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Timeline of national independence

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This list includes currently extant sovereign states (list) and states with limited recognition that have declared independence from a predecessor state or an occupying power. Various states have never declared independence throughout their formations and hence are not included in the main list on this page, including states that were formed by the unification of multiple independent states, such as the United Kingdom, United States, and Tanzania, including states that did declare independence, but whose most recent establishment was through other means, such as Haiti, which declared independence from France in 1804, but split into two states in 1806 and was reunified in 1820. These countries are given on a separate list below. The list does not include duplicated entries for states that have declared independence multiple times, only using the most recent one. Subnational entities are usually not included in the list. Some of these dates of independence might be disputed. Entries in the "events" table are written in the present tense.

Before 19th century

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Date Previous entity Newly independent entity Event
September 3, 301 Roman Empire San Marino Traditionally given date
749 Abbasid Caliphate Oman Subject to vassalage to other powers for short periods throughout its history.
August 10, 843 Carolingian Empire France Treaty of Verdun, splitting the Frankish Empire into three states, one of which became France.
c. 950 Tui Manu'a Empire Tonga
July 27, 1139 Leon Portugal In personal union with, and effective satellite state of, Spain between 1580 and 1640
November 5, 1271 Mongol Empire China Independent Chinese state reestablished with the collapse of the Mongol Empire. Earliest foundation of China disputed, but begins with either the Xia or Shang dynasty
23 January, 1579 Spanish Netherlands The Netherlands Gained independence from Spain during the Eighty Years' War.
1616 Tibet Bhutan Subject to British protectorate from 1865 to 1947, and an Indian protectorate from 1947 to 1971.
February 8, 1649 Holy Roman Empire Switzerland Separated from Imperial sovereignty by the Peace of Westphalia
July 1747 Persia Afghanistan Independent as the Durrani Empire, subject to British protectorate from 1880 to 1919.

19th century to World War I

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Year Previous entity Newly independent entity Event
May 23, 1810 Spain Argentina
May 14, 1811 Spain Paraguay Independence not formally declared until 1842.
November 4, 1813 Confederation of the Rhine Liechtenstein Confederation of the Rhine dissolved.
November 20, 1813 France Netherlands Independence restored after French rule. Initial independence from Spain in 1581 as the Dutch Republic.
May 30, 1814 France Andorra Independence restored after French rule. Initial independence from Urgell in 1278.
May 30, 1814 France Monaco Independence restored after French rule. Initial independence from Genoa in 1297, interrupted by multiple Genoese occupations.
February 12, 1818 Spain Chile Independence restored after Spanish reconquest, Initial independence in 1810.
September 28, 1821 Spain Mexico
January 4, 1822 Ottoman Empire Greece International recognition achieved in 1830.
September 7, 1822 Portugal Brazil Unrecognized by Portugal until 1825.
October 4, 1828 Brazil Uruguay Independence established by treaty as a buffer between Brazil and Argentina, which both previously claimed the region.
October 4, 1830 Netherlands Belgium Unrecognized by Netherlands until 1839.
November 19, 1832 Gran Colombia Colombia Dissolution of Gran Colombia. Initially named Republic of New Granada until 1861.
November 19, 1832 Gran Colombia Ecuador Dissolution of Gran Colombia.
November 19, 1832 Gran Colombia Venezuela Dissolution of Gran Colombia. Restoration of Independence, first established in 1811.
November 15, 1838 Federal Republic of Central America Costa Rica
June 19, 1839 Belgium Luxembourg Grand Duchy re-established by the Treaty of London in personal union with the Netherlands (until 1890).
August 25, 1839 Peru-Bolivia Confederation Bolivia Restoration of Independence, first proclaimed in 1825.
August 25, 1839 Peru-Bolivia Confederation Peru Restoration of Independence, first proclaimed in 1821.
July 26, 1847 United States Liberia Unrecognized by United States until 1862.
May 1, 1865 Spain Dominican Republic Independence restored after period of Spanish rule. Independence initially declared from Spain in 1821 as the Republic of Spanish Haiti, and from Haiti in 1844 with the current name.
July 1, 1867 United Kingdom Canada Britain continued to exercise some level of control until the Statute of Westminster. In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
March 17, 1878 Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Under Ottoman vassalage until 1908. Restoration of independence after Ottoman rule, initial foundation in 681.
November 29, 1898 Greater Republic of Central America Nicaragua Independence restored after the dissolution of the Greater Republic of Central America, initial independence in 1838.
January 1, 1901 United Kingdom Australia Britain continued to exercise some level of control until the Statute of Westminster.In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
May 20, 1902 United States Cuba United States retained Isla de Pinos until 1925.
November 4, 1903 Colombia Panama Unrecognized by Colombia until 1922.
June 7, 1905 Sweden Norway Independence restored after Danish and Swedish rule. Initial establishment around 872.
September 26, 1907 United Kingdom New Zealand Britain continued to exercise some level of control until the Statute of Westminster. In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
May 3, 1910 United Kingdom South Africa Britain continued to exercise some level of control until the Statute of Westminster. In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1961.

