Did You Know?: Countries Independence: Independence Dates of Countries

Independence is the self-government of a nation or country. It is one in which a country has its own government, and rules itself by being free from subjection or from the influence, control, or guidance of other state or country. Therefore a country having its’ independence (political freedom) is governed by its people (i.e its residents). As such, each country that was once under the control of another country or state will have an independence day. This is the date in which that country achieves its political independence.

Below is a list of countries in alphabetical order showing their dates of political independence. This information came from the CIA The World Factbook which I’ve taken the time to compile here in a list for quick and easy reference for each country.

Countries and their Political Independence Date

Afghanistan	19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
Albania	28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)
Algeria	5 July 1962 (from France)
American Samoa	none (territory of the US)
Andorra	1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of France and Spain)
Angola	11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
Anguilla	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Antigua and Barbuda	1 November 1981 (from UK)
Argentina	9 July 1816 (from Spain)
Armenia	21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Aruba	none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Australia	1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
Austria	1156 (from Bavaria)
Azerbaijan	30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Bahamas, The	10 July 1973 (from UK)
Bahrain	15 August 1971 (from UK)
Bangladesh	16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh
Barbados	30 November 1966 (from UK)
Belarus	25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Belgium	21 July 1831 (from the Netherlands)
Belize	21 September 1981 (from UK)
Benin	1 August 1960 (from France)
Bermuda	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Bhutan	8 August 1949 (from India)
Bolivia	6 August 1825 (from Spain)
Bosnia and Herzegovina	1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia)
Botswana	30 September 1966 (from UK)
Brazil	7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
British Virgin Islands	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Brunei	1 January 1984 (from UK)
Bulgaria	3 March 1878 (from Ottoman Empire)
Burkina Faso	5 August 1960 (from France)
Burma	4 January 1948 (from UK)
Burundi	1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
Cambodia	9 November 1953 (from France)
Cameroon	1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
Canada	1 July 1867 (from UK)
Cape Verde	5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Cayman Islands	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Central African Republic	13 August 1960 (from France)
Chad	11 August 1960 (from France)
Chile	18 September 1810 (from Spain)
China	221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty 221 BC; Qing or Ch'ing Dynasty replaced by the Republic on 12 February 1912; People's Republic established 1 October 1949)
Christmas Island	none (territory of Australia)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands	none (territory of Australia)
Colombia	20 July 1810 (from Spain)
Comoros	6 July 1975 (from France)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the	30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
Congo, Republic of the	15 August 1960 (from France)
Cook Islands	none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)
Costa Rica	15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Cote d'Ivoire	7 August (1960) (from France)
Croatia	25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
Cuba	20 May 1902 (from US)
Cyprus	16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975
Czech Republic	1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Denmark	first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy
Djibouti	27 June 1977 (from France)
Dominica	3 November 1978 (from UK)
Dominican Republic	27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
East Timor	20 May 2002 (from Indonesia)
Ecuador	24 May 1822 (from Spain)
Egypt	28 February 1922 (from UK)
El Salvador	15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Equatorial Guinea	12 October 1968 (from Spain)
Eritrea	24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)
Estonia	6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Ethiopia	oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Faroe Islands	none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Fiji	10 October 1970 (from UK)
Finland	6 December 1917 (from Russia)
France	486 (unified by Clovis)
French Guiana	none (overseas department of France)
French Polynesia	none (overseas territory of France)
Gabon	17 August 1960 (from France)
Gambia, The	18 February 1965 (from UK)
Georgia	9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Germany	18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991
Ghana	6 March 1957 (from UK)
Gibraltar	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Greece	1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Greenland	none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979)
Grenada	7 February 1974 (from UK)
Guadeloupe	none (overseas department of France)
Guam	none (territory of the US)
Guatemala	15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Guernsey	none (British crown dependency)
Guinea	2 October 1958 (from France)
Guinea-Bissau	24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)
Guyana	26 May 1966 (from UK)
Haiti	1 January 1804 (from France)
Holy See (Vatican City)	11 February 1929 (from Italy)
Honduras	15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Hong Kong	none (special administrative region of China)
Hungary	1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
Iceland	17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
India	15 August 1947 (from UK)
Indonesia	17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)
Iran	1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)
Iraq	3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Ireland	6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)
Israel	14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Italy	17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
Jamaica	6 August 1962 (from UK)
Japan	660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)
Jersey	none (British crown dependency)
Jordan	25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Kazakhstan	16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Kenya	12 December 1963 (from UK)
Kiribati	12 July 1979 (from UK)
Korea, North	15 August 1945 (from Japan)
Korea, South	15 August 1945 (from Japan)
Kuwait	19 June 1961 (from UK)
