Timeline of national independence

This list includes formerly non-self-governing territories, such as colonies, protectorates, dominions, condominia, and leased territories. Changes in status of autonomy leading up to and after independence are not listed, and some dates of independence may be disputed. For details, see each national history.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Before 19th century
Year Previous entity Newly independent entity Event
1480 Great Horde Grand Duchy of Moscow The Great Stand on the Ugra River is seen in Russian historiography as the end of Tatar/Mongol rule over Moscow.[1]
1581 Spain Dutch Republic The Plakkaat van Verlatinghe was signed, declaring Dutch independence from Spain. The event took place during the Eighty Years' War. Spain recognized Dutch independence in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.[2]
1640 Iberian Union Portugal The Portuguese revolution of 1640 brought a formal end to the Iberian Union with the Treaty of Lisbon in 1668. The House of Braganza established itself as Portugal's new ruling dynasty.[3]
1783 Great Britain United States In 1776, the Thirteen Colonies of British America declare their independence a year into a general insurrection. Recognized by Great Britain in 1783 at the Treaty of Paris.

19th century to World War I
Year Previous entity Newly independent entity Event
1804 France Haiti After initially revolting only to restore French control, Saint-Domingue declares its independence as Haiti. Recognized by France in 1825 in exchange for a ₣150 million indemnity, financed through French banks.
1810 Spain West Florida (today part of the United States) West Florida declares independence, but is almost immediately annexed by the United States as part of Orleans Territory under its claims from the Louisiana Purchase. Annexation recognized by Spain in 1819.
1811 Spain Paraguay Paraguay achieves independence. Recognised by Spain in 1880.
Venezuela Venezuela declares its independence. During its revolution, it joins Gran Colombia, before seceding to achieve independence in 1830.
Gran Colombia (today Colombia and Panama) Cartagena declares its independence. Cundinamarca and the United Provinces of New Granada followed suit in 1813. Briefly retaken by Spain, saved by Simon Bolivar and united as Colombia in 1821. Panama seceded 1903.
1815 Spain Uruguay The Federal League declares its independence of the restored Spanish crown, after having successfully revolted against Napoleonic Spain in 1811. Attacked by Portugal, some provinces united with the future Argentina; others, after a protracted struggle, successfully formed Uruguay in 1828. Recognized by Spain in 1870.
1816 Spain Argentina The United Provinces of South America formally declare their independence of the restored Spanish crown, after having successfully revolted against Napoleonic Spain in its name in 1810. Became Argentina in 1826. Recognized by Spain in 1859.[4]
1818 Spain Chile Chile declares its independence of the restored crown, after having unsuccessfully revolted against Napoleonic Spain in its name in 1810. Recognized by the Spanish in 1844.
1819 Spain East Florida (today part of the United States) The Adams-Onís Treaty cedes Florida to the United States in exchange for US cession of its claims to Texas under the Louisiana Purchase and in exchange for settling $5 million of its residents' claims against Spain.
1821 Spain Mexico Following a failed liberal insurrection in New Spain, the colony declares its independence as the Mexican Empire after a liberal mutiny succeeds in Spain. Recognised by Spain in 1836. Texas independent in 1836, annexed to the United States in 1845. Upper California and New Mexico lost to the United States in 1848.
Central America (today Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, and part of Mexico) Chiapas and then all of Guatemala declares its independence as part of the Mexican Empire. Independent from Mexico in 1823 as the Federal Republic of Central America. Divided into Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Guatemala in 1838; remnant renamed El Salvador in 1841.
Dominican Republic Santo Domingo declares independence as Spanish Haiti, requests union with Gran Colombia, and is swiftly annexed by Haiti. It will achieve independence in 1844 only to restore Spanish rule in 1861.
Peru A Chilean expeditionary force declares the independence of Peru. Bolivia formed from Upper Peru in 1825. Recognized by Spain in 1879.
Ottoman Empire Greece Greece revolts. Recognized by the Porte in 1832 in the Treaty of Constantinople.
