History · national days
Independence Days Around the World
184 countries celebrate an independence day. The busiest decade was the 1960s, when 43 countries became independent, mostly through decolonisation in Africa and Asia. Next up: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on 27 October.
184
Countries with an independence day
UK
Most common former ruler (44)
1960s
Decade with most new countries
15
Countries with no single date
Independence days in calendar order
| Country | Independence day | Year | Independent from |
|---|---|---|---|
 Australia |
1 January | 1901 | federation of UK colonies |
 Brunei |
1 January | 1984 | UK |
 Cameroon |
1 January | 1960 | French-administered UN trusteeship |
 Czechia |
1 January | 1993 | Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia |
 Haiti |
1 January | 1804 | France |
 Samoa |
1 January | 1962 | New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship |
 Slovakia |
1 January | 1993 | Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia |
 Sudan |
1 January | 1956 | Egypt and the UK |
 Myanmar |
4 January | 1948 | UK |
 Germany |
18 January | 1871 | establishment of the German Empire |
 Liechtenstein |
23 January | 1719 | Principality of Liechtenstein established |
 Nauru |
31 January | 1968 | Australia- |
 Greece |
3 February | 1830 | Ottoman Empire |
 Sri Lanka |
4 February | 1948 | UK |
 Grenada |
7 February | 1974 | UK |
 Vatican City |
11 February | 1929 | — |
 Lithuania |
16 February | 1918 | Soviet Russia and Germany |
 Kosovo |
17 February | 2008 | Serbia |
 Gambia |
18 February | 1965 | UK |
 Saint Lucia |
22 February | 1979 | UK |
 Estonia |
24 February | 1918 | Soviet Russia |
 Dominican Republic |
27 February | 1844 | Haiti |
 Egypt |
28 February | 1922 | UK protectorate status |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1 March | 1992 | Yugoslavia |
 Morocco |
2 March | 1956 | France |
 Bulgaria |
3 March | 1878 | as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire |
 Ghana |
6 March | 1957 | UK |
 Mauritius |
12 March | 1968 | UK |
 Italy |
17 March | 1861 | — |
 Tunisia |
20 March | 1956 | France |
 Namibia |
21 March | 1990 | South African mandate |
 Iran |
1 April | 1979 | Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed |
 Senegal |
4 April | 1960 | France |
 Georgia |
9 April | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Syria |
17 April | 1946 | League of Nations mandate under French administration |
 Zimbabwe |
18 April | 1980 | UK |
 Tanzania |
26 April | 1964 | Tanganyika united with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar |
 Sierra Leone |
27 April | 1961 | UK |
 Togo |
27 April | 1960 | French-administered UN trusteeship |
 Japan |
3 May | 1947 | current constitution adopted as amendment to Meiji Constitution |
 Romania |
9 May | 1877 | Ottoman Empire |
 Israel |
14 May | 1948 | following League of Nations mandate under British administration |
 Paraguay |
15 May | 1811 | Spain |
 Cuba |
20 May | 1902 | US administration |
 Yemen |
22 May | 1990 | Republic of Yemen established with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa |
 Ecuador |
24 May | 1822 | Spain |
 Eritrea |
24 May | 1993 | Ethiopia |
 Jordan |
25 May | 1946 | League of Nations mandate under British administration |
 Guyana |
26 May | 1966 | UK |
 South Africa |
31 May | 1910 | four British colonies: Cape Colony |
 Montenegro |
3 June | 2006 | State Union of Serbia and Montenegro |
 Tonga |
4 June | 1970 | UK protectorate status |
 Denmark |
5 June | 1849 | unified and Christianized under Harald I GORMSSON |
 Serbia |
5 June | 2006 | State Union of Serbia and Montenegro |
 Sweden |