Interwar period

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Year Previous entity Newly independent entity Event
December 6, 1917 Russia Finland
October 17, 1918 Austria Hungary Hungary Independence restored with the dissolution of Austria-Hungary. Initial establishment in 895. Stayed in personal union with Austria until November 16.
December 1, 1918 Denmark Iceland In personal union with Denmark until 1944.
February 15, 1921 China Mongolia Independence restored after Chinese occupation. Initial independence declared in 1911, first Mongolian state founded 1203.
January 14, 1922 Central American Federation El Salvador Independence restored after brief attempt at reunifying Central America, initial independence in 1841.
January 14, 1922 Central American Federation Guatemala Independence restored after brief attempt at reunifying Central America, initial independence in 1839.
January 14, 1922 Central American Federation Honduras Independence restored after brief attempt at reunifying Central America, initial independence in 1838.
March 15, 1922 United Kingdom Egypt Independence restored after a period of British rule. Initial establishment around 3150 BC.
December 6, 1922 United Kingdom Ireland Independence restored after direct British rule. In personal union with Britain until 1937. Initial establishment of first state called Ireland in 1177.
June 7, 1929 Italy Vatican City Established by the Lateran Treaty
October 3, 1932 United Kingdom Iraq Formerly a League of Nations mandate.
May 5, 1941 Italy Ethiopia Independence restored after Italian occupation. Initially established in 1270.
December 22, 1943 France Lebanon Formerly a League of Nations mandate.
December 22, 1943 France Syria Formerly a League of Nations mandate. Unrecognized by France until 1946.
July 22, 1944 Germany Poland Independence restored after German occupation. Initial establishment c. 960.
October 22, 1944 Germany Albania Independence restored after German occupation. Initial independence in 1912.
April 27, 1945 Germany Austria Independence restored after German occupation. Initial establishment in 970 within the Holy Roman Empire.
August 15, 1945 Japan Korea Independence restored after Japanese occupation. Initial establishment in 2333 BC, but the country became divided into South Korea and North Korea in 1948 created from the American occupation zone in the south and Soviet occupation zone in the north.
August 17, 1945 Netherlands Indonesia Unrecognized by Netherlands until 1949. In personal union with the Netherlands until 1956.
October 25, 1945 Japan Taiwan and Penghu After the end of Japanese control, Taiwan and Penghu placed under the Allied occupation with the Republic of China administering the islands under General Order No. 1 while remaining under Japanese sovereignty. Four years later, the ROC government retreated to Taiwan and Japan formally severed claims to Taiwan by the Treaty of San Francisco in 1952. First Han Chinese state on Taiwan established in 1662 with its short-lived independence in 1895. See also Political status of Taiwan.