1822 Spain Ecuador Quito declares independence as a part of Gran Colombia. Independent from Colombia as Ecuador in 1830. Recognized by Spain in 1840.
Portugal Brazil Brazil, long the seat of the Portuguese royal government, declares independence under a rogue prince after the king returns to Lisbon. Recognized by Portugal in 1825.
1831 Netherlands Belgium During the Belgian Revolution, the Provisional Government led by Charles Rogier was formed on 24 September and Belgian independence was officially proclaimed on 4 October. The Netherlands recognised Belgian independence in the 1839 Treaty of London.[5]
1836 Mexico Republic of Texas Texas seceded from Mexico in 1836, spurred on primarily by American settlers in the former Mexican territory against the government of Santa Anna.[6]
1847 United States Liberia Liberia declares its independence as an organised nation. Independence was officially recognized by the United States in 1862
1852 Ottoman Empire Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro declares their full independence from Ottoman Empire. Recognized in 1878 at the Congress of Berlin. Montenegro Voluntarily united with Serbia as Yugoslavia in 1918.
1860 United Kingdom Mosquito Coast (today part of Nicaragua) End of the protectorate of the Mosquito Coast when it is peaceably united with modern Nicaragua by the Treaty of Managua.
1864 United Kingdom Ionian Islands (today part of Greece) The United States of the Ionian Islands, a majority Greek protectorate, peaceably united with modern Greece by the Treaty of London.
1865 Spain Dominican Republic Santo Domingo regains independence as the Dominican Republic after four years as a restored colony.
1867 United Kingdom Canada Britain grants internal autonomy to Canada, while keeping control of foreign policy. Britain retained legal powers over Canada until 1931, and a role in Canada constitutional law until 1982.
1877 Ottoman Empire Romania The United Principalities of Romania declare their independence. Recognized in 1878 at the Congress of Berlin.
1898 Spain Cuba, Philippines The United States (barred from annexing Cuba itself by the Teller Amendment) forces Spain to abjure its own claims to the island in the Treaty of Paris ending the Spanish–American War. Various other Spanish colonies are purchased for $20 million, including the Philippines, causing an immediate backlash among the Philippine revolutionaries who have been fighting for independence since 1896. The Philippine Republic would fall to the United States in 1901 following the capture of President Emilio Aguinaldo. In 1935, the Insular Government over the Philippines was replaced with the Commonwealth.
1900 United Kingdom Australia Britain grants internal autonomy to Australia, while keeping control of foreign policy. Britain retained legal powers over Australia until 1942, and shared a role in Australia constitutional law until 1986.
1902 United States Cuba Cuba granted independence. Guantanamo Bay is leased in perpetuity as a US Naval base.
1907 United Kingdom New Zealand Britain grants internal autonomy to New Zealand, while keeping control of foreign policy. Britain retained legal powers over New Zealand until 1947, and shared a role in New Zealand constitutional law until 1986.
1908 Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Bulgaria, largely autonomous since the Congress of Berlin, declares itself fully independent of the Ottoman Empire.
1910 United Kingdom South Africa Britain grants internal autonomy to South Africa, while keeping control of foreign policy. Britain retained legal powers over South Africa until 1931, and shared a head of state until 1961.
1912 Ottoman Empire Albania Albania declares independence. Recognized in the 1913 Treaty of London.

Interwar period
Year Previous entity Newly independent entity Event
1916 Russia Poland The independence of Russian Poland as a new kingdom is proclaimed by occupying German and Austro-Hungarian forces. Recognized by Soviet Russia in the 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Absorbed Polish regions from Germany, Austria, and Hungary following World War I and from Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine after the Polish-Soviet War.
1917 Russia Finland Finland declares its independence. Recognized in the 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, although Karelia remained disputed.
Crimea (since 1954 de jure part of Ukraine, since 2014 de facto part of Russia) Crimean People's Republic declares independence but Crimean Tatar forces hold out less than a month against the Bolsheviks.
Idel-Ural (today part of Russia) Volga Tatars declare independence of the Idel-Ural State; other ethnic groups including Volga Germans and Bashkirs join them. The republic was crushed by the Bolsheviks a few months later.