6 June | 1523 | Gustav VASA elected king of Sweden, marking the abolishment of the Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden |
 Norway |
7 June | 1905 | union with Sweden declared dissolved |
 Kuwait |
19 June | 1961 | UK |
 Croatia |
25 June | 1991 | Yugoslavia |
 Mozambique |
25 June | 1975 | Portugal |
 Slovenia |
25 June | 1991 | Yugoslavia |
 Madagascar |
26 June | 1960 | France |
 Djibouti |
27 June | 1977 | France |
 Seychelles |
29 June | 1976 | UK |
 DR Congo |
30 June | 1960 | Belgium |
 Burundi |
1 July | 1962 | UN trusteeship under Belgian administration |
 Canada |
1 July | 1867 | union of British North American colonies |
 Rwanda |
1 July | 1962 | Belgium-administered UN trusteeship |
 Somalia |
1 July | 1960 | a merger of British Somaliland |
 Philippines |
4 July | 1946 | US |
 United States |
4 July | 1776 | Great Britain |
 Algeria |
5 July | 1962 | France |
 Cape Verde |
5 July | 1975 | Portugal |
 Venezuela |
5 July | 1811 | Spain |
 Comoros |
6 July | 1975 | France |
 Malawi |
6 July | 1964 | UK |
 Solomon Islands |
7 July | 1978 | UK |
 Argentina |
9 July | 1816 | Spain |
 South Sudan |
9 July | 2011 | Sudan |
 Bahamas |
10 July | 1973 | UK |
 Kiribati |
12 July | 1979 | UK |
 Sao Tome and Principe |
12 July | 1975 | Portugal |
 Laos |
19 July | 1949 | France |
 Colombia |
20 July | 1810 | Spain |
 Liberia |
26 July | 1847 | — |
 Maldives |
26 July | 1965 | UK |
 Netherlands |
26 July | 1581 | — |
 Peru |
28 July | 1821 | Spain |
 Vanuatu |
30 July | 1980 | France and the UK |
 Benin |
1 August | 1960 | France |
 Switzerland |
1 August | 1291 | founding of the Swiss Confederation |
 Niger |
3 August | 1960 | France |
 Burkina Faso |
5 August | 1960 | France |
 Bolivia |
6 August | 1825 | Spain |
 Jamaica |
6 August | 1962 | UK |
 Côte d'Ivoire |
7 August | 1960 | France |
 Singapore |
9 August | 1965 | Malaysian Federation |
 Chad |
11 August | 1960 | France |
 Central African Republic |
13 August | 1960 | France |
 Pakistan |
14 August | 1947 | British India |
 Bahrain |
15 August | 1971 | UK |
 India |
15 August | 1947 | UK |
 North Korea |
15 August | 1945 | Japan |
 Republic of the Congo |
15 August | 1960 | France |
 South Korea |
15 August | 1945 | Japan |
 Cyprus |
16 August | 1960 | UK |
 Gabon |
17 August | 1960 | France |
 Indonesia |
17 August | 1945 | Netherlands |
 Afghanistan |
19 August | 1919 | UK control over Afghan foreign affairs |
 Ukraine |
24 August | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Belarus |
25 August | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Uruguay |
25 August | 1825 | Brazil |
 Moldova |
27 August | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Azerbaijan |
30 August | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Kyrgyzstan |
31 August | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Malaysia |
31 August | 1957 | UK |
 Trinidad and Tobago |
31 August | 1962 | UK |
 Uzbekistan |
1 September | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Vietnam |
2 September | 1945 | France |
 Qatar |
3 September | 1971 | UK |
 San Marino |
3 September | 301 | traditional founding date |
 Eswatini |
6 September | 1968 | UK |
 Brazil |
7 September | 1822 | Portugal |
 North Macedonia |
8 September | 1991 | Yugoslavia |
 Tajikistan |
9 September | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Costa Rica |
15 September | 1821 | Spain |
 El Salvador |
15 September | 1821 | Spain |
 Guatemala |
15 September | 1821 | Spain |
 Honduras |
15 September | 1821 | Spain |
 Nicaragua |
15 September | 1821 | Spain |
 Mexico |
16 September | 1810 | Spain |
 Papua New Guinea |
16 September | 1975 | Australia-administered UN trusteeship |
 Chile |
