"Independence Day" redirects here. For other uses, see Independence Day (disambiguation).
For patriotic days not necessarily linked to independence, see National Day.
An Independence Day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or 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.
List[edit]
The following is a partial list of independence days of countries around the world:
Country | Date of holiday | Year celebrated | Event celebrated | Name of holiday |
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July 4 | 1993 | End of the 1992–1993 War in Abkhazia. De facto independence from Georgia in 1993. Officially declared as such in 1999.[1] (Only partially recognized.) | Also known as "liberation day". |
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August 19 | 1919 | Independence from United Kingdom in 1919. | Afghan Independence Day |
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November 28 | 1912 | Declared by Ismail Qemali in 1912 and signaled the end of five centuries of Ottoman rule. | Independence Day/Dita e Pavarësisë |
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July 5 | 1962 | Independence from France in 1962. | |
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November 11 | 1975 | Independence from Portugal in 1975. | |
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November 1 | 1981 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1981. | |
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July 9 | 1816 | Independence declared from the Spanish Empire in 1816. | |
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May 28 | 1918 | Declaration of independence from Russian Empire in 1918. | |
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September 21 | 1991 | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. | National Day |
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October 26 | 1955 | Restoration of sovereignty and signing of the Declaration of Neutrality in 1955. | National Day |
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May 28 | 1918 | Independence from the Russian Empire in 1918 and declaration of the Republic | Republic Day |
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October 18 | 1991 | Independence re-declared from the Soviet Union in 1991 | Day of the State Independence of Azerbaijan |
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July 10 | 1973 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1973. | |
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December 16 | 1971 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1971 | Bahrain Independence Day |
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March 26 | 1971 | Independence was declared from Pakistan and this led to a nine-month war ending on December 16, 1971. | Independence Day of Bangladesh |
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November 30 | 1966 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. | |
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July 3 | 1944 | The liberation of Minsk after several years of German occupation in 1944. | Independence Day of Belarus |
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July 21 | 1831 | Independence from the United 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. | Belgian National Day |
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September 21 | 1981 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1981. | September Celebrations |
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August 1 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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August 6 | 1825 | Independence from Spain in 1825. | |
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March 1 | 1992 | Independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992. | Independence Day (Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
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September 30 | 1966 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. | |
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September 7 | 1822 | Independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822. Recognized on August 29, 1825. | Independence Day (Brazil) |
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January 1 | 1984 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. National Day celebrations are held on February 23. | |
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September 22 | 1908 | Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. | |
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August 5 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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January 4 | 1948 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1948. | Independence Day (Burma) |
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July 1 | 1962 | Independence from Belgium in 1962. | |
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November 9 | 1953 | Independence from France in 1953 | |
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January 1 | 1960 | Independence from France and United Kingdom in 1960. | |
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July 1 | 1867 | Granted nominal independence from United Kingdom in 1867. However, as the current province of Newfoundland and Labrador was a former British dominion, it celebrates Discovery Day on June 24 and mourns on July 1 for their World War I war dead. See Memorial Day (Newfoundland and Labrador) | Canada Day |
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July 5 | 1975 | Independence from Portugal in 1975. | |
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August 13 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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August 11 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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February 12 and September 18 | 1810 | Declared Independence from Spain on that date in 1810. Actually, Chileans celebrate the date of the first Government Junta, September 18. This date was not recognized as such until April 25, 1844. | |
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July 20 and August 7 | 1810 | Independence from Spain in 1810. | |
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July 6 | 1975 | Independence from France in 1975. | |
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June 30 | 1960 | Independence from Belgium in 1960. | |
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August 15 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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September 15 | 1821 | Independence from Spain in 1821. | |
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October 8 | 1991 | Independence from SFR Yugoslavia in 1991. | Independence Day (Croatia) |
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May 20 | 1902 | Independence from Spain in 1902. | |
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October 1 | 1960 | Independence from the United Kingdom on August 16, 1960, but Cyprus Independence Day is commonly celebrated on October 1. | |
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October 28 | 1918 | As Czechoslovakia, marking independence from Austria-Hungary on October 28, 1918. | |
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January 1 | 1993 | As the Czech Republic after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993. | |