Cold War

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Year Previous entity Newly independent entity Event
June 17, 1946  United Kingdom  Jordan Previously a League of Nations Mandate.
July 4, 1946  United States  Philippines Restoration of Independence after American rule. Initial declaration of independence in 1897
August 15, 1947  United Kingdom  India In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1950.
August 15, 1947  United Kingdom  Pakistan In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1956.
January 4, 1948  United Kingdom  Burma Independence restored after British rule. Initial establishment in 849 Name changed to  Myanmar in 1989.
February 4, 1948  United Kingdom  Ceylon Renamed  Sri Lanka in 1972. In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1972.
May 14, 1948  United Kingdom  Israel Previously a League of Nations mandate. Partially unrecognized.
October 1, 1949  China  China The People's Republic of China declared independence from the Republic of China, founded in 1912, who retreated to Taiwan while the Chinese Communist Party consolidated control of Mainland China. Initial establishment in 2070 BC.
December 24, 1951  United Kingdom and  France  Libya Created by merging French and British-occupied areas in Libya with the independent Emirate of Cyrenaica
October 22, 1953  France  Laos
November 9, 1953  France  Cambodia Independence restored after French protectorate status. Initial establishment in 802.
January 1, 1956  United Kingdom and  Kingdom of Egypt  Sudan
March 20, 1956  France  Tunisia Independence restored after period as a French protectorate. Initial independence in 1705
March 6, 1957  United Kingdom  Ghana In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1960.
August 14, 1957  France  Morocco Independence restored after French protectorate. Initial founding in 788.
August 31,1957  United Kingdom Malaya Name changed to  Malaysia in 1963.
October 2, 1958  France  Guinea
January 1, 1960  France  Cameroon
April 27, 1960  France  Togo
June 20, 1960  France  Mali
June 26, 1960  France  Madagascar Independence restored after French rule, initial establishment as Kingdom of Madagascar in 1817, a successor to the earlier Merina Kingdom.
June 30, 1960  Belgium  DR Congo Named Zaire from 1971-1997. Now known as Democratic Republic of the Congo or Congo-Kinshasa.
July 1, 1960  Italy  Somalia
July 31, 1960  France Dahomey Renamed to  Benin in 1975.
August 5, 1960  France Upper Volta Renamed to  Burkina Faso in 1984.
August 7, 1960  France  Ivory Coast
August 8, 1960  France  Niger
August 11, 1960  France  Chad
August 13, 1960  France  Central African Republic Central African Empire from 1976-1979.
August 15, 1960  France  Congo
August 16, 1960  United Kingdom  Cyprus
August 17, 1960  France  Gabon
August 20, 1960  Mali  Senegal
October 1, 1960  United Kingdom  Nigeria In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1963.
November 28, 1960  France  Mauritania
April 27, 1961  United Kingdom  Sierra Leone In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1971.
June 19, 1961  United Kingdom  Kuwait Independence restored after period of British protectorate. Initial independence in 1752.
January 1, 1962  New Zealand  Samoa Independence restored after German and New Zealand rule. Initial independence c. 1300.
July 1, 1962  Belgium  Burundi Independence restored after German and Belgian protectorate. Initial establishment c. 1680.
July 1, 1962  Belgium  Rwanda Independence restored after German and Belgian protectorate. Initial establishment around the 12th century.
July 5, 1962  France  Algeria Independence restored after French colonial rule. Initial founding in 1516
August 6, 1962  United Kingdom  Jamaica In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
August 31, 1962  United Kingdom  Trinidad and Tobago In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1976.
October 9, 1962  United Kingdom  Uganda In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1963.
November 12, 1963  United Kingdom  Kenya In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1964.
July 6, 1964  United Kingdom  Malawi In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1966.
September 21, 1964  United Kingdom  Malta Independence restored after French and British rule. Initial independence in 1520. In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1974.
October 24, 1964  United Kingdom  Zambia
February 18, 1965  United Kingdom  Gambia In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1970.
July 26, 1965 United Kingdom Maldives Independence restored after British protectorate. Initial establishment before 1117.
August 4, 1965 New Zealand Cook Islands Partially unrecognized. In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries. In free association with New Zealand
August 9, 1965 Malaysia Singapore Forcibly expelled from Malaysia.
May 26, 1966 United Kingdom Guyana In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1970.
September 30, 1966 United Kingdom Botswana
October 4, 1966 United Kingdom Lesotho Independence restored after period of British protectorate. Initial establishment around 1822.
November 30, 1966 United Kingdom Barbados In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 2021.
January 31, 1968 Australia Nauru
March 12, 1968 United Kingdom Mauritius In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1992.
September 6, 1968 United Kingdom Eswatini Restoration of independence after British protectorate, initial establishment around 1745. Name changed to Eswatini in 2018.
October 12, 1968 Spain Equatorial Guinea
June 4, 1970 United Kingdom Tonga Independence restored after British protectorate.