Kyrgyzstan	31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Laos	19 July 1949 (from France)
Latvia	18 November 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Lebanon	22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Lesotho	4 October 1966 (from UK)
Liberia	26 July 1847
Libya	24 December 1951 (from Italy)
Liechtenstein	23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire
Lithuania	11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)
Luxembourg	1839 (from the Netherlands)
Macau	none (special administrative region of China)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of	17 September 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
Madagascar	26 June 1960 (from France)
Malawi	6 July 1964 (from UK)
Malaysia	31 August 1957 (from UK)
Maldives	26 July 1965 (from UK)
Mali	22 September 1960 (from France)
Malta	21 September 1964 (from UK)
Man, Isle of	none (British crown dependency)
Marshall Islands	21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
Martinique	none (overseas department of France)
Mauritania	28 November 1960 (from France)
Mauritius	12 March 1968 (from UK)
Mayotte	none (territorial collectivity of France)
Mexico	16 September 1810 (from Spain)
Micronesia, Federated States of	3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
Moldova	27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Monaco	1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)
Mongolia	11 July 1921 (from China)
Montenegro	June 2006
Montserrat	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Morocco	2 March 1956 (from France)
Mozambique	25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
Namibia	21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
Nauru	31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
Nepal	1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)
Netherlands	1579 (from Spain)
Netherlands Antilles	none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
New Caledonia	none (overseas territory of France)
New Zealand	26 September 1907 (from UK)
Nicaragua	15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Niger	3 August 1958 (from France)
Nigeria	1 October 1960 (from UK)
Niue	on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand
Norfolk Island	none (territory of Australia)
Northern Mariana Islands	none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
Norway	7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved; 26 October 1905 Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union
Oman	1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
Pakistan	14 August 1947 (from UK)
Palau	1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
Panama	3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)
Papua New Guinea	16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)
Paraguay	14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Peru	28 July 1821 (from Spain)
Philippines	4 July 1946 (from US)
Pitcairn Islands	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Poland	11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
Portugal	1140 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)
Puerto Rico	none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Qatar	3 September 1971 (from UK)
Reunion	none (overseas department of France)
Romania	1881 (from Turkey; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)
Russia	24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Rwanda	1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
Saint Helena	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Saint Kitts and Nevis	19 September 1983 (from UK)
Saint Lucia	22 February 1979 (from UK)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon	none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	27 October 1979 (from UK)
Samoa	1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
San Marino	3 September 301
Sao Tome and Principe	12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Saudi Arabia	23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)
Senegal	4 April 1960 (from France); complete independence was achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960
Serbia	May 2006 (after Montenegro declared independence from Yugoslavia)
Seychelles	29 June 1976 (from UK)
Sierra Leone	27 April 1961 (from UK)
Singapore	9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)
Slovakia	1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Slovenia	25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
Solomon Islands	7 July 1978 (from UK)
Somalia	1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
South Africa	31 May 1910 (from UK)
Spain	1492 (expulsion of the Moors and unification)
Sri Lanka	4 February 1948 (from UK)
Sudan	1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)
Suriname	25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)
Svalbard	none (territory of Norway)
Swaziland	6 September 1968 (from UK)
Sweden	6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)
Switzerland	1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Syria	17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Tajikistan	9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Tanzania	26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964
Thailand	1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Togo	27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
Tokelau	none (territory of New Zealand)
Tonga	4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
Trinidad and Tobago	31 August 1962 (from UK)
Tunisia	20 March 1956 (from France)
Turkey	29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
Turkmenistan	27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Turks and Caicos Islands	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Tuvalu	1 October 1978 (from UK)
Uganda	9 October 1962 (from UK)
Ukraine	24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
United Arab Emirates	2 December 1971 (from UK)
United Kingdom	England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the union between England and Wales was enacted under the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284; in the Act of Union of 1707, England and Scotland agreed to permanent union as Great Britain; the legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927
United States	4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)
Uruguay	25 August 1825 (from Brazil)
Uzbekistan	1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Vanuatu	30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
Venezuela	5 July 1811 (from Spain)
Vietnam	2 September 1945 (from France)
Wallis and Futuna	none (overseas territory of France)
Yemen	22 May 1990, Republic of Yemen was established with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]; previously North Yemen had become independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)
Zambia	24 October 1964 (from UK)
Zimbabwe	18 April 1980 (from UK)