Independence Days of the World Nationals
An Independence Day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's assumption of independent statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state; more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Most countries observe their respective independence days as a national holiday, and in some cases the observance date is controversial or contested.
Country | Date | Independence |
Abkhazia | July 4 | Independence from Georgia in 1993. Officially declared as such in 1999. (Only partially recognized.). |
Afghanistan | August 19 | Independence from the United Kingdom control over Afghan foreign affairs in 1919. |
Albania | November 28 | 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 | Independence from Portugal in 1975. |
Antigua and Barbuda | November 1 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1981. |
Argentina | July 9 | Independence declared from the Spanish Empire in 1816. |
Armenia | May 28 | Declaration of independence from Ottoman Empire in 1918. |
Austria | October 26 | Restoration of sovereignty in 1955. |
Azerbaijan | May 28 | Independence from the Russian Empire in 1918. |
Bahamas | July 10 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1973. |
Bahrain | August 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 | The liberation of Minsk after several years of German occupation in 1944. |
Belgium | July 21 | Independence from the Netherlands (Belgian revolution) on October 4, 1830. Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld takes the oath as first king of the Belgians on July 21, 1831. |
Belize | September 21 | Independence from the United Kingdom on September 21, 1981. |
Benin | August 1 | Independence from France in 1969. |
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 | Independence from Portugal in 1822. Recognized on August 29, 1825. |
Brunei | January 1 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1984 |
Bulgaria | March 3 | Independence from the 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 |
Cameroon | January 1 | Independence from France and Britain. |
Cape Verde | July 5 | 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 and September 18 | 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 such until April 25, 1844. |
Colombia | July 20 and August 7 | Independence from Spain in 1810. |
Costa Rica | September 15 | Independence from Spain in 1821. |
Croatia | October 8 | Independence from SFR Yugoslavia in 1991. Independence was declared, after the May 19 referendum, by the Parliament on June 25 - the date is celebrated as Statehood Day; but a three-month moratorium was imposed as a result of the Brijuni Agreement, and on October 8 the ties with SFR Yugoslavia were formally severed. |
Cuba | May 20 | Independence from the United States in 1902. |
Cyprus | October 1 | Independence from the United Kingdom on August 16, 1960, but Cyprus Independence Day is commonly celebrated on October 1. |
Czech Republic | October 28 and January 1 | As Czechoslovakia, marking independence from Austria-Hungary on October 28, 1918. As the Czech Republic after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993. |
Côte d'Ivoire | August 7 | Independence from France in 1960. |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | June 30 | Independence from Belgium in 1960. |
Djibouti | June 27 | Independence from France in 1977 |
Dominica | November 3 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1978 |
Dominican Republic | February 27 | Independence from Haiti in 1844, after a 22-year occupation. |
East Timor | May 20 | Independence from Portugal in 2002 (recognition, East Timor was invaded by Indonesia from 1975 to 1999, officially it never ceased to be considered as administrated by Portugal). |
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 Russian Empire in 1918. |
Fiji | October 10 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1970. |
Finland | December 6 | Independence from Russia in 1917. Recognized on January 4, 1918. |
Gabon | August 17 | Independence from France in 1960. |
Georgia | May 26 April 9 | 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 |
Grenada | February 7 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1974. |
Guatemala | September 15 | Independence from Spain in 1869. |
Guinea | October 2 | Independence from France in 1958. |
Guinea-Bissau | September 24 | Declaration of independence from Portugal in 1973. |
Guyana | May 26 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1969. |
Haiti | January 1 | Declaration of independence from France in 1804. |
Honduras | September 15 | Independence from Spain in 1821. |
Hungary | March 15 | Márciusi ifjak ("March youths"), memorial day of the 1848 Revolution. |
Iceland | December 1 | Independence from Kingdom of Denmark in 1918. |
India | August 15 | Independence from the British Govt, United Kingdom in 1947. |
Indonesia | August 17 | Declaration of Independence day (Hari Proklamasi Kemerdekaan R.I.) from the Netherlands in 1945. The Netherlands acknowledged Indonesian independence and sovereignty in 1949, later re-correct it on 2008. |
Iraq | October 3 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1932. |
Ireland | April 24 | Proclamation of the Irish Republic commencing the Easter Rising on April 24, 1916. Independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. |
Israel | Iyar 5 | (Yom Ha'atzmaut) Independence from the British Mandate for Palestine, which took place on May 14, 1948 (5 Iyar 5708 in the Hebrew calendar). Yom Ha'atzmaut is celebrated on the Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday nearest to 5 Iyar, so it occurs between 3 and 6 Iyar each year; this means that the holiday can fall any time between and including April 15 and May 15, according to the Gregorian calendar. |
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 | Independence from Japan in 1945. (Independence from Japan was declared on March 1, 1919. August 15, 1945 is the official Liberation Day of Korea.) |
Kosovo | February 17 | Independence from Serbia in 2008. |
Kuwait | February 25 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1961. |
Kyrgyzstan | August 31 | Independence from USSR in 1991. |
Laos | July 19 | Independence from France on July 19, 1949. |
Latvia | November 18 and May 4 | Independence from Russia on November 18, 1918. |
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. |
Libya | December 24 | Independence from Italy on December 24, 1951. |
Lithuania | February 16 and March 11 | Act of Independence of Lithuania: Independence from the Russian and German Empires in February 1918; Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania: independence from the Soviet Union in March 1990. |