October 10, 1970 United Kingdom Fiji Restoration of independence after British colonial rule. Initial founding in 1871. In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries until 1987.
August 15, 1971 United Kingdom Bahrain Independence restored after British protectorate. Initial independence in 1783.
September 3, 1971 United Kingdom Qatar Independence restored after British protectorate. Initial independence in 1868.
December 2, 1971 United Kingdom United Arab Emirates Ras Al Khaimah initially not part of the union, joined in 1972.
December 16, 1971 Pakistan Bangladesh Unrecognized by Pakistan until 1974.
July 10, 1973 United Kingdom The Bahamas In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
September 24, 1973 Portugal Guinea-Bissau
February 7, 1974 United Kingdom Grenada In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
October 19, 1974 New Zealand Niue Independence restored after British and New Zealand rule. Initial establishment before 1887. Partially unrecognized. In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries. In free association with New Zealand.
June 25, 1975 Portugal Mozambique
July 5, 1975 Portugal Cape Verde
July 6, 1975 France Comoros
July 12, 1975 Portugal Sao Tome and Principe
September 16, 1975 Australia Papua New Guinea In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
November 11, 1975 Portugal Angola
November 25, 1975 Netherlands Suriname
February 27, 1976 Spain Western Sahara Partially unrecognized.
June 27, 1977 France Djibouti
June 29, 1976 United Kingdom Seychelles
July 7, 1978 United Kingdom Solomon Islands In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
October 1, 1978 United Kingdom Tuvalu In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
November 3, 1978 United Kingdom Dominica
February 22, 1979 United Kingdom Saint Lucia In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
July 12, 1979 United Kingdom Kiribati
October 27, 1979 United Kingdom Saint Vincent and the Grenadines In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
April 18, 1980 United Kingdom Zimbabwe Restoration of independence after a brief return to British rule after the Rhodesian Bush War. Initial independence in 1965 as Rhodesia.
July 7, 1980 United Kingdom and France Vanuatu
September 21, 1981 United Kingdom Belize In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
November 1, 1981 United Kingdom Antigua and Barbuda In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
September 19, 1983 United Kingdom Saint Kitts and Nevis In Personal Union with the UK and many other countries.
November 15, 1983 Cyprus Northern Cyprus Largely unrecognized.
January 1, 1984 United Kingdom Brunei Independence restored after British protectorate. Initial establishment in 1368.
March 11, 1990 Soviet Union Lithuania Independence restored after Russian and Soviet rule. Initial establishment in 1236. Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
March 21, 1990 South Africa Namibia
May 4, 1990 Soviet Union Latvia Independence restored after Soviet rule. Initial establishment in 1918. Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
December 22, 1990 United States Marshall Islands In free association with the United States
December 22, 1990 United States Micronesia In free association with the United States
April 9, 1991 Soviet Union Georgia Independence restored after Russian and Soviet rule. Initial establishment in 1008. Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
May 18, 1991 Somalia Somaliland Independence restored after union with Somalia. Initial independence in 1960. Unrecognized.
May 29, 1991 Ethiopia Eritrea Unrecognized by Ethiopia until 1993.
June 25, 1991 SFR Yugoslavia Croatia Independence restored after Habsburg and Yugoslav rule. Initial independence in the 6th century.
June 25, 1991 Yugoslavia Slovenia
August 20, 1991 Soviet Union Estonia Independence restored after Soviet rule. Initial establishment in 1918. Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
August 24, 1991 Soviet Union Ukraine Independence restored after Soviet rule. Initial establishment in 1917. Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
August 27, 1991 Soviet Union Moldova Independence restored after Soviet rule. Initial establishment in 1917. Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
August 30, 1991 Soviet Union Azerbaijan Independence restored after Soviet rule. Initial establishment in 1918. Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
August 31, 1991 Soviet Union Kyrgyzstan Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
August 31, 1991 Soviet Union Uzbekistan Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
September 9, 1991 Soviet Union Tajikistan Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
September 17, 1991 Yugoslavia Macedonia Name changed to North Macedonia in 2019.
October 27, 1991 Soviet Union Turkmenistan Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
November 5, 1991 Soviet Union Transnistria Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union. Largely unrecognized.
November 23, 1991 Soviet Union Armenia Independence restored after Russian and Soviet rule. Initial establishment in 331 BC. Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
December 10, 1991 Soviet Union Belarus Independence restored after Soviet rule. Initial establishment in 1918. Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
December 16, 1991 Soviet Union Kazakhstan Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union.
December 21, 1991 Soviet Union South Ossetia Not official until the formal disestablishment of the Soviet Union. Largely unrecognized.
December 26, 1991 Soviet Union Russia Independence restored after Soviet rule. Initial establishment in 1547.

