 |
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)
|
 |
American Virgin Islands |
|
 |
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 |
4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to the throne
|
 |
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; referendum for independence was completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3 March 1992)
|
 |
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 Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)
|
 |
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 |
regained on 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
|
 |
Ethiopia |
oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years
|
 |
European Union |
7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)
|
 |
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 |
1 January 1804 (from France)
|
 |
Haiti |
11 February 1929 (from Italy)
|
 |
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)
|
 |
Isle of Man |
none (British crown dependency)
|
 |
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 |
21 August 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 |
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)
|
 |
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)
|
 |
Montenegro |
|
 |
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); note - the northern provinces of the Low Country concluded the Union of Utrecht, but it was 1648 before Spain finally recognized their independence
|
 |
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; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014
|
 |
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 |
1143 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)
|
 |
Puerto Rico |