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June 27 | 1977 | Independence from France in 1977. | |
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November 3 | 1978 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1978. | |
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December 1 | 1821 | Independence from Spain in 1821. | |
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February 27 | 1844 | Independence re-declared from Haiti in 1844, after a 22-year occupation. | |
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May 20 | 2002 | 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). | |
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August 10 | 1809 | Proclaimed independence from Spain on August 10, 1809, but failed with the execution of all the conspirators of the movement on August 2, 1810. | |
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May 24 | 1822 | Independence finally occurred on May 24, 1822 at the Battle of Pichincha. | |
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September 15 | 1821 | Independence from Spain in 1821. | |
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October 12 | 1968 | Independence from Spain in 1968. | |
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May 24 | 1993 | Independence from Ethiopia in 1993. | Independence Day (Eritrea) |
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February 24 | 1918 | Independence from the Russian Empire in 1918. | Independence Day (Estonia) |
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August 20 | 1991 | Independence re-declared from the Soviet Union in 1991. | |
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October 10 | 1970 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1970. | |
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December 6 | 1917 | Independence from Russia in 1917. Recognized on January 4, 1918. | Independence Day (Finland) |
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August 17 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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February 18 | 1965 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1965. | |
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May 26 | 1918 | Day of the proclamation of the Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1918 | |
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April 9 | 1991 | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. | |
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March 6 | 1957 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1957. | |
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March 25 | 1821 | Declaration of independence from Ottoman Empire in 1821. Start of the Greek War of Independence | |
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February 7 | 1974 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1974. | Independence Day (Grenada) |
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September 15 | 1821 | Independence from Spain in 1821. | |
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October 2 | 1958 | Independence from France in 1958. | |
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September 24 | 1973 | Declaration of independence from Portugal in 1973. | |
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May 26 | 1966 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. | |
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January 1 | 1804 | Declaration of independence from France in 1804. | |
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September 15 | 1821 | Independence from Spain in 1821. | |
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August 20 | 1000 | Foundation of Christian Hungary and Hungary's first Christian King St. Stephen's Day. | National Day |
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June 17 | 1944 | Foundation of republic in 1944. | |
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August 15 | 1947 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1947. | Independence Day (India) |
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August 17 | 1945 | Declaration of Independence day (Hari Proklamasi Kemerdekaan R.I.) from the Netherlands on August 17, 1945. The Netherlands acknowledged Indonesian independence and sovereignty in 1949. The Dutch government formally acknowledged August 17, 1945 as the only true date of Indonesian Independence in 2008[2] | |
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October 3 | 1932 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1932. | |
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April 24 | 1916 | Proclamation of the Irish Republic commencing the Easter Rising on April 24, 1916. Independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. | |
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Iyar 5 (On or between April 15 and May 15, depending on the Hebrew calendar). |
5708 (1948) | 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. | Yom Ha'atzmaut |
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August 7 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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August 6 | 1962 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. | |
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May 25 | 1946 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1946. | |
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December 16 | 1991 | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. | |
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December 12 | 1963 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1963. | Jamhuri Day |
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July 12 | 1979 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. | |
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August 15 | 1945 | Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in 1948. Korean War 1950-1953. | |
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August 15 | 1945 | Independence from the Empire of Japan in 1945. The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was founded in 1919. Korean War 1950-1953. | |
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February 17 | 2008 | Independence from Serbia in 2008. (Only partially recognized) | |
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February 25 | 1961 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1961. | |
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August 31 | 1991 | Independence from USSR in 1991. | |
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October 22 | 1953 | Independence from France on October 22, 1953. | |
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November 18 | 1918 | Independence from Russia on November 18, 1918. | |
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May 4 | 1990 | Restoration of independence from Soviet Union on May 4, 1990 | |
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November 22 | 1943 | Independence from France in 1943. | |
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October 4 | 1966 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. | |
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July 16 | 1847 | Independence from the American Colonization Society in 1847. | |
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December 24 | 1951 | Independence from Italy on 10 February 1947, released from British and French on December 24, 1951. | |