Post–Cold War era

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Year Previous entity Newly independent entity Event
March 6, 1992  Yugoslavia  Bosnia and Herzegovina
July 23, 1992  Georgia  Abkhazia Restoration of independence after Georgian, Russian, and Soviet rule. Initially founded in 778. Largely unrecognized.
January 1, 1993  Czechoslovakia  Czech Republic Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
January 1, 1993  Czechoslovakia  Slovakia Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
July 5, 1994  Israel  Palestinian Authority Created by the Oslo Accords, limited control over claimed territory. Partially unrecognized
October 1, 1994  United States  Palau In free association with the United States
May 20, 2002  Indonesia  East Timor Independence restored after Indonesian occupation. Initial declaration of independence in 1975.
June 3, 2006  Serbia and Montenegro  Montenegro Independence restored after Yugoslav union. Initial establishment in 1516
June 3, 2006  Serbia and Montenegro  Serbia Independence restored after Yugoslav union. Initial establishment in 780
June 14, 2007  Israel and  Palestinian Authority  Gaza Strip Effectively operating as a separate state since Hamas takeover of government. Largely unrecognized.
February 17, 2008  Serbia  Kosovo  Kosova. Partially unrecognized.
August 20, 2010  Myanmar  Wa State Recognizes the authority of the National Unity Government of Myanmar but de facto independent. Unrecognized.
July 9, 2011  Sudan  South Sudan
December 6, 2023  Myanmar  Chinland Recognizes the authority of the National Unity Government of Myanmar and aims to rejoin country once they are restored. Unrecognized.
April 1, 2024  Somalia  Puntland Seeks reintegration into Somalia after the adoption of a new constitution. Unrecognized.

Timeline of states established by means other than declaring independence

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Year Previous entity Newly established entity Event
Possibly before 97 BC Yamatai and Other small Japanese states. Japan Origins of the Japanese state are largely unknown. Traditional foundation date by Emperor Jimmu in 660 BC. Emperor Sujin is considered to be the earliest possible non-legendary emperor of Japan, began his reign c. 97 BC.
c. 936 Petty Kingdoms in Denmark Denmark Likely date of Gorm the Old's accession as Denmark's first historically-confirmed king.
c. 970 Petty Kingdoms in Sweden Sweden Likely date of Eric the Victorious's accession as Sweden's first historically-confirmed king.
January 19, 1479 Crown of Castile and Crown of Aragon Spain Exactly when Spain was united is debated, the date given here is when Ferdinand II of Aragon, husband to Isabella I of Castile, ascended to the Aragonese throne and the Catholic Monarchs began to govern Spain as a de facto single realm. Legally, Castile and Aragon maintained separate institutions until the Nueva Planta Decrees issued between 1707 and 1716, and Navarre maintained separate institutions until 1841.
September 29, 1768 Gorkha Kingdom and 29 small Nepalese kingdoms. Nepal Prithvi Narayan Shah declares the establishment of the Kingdom of Nepal. Unification campaign continues to 1795 with the annexation of the Kingdom of Mustang.
March 15, 1776 Kingdoms of Phimai, Phitsanulok, and Swangburi Thailand Completion of the reunification of Siam by Taksin the Great.
March 3, 1781 States of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia United States Articles of Confederation come into effect, establishing a federal government and uniting the previously sovereign states into a confederation.
January 1 1801 Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Ireland United Kingdom Acts of Union 1800 come into effect. Southern Ireland secedes in 1922.
October 26, 1820 North Haiti and South Haiti Haiti Haiti reunified after division following the death of Jean-Jacques Dessalines. Initial independence from France declared in 1804.
January 24, 1859 Moldavia and Principality of Wallachia Romania Ottoman vassal until 1877.
March 3, 1861 Kingdom of Sardinia, United Provinces of Central Italy and Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Italy
October 29, 1923 Ottoman Empire Turkey Declaration of the Republic of Turkey, superseding the previous Ottoman state.
December 22, 1932 Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd and Idrisid Emirate of Asir Saudi Arabia Abolition of the dual monarchy of Nejd and Hejaz, which is superseded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
April 26, 1964 Tanganyika and Zanzibar Tanzania
July 2, 1976 North Vietnam and South Vietnam Vietnam Reunified following the Vietnam War. Initial establishment before 200 BC.
October 3, 1990 East Germany and West Germany Germany Germany reunified after Cold War-era division. Unification of the German Empire in 1871.

See also

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Notes

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References

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