List of countries by date of independence
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Below is a list of nations in chronological order of their date of independence.
Contents |
[edit] Before 1200
| Date | Nation | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1600 BC | China | Approximative date of the establishment of the Shang Dynasty, established by the list of kings. |
| 500 BC | Iran | Approximative date of the establishment of the Persian Empire, established by Cyrus the Great. |
| 221 BC | China | Reunification under the Qin Dynasty |
| c. AD 270 | Japan | Rule of Emperor Ojin, the first historical emperor, though the date of his reign is uncertain. Although the independence is dated circa 660BC Emperor Jimmu (however presumed legendary) |
| c. 1st century BC-3rd century AD | Ethiopia | The Axumite Kingdom emerges as an important trading nation in the area of today's Eritrea and northern Ethiopia. Unique amongst African countries, it remains independent during the Scramble for Africa, except for a brief 5-year period |
| 3 September 301 | San Marino | claims to be world's oldest republic |
| 632 | Bulgaria | unification |
| 676 | Korea | unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea by Silla |
| 843 | Germany | After the Treaty of Verdun, East Francia was the land under the control of Ludwig the German(Louis the German). It is the precursor of modern Germany, and the kernal of the soonly created Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. |
| 843 | France | After the Treaty of Verdun, West Francia was the land under the control of Charles the Bald, soon becoming the Frankish Kingdom. It is named after the Germanic tribe, the Franks, and is the precursor of present-day France. |
| 843 | Scotland | Unification under Kenneth I |
| 927 | England | Complete unification of the Heptarchy under Athelstan |
| 930 | Iceland | The establishment of the general assembly Alþingi marks the beginning of the 332 years of a sovereign state, ended by the Old Covenant between Icelandic chieftains and Haakon IV of Norway in 1262. |
| 966 | Poland | christianization and unification under Mieszko I |
| 10th century | Denmark | organized as a unified state by Harold Bluetooth around 980 |
| 1001 | Hungary | unification by King Stephen I |
| 1035 | Castile | Ferdinand I of Castille, the first King of Castille. From Kingdom of Leon. |
| 23 June 1128 | Portugal | Afonso Henriques, later King Afonso I of Portugal, defeats the forces of Teresa of Leon at the Battle of São Mamede, thus becoming the sole ruler of the country. He was styled Dux of Portugal in 1128, Prince of Portugal in 1129, and King of Portugal in 1139. Independence was recognized by the King of Leon in the Treaty of Zamora, on October 5, 1143. |
| 1156 | Austria | raised from a Bavarian margravate to an independent duchy under the Babenbergs in the Privilegium Minus |
[edit] 1200-1799
| Date | Nation | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1238 | Thailand | Establishment of the Sukhothai kingdom, traditionally considered the first Thai kingdom |
| 1278 | Andorra | formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgell |
| 1291 | Switzerland | date of the Federal Charter |
| 1419 | Monaco | beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi |
| 1480 | Russia | End of the Mongol yoke. Beginning of Post-Mongol Russian self-rule. |
| 2 January 1492 | Spain | The Reconquista ends with the fall of Granada. The event is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain |
| 1512 | Spain | Annex of Navarra, the last independent kingdom whose territory is now within the Kingdom of Spain |
| 6 June 1523 | Sweden | Gustav Vasa elected king |
| 1579 | Netherlands | declared independence from Spain during the Eighty Years' War |
| 1650 | Oman | expulsion of the Portuguese |
| 26 March 1707 | Kingdom of Great Britain | union of England and Scotland |
| 23 January 1719 | Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein | |
| 1768 | Nepal | unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah |
| 4 July 1776 | United States | declared independence from Great Britain |
[edit] 1800-1899
[edit] 1900-1939
| Date | Nation | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 1901 | Australia | Federation of six British colonies |
| 20 May 1902 | Cuba | from U.S. administration |
| 3 November 1903 | Panama | from Colombia |
| June 7, 1905 | Norway | union with Sweden dissolved |
| September 26, 1907 | New Zealand | granted dominion status from UK |
| September 22, 1908 | Bulgaria | gained independence from Ottoman Empire |
| May 31, 1910 | South Africa | Union of South Africa formed as British Dominion |