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February 16 | 1918 | Act of Independence of Lithuania: Independence from the Russian and German Empires in February 1918 | |
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March 11 | 1990 | Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania: independence from the Soviet Union in March 1990. | |
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September 8 | 1991 | Independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. | Den na nezavisnosta or Ден на независноста |
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June 26 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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July 6 | 1964 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1964. | |
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August 31 | 1957 | Independence of the Federation of Malaya from the United Kingdom in 1957. | Hari Merdeka |
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September 16 | 1963 | Formation of Malaysia from the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore. | Hari Malaysia |
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July 26 | 1965 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1965. | |
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September 22 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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September 21 | 1964 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1964. | Independence Day |
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November 28 | 1960 | Independence from the France in 1960. | |
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March 12 | 1968 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1968. | |
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September 16 | 1810 | Independence from Spain declared in 1810. Recognized on September 27, 1821. | Grito de Dolores |
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August 27 | 1991 | Declaration of Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. | Independence Day |
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December 29[3] | 1911 | Independence from the Qing Dynasty in 1911.[4][5] However, the newly established Mongolian government was too weak to resist the occupation of the Republic of China in 1919 and later White Russia in early 1921. After ousting Roman von Ungern-Sternberg's forces, the new communist government was officially established on June 11, 1921.[6] | |
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May 21 | 2006 | Independence from Serbia and Montenegro in 2006. | |
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November 18 | 1955 | Independence from France and Spain in 1956 | | عيد الاستقلال Independence Day |
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June 25 | 1975 | Independence from Portugal in 1975 | |
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September 2 | 1991 | Independence from Azerbaijan SSR in 1991. De facto independent. | National Day |
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March 21 | 1990 | Independence from South African mandate in 1990 | |
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January 31 | 1968 | Independence from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom in 1968. | |
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September 15 | 1821 | Independence from Spain in 1821. | |
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August 3 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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October 1 | 1960 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1960. | |
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September 2 | 1983 | Declaration of independence from the Republic of Cyprus in 1983. (Partially recognized) | |
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May 17 | 1814 | Constitution day/National day. Independence from Denmark in 1814, but in union with Sweden until June 1905 – when finally independent. | |
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August 14 | 1947 | Independence from the United Kingdom on 27 Ramadan ul Mubarik, August 14, 1947. | Youm-e-Azadi |
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November 28 | 1821 | Independence from Spain in 1821. | |
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November 3 | 1903 | Panama was member of the "Gran Colombia" until 1903. The 1903 separation from Colombia is celebrated as an official holiday day on November 3. | |
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September 16 | 1975 | Independence from Australia of the former Territory of Papua and New Guinea in 1975. | |
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May 15 | 1811 | Independence from Spain in 1811.[7] | Día de Independencia |
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July 28 | 1821 | Independence from Spain in 1821. | Fiestas Patrias |
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June 12 | 1898 | 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.[10] | Araw ng Kalayaan |
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November 11 | 1918 | Restoration of Poland's independence in 1918 after 123 years of partitions by Russia, Prussia, and Austria. | Święto Niepodległości (Independence Day) |
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December 1 | 1640 | 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. | 1640 restoration of Portuguese independence from Iberian Union with Spain. |
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December 18 | 1971 | Original independence from the United Kingdom on 7 September. | Qatar National Day |
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November 11 | 1965 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1965. | Independence Day |
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May 10 | 1877 | Romania's first celebration of its independence, on prince Carol's coronation day, 1877, while the ultimately victorious independence war against the Ottoman Empire in 1877-1878 alongside Russia, was just beginning. | |
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July 1 | 1962 | Independence from Belgium in 1962. | |
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September 19 | 1983 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1983. | |
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February 22 | 1979 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. | Independence Day |
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October 27 | 1979 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. | |
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June 1 | 1962 | Independence from New Zealand in 1962. | |
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July 12 | 1975 | Independence from Portugal in 1975. | |
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April 4 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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February 15 | 1804 | The beginning of First Serbian Uprising in 1804, it evolved into a Serbian Revolution, war for independence from Ottoman Empire. | Statehood Day |
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June 29 | 1976 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1976. | |
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April 27 | 1961 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1961. | |
