2 | Independence from France and Spain in 1956 |
| Mozambique | June 25 | Independence from Portugal in 1975 |
| Myanmar | January 4 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1948 |
| Namibia | March 21 | Independence from South African mandate in 1990 |
| Nicaragua | September 15 | Independence from Spain in 1821 |
| Niger | August 3 | Independence from France in 1960 |
| Nigeria | October 1 | Independence from United Kingdom in 1960 |
| Norway | May 17 | Independence Day, or "syttende mai" The signing of the Norwegian Constitution in Eidsvoll, May 17, 1814. |
| Pakistan | August 14 | (Yaum e Azadi) Independence from the United Kingdom in 1947. |
| Panama | November 28 | Independence from Spain in 1821. The 1903 separation from Colombia is also celebrated (on November 3, Separation Day). |
| Papua New Guinea | September 16 | Independence from Australia of the former Territories of New Guinea, and Papua, in 1975. |
| Paraguay | May 15 | (Día de Independencia) Independence from Spain in 1811. |
| Peru | July 28 | Independence from Spain in 1821. |
| Philippines | June 12 | (Araw ng Kalayaan) Independence from Spain in 1898. |
| Poland | November 11 | (Święto Niepodległości) Restoration of Poland's independence in 1918 after 123 years of partitions by Austro-Hungary, Prussia, and Russia. |
| Portugal | December 1 | Restoration of Portugal's independence (from Spain) in 1640.
The country's original independence (from the Kingdom of León) was recognized on 5 October of 1143. That day is a holiday in Portugal, but for a different reason. (Implantation of the Republic, or Republic Day. Event of 1910.) Note that none of these events are similar to today's declarations or recognition of independence as these are in fact the recognition of the rule of a king to the land. Portugal existed as a separate entity before 1143 and during the union with Spain between 1580-1640. |
| Qatar | December 18 | The assumption of power of Sheikh Jassem bin Mohamed al-Thani, ancestor of the current ruling family, in 1878. |
| Romania | May 9 | Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1877. |
| Rwanda | July 1 | Independence from Belgium in 1962. |
| Saint Christopher and Nevis | September 19 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1983. |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | July 12 | Independence from Portugal in 1975. |
| Serbia | February 15 | The beginning of the First Uprising against Ottoman occupation in 1804. |
| Seychelles | June 29 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1976. |
| Sierra Leone | April 27 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1961. |
| Singapore | August 9 | (National Day Parade) Marks exit / separation from Malaysia in 1965. |
| Slovakia | July 17 | Declaration of Independence in 1992 (only a remembrance day), de iure independence came on January 1, 1993 after the division of Czechoslovakia (public holiday). |
| Slovenia | December 26 and June 25 | (Independence and Unity Day) Date of the release of the official results of the independence plebiscite in 1990, confirming secession from Yugoslavia. (Statehood Day) Declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. |
| South Africa | December 11 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1931. Not a public holiday. Union of South Africa formed on 31 May 1910 and Republic of South Africa declared on 31 May 1961 |
| Sri Lanka | February 4 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1948. |
| Suriname | November 25 | Independence from The Netherlands in 1975. |
| Swaziland | September 6 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1968. |
| Sweden | June 6 | Gustav Vasa is elected King of Sweden in 1523. |
| Switzerland | August 1 | Alliance against the Holy Roman Empire in 1291. |
| Tajikistan | September 9 | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. |
| Tanzania | December 9 | Declaration of independence from United Kingdom in 1961. |
| Trinidad and Tobago | August 31 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. |
| Tonga | June 4 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1970. |
| Togo | April 27 | Independence from the Republic of Togo in 1960. |
| Tunisia | March 20 | Declaration of independence from France in 1956. |
| Ukraine | August 24 | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. |
| United Arab Emirates | December 2 | (National Day) Independence from the United Kingdom in 1971. |
| United States of America | July 4 | (Fourth of July) Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1776. |
| Uruguay | August 25 | (Día de la Independencia) Declaration of independence from Brazil in 1825. |
| Uzbekistan | September 1 | Independence from USSR in 1991. |
| Vatican City | February 11 | Lateran Treaty signed with Italy in 1929. |
| Venezuela | July 5 | Declaration of independence from Spain in 1811. |
| Vietnam | September 2 | Declaration of independence from France in 1945. |
| Yemen | November 30 | South Yemen Declaration of independence from United Kingdom in 1967. |
| Zambia | October 24 | Declaration of independence from United Kingdom in 1964. |
| Zimbabwe | April 18 | Declaration of independence from United Kingdom in 1980. |