| January 1 (February 12, O.S.), 1912 | Republic of China | from Qing Dynasty |
| November 28, 1912 | Albania | from Ottoman Empire |
| December 6, 1917 | Finland | from Russia |
| February 16, 1918 | Lithuania | from Russia |
| February 24, 1918 | Estonia | from Russia |
| March 25, 1918 | Belarus | from Russia |
| October 28, 1918 | Czechoslovakia | from the Austria-Hungary |
| November 1, 1918 | North Yemen | from the Ottoman Empire |
| November 11, 1918 | Poland | independence from Russian territories occupied by the Central Powers |
| November 18, 1918 | Latvia | from Russia |
| December 1, 1918 | Iceland | became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown |
| August 19, 1919 | Afghanistan | from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs |
| July 11, 1921 | Mongolia | from China |
| December 6, 1921 | Ireland | from UK by treaty, most of the island of Ireland became an independent nation known as the Irish Free State, later the Republic of Ireland; part of the island - in the north (Northern Ireland) - remains part of the United Kingdom. |
| October 29, 1923 | Turkey | after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire |
| April 12, 1927 | United Kingdom | Southern and western part of Ireland now governed by the Irish Free State which had seceded from the UK in 1922. Formal name of the UK changes to observe this. |
| February 11, 1929 | Vatican City | from Italy |
| October 3, 1932 | Iraq | from League of Nations mandate under British administration |
[edit] 1940-1949
| Date | Nation | Event |
|---|---|---|
| April 10, 1941 | Independent State of Croatia | from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia destroyed by the Axis forces |
| 1941 | Kingdom of Serbia | from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia destroyed by the Axis forces |
| 1941 | Kingdom of Montenegro | from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia destroyed by the Axis forces |
| November 22, 1943 | Lebanon | from League of Nations mandate under French administration |
| June 17, 1944 | Iceland | from Denmark |
| August 15, 1945 | Korea | from Japan |
| August 17, 1945 | Indonesia | from the Netherlands |
| September 2, 1945 | Vietnam | from France |
| April 17, 1946 | Syria | from League of Nations mandate under French administration |
| May 25, 1946 | Jordan | from League of Nations mandate under British administration |
| August 14, 1947 | Pakistan | from UK |
| August 15, 1947 | India | from UK |
| December 30, 1947 | Romania | proclaimed as a republic |
| January 4, 1948 | Burma | from UK |
| February 4, 1948 | Sri Lanka | from UK |
| May 14, 1948 | Israel | from League of Nations mandate under British administration |
| August 15, 1948 | Republic of Korea | founding of the Republic of Korea |
| September 9, 1948 | Democratic People's Republic of Korea | founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
| May 23, 1949 | Federal Republic of Germany | from the western part of occupied Germany |
| July 19, 1949 | Laos | from France |
| August 8, 1949 | Bhutan | from India |
| October 1, 1949 | People's Republic of China | from Republic of China |
| October 7, 1949 | German Democratic Republic | from the eastern part of occupied Germany |
[edit] 1950-1959
| Date | Nation | Event |
|---|---|---|
| December 24, 1951 | Libya | from Italy |
| November 9, 1953 | Cambodia | from France |
| January 1, 1956 | Sudan | from Egypt and UK |
| March 2, 1956 | Morocco | from France |
| March 20, 1956 | Tunisia | from France |
| March 6, 1957 | Ghana | from UK |
| August 31, 1957 | Malaysia | from UK |
| October 2, 1958 | Guinea | from France |
[edit] 1960-1969
| Date | Nation | Event |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1960 | Cameroon | from French-administered UN trusteeship |
| April 4, 1960 | Senegal | from France |
| April 27, 1960 | Togo | from French-administered UN trusteeship |
| June 26, 1960 | Madagascar | from France |
| June 26, 1960 | Somaliland | from the UK |
| June 30, 1960 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | from Belgium |
| July 1, 1960 | Somalia | from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship |
| August 1, 1960 | Benin | from France |
| August 3, 1960 | Niger | from France |
| August 5, 1960 | Burkina Faso | from France |
| August 7, 1960 | Côte d'Ivoire | from France |
| August 11, 1960 | Chad | from France |
| August 13, 1960 | Central African Republic | from France |
| August 15, 1960 | Republic of the Congo | from France |
| August 16, 1960 | Cyprus | from UK |
| August 17, 1960 | Gabon | from France |
| September 22, 1960 | Mali | from France |
