| 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) |
| 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)
note: foreign affairs is the responsibility of
Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in
international agreements relating to Greenland |
| 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) |
| 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); note - a referendum on independence
was held in 1998 but did not pass |
| 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 |
| 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) |
| Yugoslavia: |
27 April 1992
(Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY formed as
self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia or SFRY) |
| Zambia: |
24 October 1964
(from UK) |
| Zimbabwe: |
18 April 1980
(from UK)
|