Kazakhstan Kazakhs declare independence of the Alash Autonomy. This lasted for less than three years before being defeated by the Bolsheviks.
1918 Russia Moldavian Democratic Republic (today most of Moldova and part of Ukraine) The Bessarabia Governorate declares itself as autonomous in 1917 and then as independent in 1918. Afterwards, it unites with Romania.
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the Republic of Georgia and the Republic of Armenia declare independence on May 26–28. All three would be conquered by the Red Army in 1920–1921.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania declare independence. All three were initially able to secure their independence by 1920; however, on 1940, all three were invaded by the Soviet Union and were later annexed.
Ukraine The Ukrainian People's Republic (UNR) declared independence in January 1918, and was recognized by several states from February, including by Bolshevik Russia in the March Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. It would lose its international recognition after the Paris Peace Conference, and its territory to the Russian-created Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, which was formally subordinated to Moscow by the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922.
Austria-Hungary Czechoslovakia (today the Czech Republic and Slovakia) Bohemia, Moravia, and sections of Silesia, Galicia, and Hungary declare their independence as Czechoslovakia. Recognized in the Treaty of Trianon in 1920. Slovakia independent from 1939 to 1945. Carpathian Ruthenia independent in 1939, eventually annexed to Ukraine. Secession of Slovakia in 1993.
State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (today Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina) Croatia-Slavonia and Dalmatia declare their independence as the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs and swiftly unites with Serbia as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes which later became Yugoslavia.
Ukraine The West Ukrainian People's Republic (ZUNR) declared independence November 1, 1918, and symbolically united with the Ukrainian People's Republic on January 22, 1919. It allied with Poland in the 1920 Treaty of Warsaw, but was absorbed after the 1921 Peace of Riga.
Denmark Iceland After the signing of the Danish–Icelandic Act of Union, Iceland becomes a sovereign state in personal union with Denmark.
1919 United Kingdom Afghanistan End of the protected state[7] over Afghanistan with the Anglo-Afghan treaty after the third Anglo-Afghan war.
1920 Ottoman Empire Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine (today Israel and Palestine) The San Remo conference establishes League of Nations mandates from Ottoman Mesopotamia and Syria. The 1920 Iraqi revolt prevents the mandate over Mesopotamia from being enacted, and was replaced with the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty in 1922. In 1926, Greater Lebanon became the Lebanese Republic.
1921 China Mongolia Communist Mongolian revolutionaries, with the help of the Red Army, expel the Chinese government presence from Outer Mongolia. Mongolia was recognized by the United Nations in 1961.
1922 United Kingdom Ireland The Irish Republic is granted independence and statehood while remaining apart of the commonwealth, being renamed the "Irish Free State," while the partition of the island would create two entities, with Northern Ireland remaining in the United Kingdom. The Monarch of the United Kingdom would remain head of state until 1949.
1922 United Kingdom Egypt Egypt is unilaterally granted independence by the United Kingdom. However, four matters (imperial communications, defence, the protection of foreign interests and minorities, as well as Sudan) remain "absolutely reserved to the discretion" of the British government, which greatly restricts the full exercise of Egyptian sovereignty.
1926 United Kingdom Canada, South Africa The Balfour Declaration declares the dominions of the British empire as autonomous Communities within the British Empire, equal in status.
1930 United Kingdom Weihai (today part of China) The United Kingdom returns the leased port territory at Weihaiwei to China.
1931 United Kingdom Canada, Irish Free State, South Africa The Statute of Westminster grants virtually full independence to Canada, the Irish Free State, and the Union of South Africa when it declares the British parliament incapable of passing law over these former colonies without their own consent. This doesn't take effect over New Zealand, Newfoundland, and the Commonwealth of Australia, until independently ratified by these dominions.
1932 United Kingdom Iraq End of League of Nations Mandate over Iraq. The United Kingdom continues to station troops in the country and influence the Iraqi government until 1958.
1940 France Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia[8] After the Fall of France, the new French State de facto cedes control of French Indochina to Japan, weakening the colonial system that would make it difficult for France to control their colony once it is returned to them.