18 September | 1810 | Spain |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis |
19 September | 1983 | UK |
 Armenia |
21 September | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Belize |
21 September | 1981 | UK |
 Malta |
21 September | 1964 | UK |
 Mali |
22 September | 1960 | France |
 Saudi Arabia |
23 September | 1932 | unification of the kingdom |
 Guinea-Bissau |
24 September | 1973 | declared |
 New Zealand |
26 September | 1907 | UK |
 Botswana |
30 September | 1966 | UK |
 China |
1 October | 1949 | People's Republic of China established |
 Nigeria |
1 October | 1960 | UK |
 Palau |
1 October | 1994 | US-administered UN trusteeship |
 Tuvalu |
1 October | 1978 | UK |
 Guinea |
2 October | 1958 | France |
 Iraq |
3 October | 1932 | League of Nations mandate under British administration |
 Belgium |
4 October | 1830 | Netherlands |
 Lesotho |
4 October | 1966 | UK |
 Uganda |
9 October | 1962 | UK |
 Fiji |
10 October | 1970 | UK |
 Equatorial Guinea |
12 October | 1968 | Spain |
 Marshall Islands |
21 October | 1986 | US-administered UN trusteeship |
 Zambia |
24 October | 1964 | UK |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
27 October | 1979 | UK |
 Turkmenistan |
27 October | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Türkiye |
29 October | 1923 | republic proclaimed, succeeding the Ottoman Empire |
 Antigua and Barbuda |
1 November | 1981 | UK |
 Dominica |
3 November | 1978 | UK |
 Micronesia |
3 November | 1986 | US-administered UN trusteeship |
 Panama |
3 November | 1903 | Colombia |
 Cambodia |
9 November | 1953 | France |
 Angola |
11 November | 1975 | Portugal |
 Poland |
11 November | 1918 | republic proclaimed |
 Hungary |
16 November | 1918 | republic proclaimed |
 Latvia |
18 November | 1918 | Soviet Russia |
 Lebanon |
22 November | 1943 | League of Nations mandate under French administration |
 Suriname |
25 November | 1975 | Netherlands |
 Albania |
28 November | 1912 | Ottoman Empire |
 Mauritania |
28 November | 1960 | France |
 Timor-Leste |
28 November | 1975 | Portugal |
 Barbados |
30 November | 1966 | UK |
 Iceland |
1 December | 1918 | became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown |
 Portugal |
1 December | 1640 | Kingdom of Portugal recognized |
 United Arab Emirates |
2 December | 1971 | UK |
 Finland |
6 December | 1917 | Russia |
 Ireland |
6 December | 1921 | UK |
 Kenya |
12 December | 1963 | UK |
 Bangladesh |
16 December | 1971 | Pakistan |
 Kazakhstan |
16 December | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Bhutan |
17 December | 1907 | became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king |
 Libya |
24 December | 1951 | UN trusteeship |
 Russia |
25 December | 1991 | Soviet Union |
 Mongolia |
29 December | 1911 | China |
Nothing matches your search.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain).
Independent from whom?
- UK: 44 countries
- France: 22 countries
- Spain: 15 countries
- Soviet Union: 12 countries
- Portugal: 6 countries
- Yugoslavia: 4 countries
- Ottoman Empire: 3 countries
- Netherlands: 3 countries
Countries without an independence day
Andorra, Austria, Ethiopia, France, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Macau, Monaco, Nepal, Oman, Palestine, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and United Kingdom have no single date of independence — they were never colonised or formed gradually, and celebrate another national day instead.
Related rankings
Frequently asked questions
Which country gained independence most recently?
South Sudan — on 9 July 2011.
Which country did most countries gain independence from?
UK — 44 countries.
Which month has the most independence days?
August, with 28 independence days.