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August 9 | 1965 | Marks city-state's secession/expulsion from the Malaysian Federation in 1965. | National Day (Singapore) |
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July 17 | 1992 | Declaration of Independence in 1992 (only a remembrance day), de jure independence came on January 1, 1993 after the division of Czechoslovakia (public holiday). | |
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December 26 and June 25 | 1990 | 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. | Independence and Unity Day |
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July 7 | 1978 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1978. | |
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July 1 | 1960 | Union of the Trust Territory of Somalia (former Italian Somaliland) and British Somaliland to form the Somali Republic. Event annually commemorated on Independence Day. | |
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December 11 | 1931 | 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 under minority rule during Apartheid and gained full independence under majority rule in 1994. | |
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July 9 | 2011 | Independence from Sudan in 2011. | |
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February 4 | 1948 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1948. | Independence Day (Sri Lanka) |
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January 1 | 1956 | Independence from Egypt and the United Kingdom in 1956. | |
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November 25 | 1975 | Independence from the Netherlands in 1975. | |
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September 6 | 1968 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1968. | |
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June 6 | 1523 | Celebrates the election of King Gustav Vasa in 1523 and the new constitutions in 1809 and 1974. The election of King Gustav Vasa was the de facto end of the Kalmar Union and has been seen as a formal declaration of independence. | National Day of Sweden |
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August 1 | 1291 | Alliance against the Holy Roman Empire in 1291. | Swiss National Day |
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April 17 | 1946 | End of the French Mandate of Syria in 1946 | Evacuation Day |
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September 9 | 1991 | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. | |
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December 9 | 1961 | Independence of Tanganyika from the United Kingdom in 1961. | |
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April 27 | 1960 | Independence from France in 1960. | |
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February 13 | 1913 | Independence from Manchu's Qing Dynasty in 1913. Later invaded in October 1950 by China and currently administered by China. | Tibetan Independence Day |
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June 4 | 1970 | Termination of protectorate status under the United Kingdom in 1970. | |
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August 31 | 1962 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. | |
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March 20 | 1956 | Independence from France in 1956. | |
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October 29 | 1923 | Foundation of the Grand National Assembly and declaration of independence from Istanbul Government. | National Sovereignty Day |
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October 27 | 1991 | Declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.[11] | Independence Day (Turkmenistan) |
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October 1 | 1978 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1978. | |
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October 9 | 1962 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. | |
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August 24 | 1991 | Declaration of Independence of Ukraine from the Soviet Union in 1991. | Independence Day of Ukraine |
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January 22 | 1919 | Unification of Ukraine on January 22, 1919.[12] | Day of Unity of Ukraine |
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December 2 | 1971 | (National Day) Independence from the United Kingdom in 1971. | |
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July 4 | 1776 | Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain (now the United Kingdom) in 1776. | Independence Day or Fourth of July |
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August 25 | 1825 | Declaration of independence from Brazil in 1825. Recognized in 1828. | Declaratoria de la Independencia) |
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September 1 | 1991 | Independence from USSR in 1991. | |
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July 30 | 1980 | Independence from the United Kingdom and France in 1980. | |
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July 5 | 1811 | Declaration of independence from Spain in 1811. | |
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September 2 | 1945 | Proclamation of independence from Japan and France in 1945. | Independence Day (Vietnam) |
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November 30 | 1967 | South Yemen Declaration of independence from the United Kingdom in 1967. | |
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October 24 | 1964 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1964. | |
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April 18 | 1980 | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1980. |
References[edit]
- General
- "National holiday of member states". United Nations. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
- Specific
- ^ Abkhazia , Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO).
- ^ Pertama Dalam Sejarah PM Belanda Hadiri Resepsi HUT RI 17-8
- ^ Xiaoyuan Liu – Reins of Liberation, p.6
- ^ Stephen Kotkin, Bruce A. Elleman – Mongolia in the twentieth century: landlocked cosmopolitan, p.74
- ^ David Sneath – The Headless State: Aristocratic Orders, Kinship Society, and Misrepresentations of Nomadic Inner Asia, p.36
- ^ Duke University. School of Law – Unification of law, 1965, Volume 30, p.282
- ^ Paraguay Independence Day
- ^ Diosdado Macapagal, Proclamation No. 28 Declaring June 12 as Philippine Independence Day, Philippine History Group of Los Angeles, retrieved November 11, 2009
- ^ "Republic Act No. 4166". August 4, 1964. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
- ^ In 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal signed a proclamation which declared Tuesday, June 12, 1962 as a special public holiday in commemoration of the declaration of independence from Spain on that date in 1898. That proclamation did not move the date of the Independence Day holiday in the Philippines.[8] The date of the holiday was moved in 1964, with the signing of Republic Act No. 4166.[9]
- ^ Edgar, Adrienne Lynn (2004). Tribal Nation: The Making of Soviet Turkmenistan. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 1. ISBN 0-691-11775-6.
On October 27, 1991, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic declared its independence from the Soviet Union.
- ^ "Holidays". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Retrieved 2008-08-24.