Macedonia | September 8 | (Den na nezavisnosta or Ден на независноста) Independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. |
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 (as the Federation of Malaya). |
Maldives | July 26 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1965. |
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 Day) Declaration of Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. |
Mongolia | December 29 | Independence from the Qing Dynasty in 1911. However, the newly established Mongolian government was weak to resist the occupation of the ROC in 1919 and later White Russia in early 1921. After ousting Ungern's forces, the new communist government was officially established on June 11, 1921. |
Montenegro | May 21 | Independence from State union with Serbia, in 2006 |
Morocco | November 18 | 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. |
Nagorno-Karabakh | September 2 | Independence from Azerbaijan in 1991. De facto independent. |
Namibia | March 21 | Independence from South African mandate in 1990 |
Nauru | January 31 | Independence from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom in 1968 |
Netherlands | May 5 | Liberation from Nazi Germany in 1945. |
Nicaragua | September 15 | Independence from Spain in 1821 |
Niger | August 3 | Independence from France in 1960 |
Nigeria | October 1 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1960 |
Northern Cyprus | September 2 | Declaration of independence from the Republic of Cyprus in 1983. (Partially recognized) |
Pakistan | August 14 | Independence from the United Kingdom on 27 Ramadan ul Mubarik, August 14, 1947. |
Panama | November 28 | Independence from Spain, celebrated on November 28, 1821, but after that Panama was member of the "Gran Colombia" until 1903. The 1903 separation from Colombia is also celebrated as an official holiday day on November 3. |
Papua New Guinea | September 16 | Independence from Australia of the former Territory of Papua and New Guinea in 1975. |
Paraguay | May 14 | Independence from Spain in 1811. |
Peru | July 28 | Independence from Spain in 1821. |
Philippines | June 12 | Commemorates 1898 declaration by Emilio Aguinaldo during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. The Republic of the Philippines achieved self-rule from the United States on July 4, 1946, and celebrated July 4 as Independence Day until 1964. |
Poland | November 11 | Restoration of Poland's independence in 1918 after 123 years of partitions by Russia, Prussia, and Austria. |
Portugal | December 1 | The country's original independence (from the Kingdom of León) was recognized on October 5, 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 and 1640. |
Republic of the Congo | August 15 | Independence from France in 1960. |
Romania | May 9 | Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1877 (see the Romanian War of Independence). |
Rwanda | July 1 | Independence from Belgium in 1962. |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | September 19 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1983. |
Saint Lucia | February 22 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | October 27 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. |
Samoa | January 1 | Independence from New Zealand in 1962. |
| April 4 | Independence from France in 1960. |
Serbia | February 15 | Independence from Ottoman Empire 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 | Marks city-state's secession/expulsion from the Malaysian Federation in 1965. |
Slovakia | July 17 | Declaration of Independence in 1992 (only a remembrance day), de jure 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. |
Solomon Islands | July 7 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1978. |
Somalia | July 1 | Declared independence From Italy In 1960 |
South Africa | December 11 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1931. Not a public holiday. Union of South Africa formed on May 31, 1910 and Republic of South Africa declared on May 31, 1961 and gained independence under minority rule in 1994 after apartheid |
South Sudan | July 9 | Independence from Sudan in 2011. |
Sri Lanka | February 4 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1948. |
Sudan | January 1 | Independence from Egypt and the United Kingdom in 1956. |
Suriname | November 25 | Independence from the Netherlands in 1975. |
Swaziland | September 6 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1968. |
Sweden | June 6 | (National Day of Sweden) celebrates the election of King Gustav Vasa in 1523 and the new constitutions in 1809 and 1974. |
Switzerland | August 1 | (Swiss National Day) Alliance against the Holy Roman Empire in 1291. |
Syria | April 17 | (Evacuation Day) End of the French Mandate of Syria in 1946 |
São Tomé and Príncipe | July 12 | Independence from Portugal in 1975. |
Tajikistan | September 9 | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. |
Tanzania | December 9 | Independence of Tanganyika from the United Kingdom in 1961. |
The Gambia | February 18 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1965. |
Togo | April 27 | Independence from France in 1960. |
Tonga | June 4 | Termination of protectorate status under the United Kingdom in 1970. |
Trinidad and Tobago | August 31 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. |
| March 20 | Declaration of independence from France in 1956. |
Turkey | October 29 | Turkey becomes a republic following the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire Turkish War of Independence in 1923. |
Turkmenistan | October 27 | Declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. |
Ukraine | August 24 and January 22 | Independence from the Soviet Union on August 24, 1991. Unification of Ukraine on January 22, 1919. |
United Arab Emirates | December 2 | (National Day) Independence from the United Kingdom in 1971. |
| July 4 | (Fourth of July) Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1776. |
Uruguay | August 25 | (Declaratoria de la Independencia) Declaration of independence from Brazil in 1825. |
Uzbekistan | September 1 | Independence from USSR in 1991. |
Vanuatu | July 30 | Independence from the United Kingdom and France in 1980. |
Venezuela | July 5 | Declaration of independence from Spain in 1811. |
Vietnam | September 2 | Proclamation of independence from Japan and France in 1945. |
Yemen | November 30 | South Yemen Declaration of independence from the United Kingdom in 1967. |
Zambia | October 24 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1964. |
Zimbabwe | April 18 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1980. |