| October 1, 1960 | Nigeria | from UK |
| November 28, 1960 | Mauritania | from France |
| April 27, 1961 | Sierra Leone | from UK |
| May 31, 1910 | South Africa | from UK |
| June 19, 1961 | Kuwait | from UK |
| December 9, 1961 | Tanzania | from UK-administered UN trusteeship |
| January 1, 1962 | Samoa | from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship |
| July 1, 1962 | Burundi | from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration |
| July 1, 1962 | Rwanda | from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship |
| July 5, 1962 | Algeria | from France |
| August 6, 1962 | Jamaica | from UK |
| August 31, 1962 | Trinidad and Tobago | from UK |
| October 9, 1962 | Uganda | from UK |
| December 12, 1963 | Kenya | from UK |
| July 6, 1964 | Malawi | from UK |
| September 21, 1964 | Malta | from UK |
| October 24, 1964 | Zambia | from UK |
| February 18, 1965 | The Gambia | from UK |
| July 26, 1965 | Maldives | from UK |
| August 4, 1965 | Cook Islands | became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand |
| August 9, 1965 | Singapore | from Malaysian Federation |
| May 26, 1966 | Guyana | from UK |
| September 30, 1966 | Botswana | from UK |
| October 4, 1966 | Lesotho | from UK |
| November 30, 1966 | Barbados | from UK |
| November 30, 1967 | South Yemen | from the UK |
| January 31, 1968 | Nauru | from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship |
| March 12, 1968 | Mauritius | from UK |
| September 6, 1968 | Swaziland | from UK |
| October 12, 1968 | Equatorial Guinea | from Spain |
[edit] 1970-1979
[edit] 1980-1989
| Date | Nation | Event |
|---|---|---|
| April 18, 1980 | Zimbabwe | from UK |
| July 30, 1980 | Vanuatu | from France and UK |
| September 21, 1981 | Belize | from UK |
| November 1, 1981 | Antigua and Barbuda | from UK |
| 17 April 1982 | Canada | from the UK |
| September 19, 1983 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | from UK |
| January 1, 1984 | Brunei | from UK |
| October 21, 1986 | Marshall Islands | from the US-administered UN trusteeship as Compact of Free Association takes effect |
| November 3, 1986 | Federated States of Micronesia | from the US-administered UN Trusteeship as Compact of Free Association takes effect |
[edit] 1990-1999
| Date | Nation | Event |
|---|---|---|
| March 11, 1990 | Lithuania | from the Soviet Union |
| March 21, 1990 | Namibia | from South African mandate |
| May 22, 1990 | Yemen | merger North Yemen and South Yemen |
| October 3, 1990 | Germany | unification of West Germany and East Germany |
| April 9, 1991 | Georgia | from the Soviet Union |
| June 25, 1991 | Croatia | from Yugoslavia |
| June 25, 1991 | Slovenia | from Yugoslavia |
| August 20, 1991 | Estonia | from the Soviet Union |
| August 21, 1991 | Latvia | from the Soviet Union |
| August 24, 1991 | Russia | from the Soviet Union, Russia is the successor state. |
| August 24, 1991 | Ukraine | from the Soviet Union |
| August 25, 1991 | Belarus | from Soviet Union |
| August 27, 1991 | Moldova | from the Soviet Union |
| August 30, 1991 | Azerbaijan | from the Soviet Union |
| August 31, 1991 | Kyrgyzstan | from the Soviet Union |
| September 1, 1991 | Uzbekistan | from the Soviet Union |
| September 8, 1991 | Republic of Macedonia | from Yugoslavia |
| September 9, 1991 | Tajikistan | from the Soviet Union |
| September 21, 1991 | Armenia | from the Soviet Union |
| October 27, 1991 | Turkmenistan | from the the Soviet Union |
| December 16, 1991 | Kazakhstan | from the the Soviet Union |
| March 1, 1992 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | from Yugoslavia |
| April 27, 1992 | Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | formed as self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia |
| January 1, 1993 | Czech Republic | Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia |
| January 1, 1993 | Slovakia | Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia |
| May 24, 1993 | Eritrea | from Ethiopia |
| April 27, 1994 | South Africa | Homelands reincorporated into South Africa and all races officially recognised as citizens |
| October 1, 1994 | Palau | from the US-administered UN Trusteeship as Compact of Free Association takes effect |
[edit] Since 2000
| Date | Nation | Event |
|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2002 | East Timor | From Portugal. East Timor was occupied by Indonesia between 1975-1999. |
| June 3, 2006 | Montenegro | Dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro after a referendum supporting such a move in Montenegro |
| June 5, 2006 | Serbia | Dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro - Serbia is the successor state |