1941 Italy Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia[9] Eritrea, Tigray Province (appended to it), Italian Somaliland, and Ethiopia are taken by the Allies after an uneasy occupation of Ethiopia since 1935–36, and no longer joined as one colonial federal state. Ethiopia, the only African state to escape the Scramble for Africa, returns to being a sovereign nation, while the Ogaden desert (disputed by Somalia) remains under British military control until 1948.
1942 United Kingdom Australia Australia ratifies the Statute of Westminster.
Netherlands[10] Indonesia[11] Japanese seize control of the Dutch East Indies. Throughout the occupation the Japanese dismantle the colonial system and stirs national fervour among the native population, which will cause major problems for the Dutch when the colony is returned to them.
1943 France Lebanon Lebanon declares independence, effectively ending the French mandate (previously together with Syria).
1944 Denmark[12] Iceland Following a plebiscite, Iceland formally becomes a republic, ending the personal union between Denmark and Iceland.
1945 Japan Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia[8] In the last months of World War II, Japanese forces in French Indochina overthrew the largely powerless colonial administration and declare the independence of the Vietnam (which was formed from three separate colonies) Cambodia, and Laos. After the surrender of Japan, all three states would be disestablished and, in theory, returned to French colonial rule.
Korea (today North Korea and South Korea) After the surrender of Japan, Korea is occupied by the Soviet Union and the United States.
Taiwan (today legally owner of territorial sovereignty undetermined, under post-war occupation, in UN system part of China, de facto a territory under post-war occupation administered by a governing authorities recognized as government of China by a few states), Mengjiang (today part of China), Manchuria (today part of China)[13] After the surrender of Japan, Mengjiang and Manchukuo are returned to China. Taiwan is put under the post-war occupation of China in accordance with the arrangement in General Order No. 1; this would prove to be very useful for Nationalist-led China, as within four years, Taiwan would serve as a refuge for Chiang Kai-shek and his forces following the Communist takeover of China.
Indonesia[11] After the surrender of Japan, the Dutch East Indies is returned to the Netherlands. However, just two days later, the Dutch East Indies declares independence, which after four years of armed struggle and mounting international pressure is recognised by the Netherlands in 1949.
Netherlands Indonesia

Cold War
Year Previous entity Newly independent entity Event
1946 United States Philippines The treaty of Manila is signed, effectively ending over 380 years of foreign domination in the Philippines. United States military bases continued to be stationed in the islands.
United Kingdom Jordan The former Emirate of Transjordan became an independent Hashemite kingdom when the United Kingdom relinquishes its League of Nations mandate.
France Syria The former Mandate of Syria became an independent Republic.
1947 United Kingdom New Zealand New Zealand ratifies the Statute of Westminster 1931.
India, Pakistan The British government leaves India, which is partitioned into the secular, but Hindu-majority state of India and the Muslim state of Pakistan.
1948 United Kingdom Myanmar, Sri Lanka Burma, which had separated from British India earlier and did not gain independence in 1947, and Ceylon, which despite being a part of the Indian subcontinent was only briefly a part of British India, became independent.
Israel, Palestine Jewish inhabitants of Palestine declare independence, forming the state of Israel; the remainder of Palestine became de facto part of the Arab states of Egypt (Gaza strip) and Transjordan (West Bank).
United States South Korea The Republic of Korea is established in the southern part of the Korean peninsula.
Soviet Union North Korea The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is established in the northern part of the peninsula.
1949 United Kingdom Newfoundland (today part of Canada) The Dominion of Newfoundland joins Canada.
1951 United Kingdom Eritrea The Mandate of Eritrea is given by the British to Ethiopia.
France, United Kingdom Libya The British-controlled Tripolitania and the French-controlled Fezzan unifies with the Emirate of Cyrenaica to form the Kingdom of Libya.
1952 France Chandernagore (today part of West Bengal state of India) The French enclave of Chandernagore (present-day Chandannagar) is formally ceded to India.
1953 France Cambodia, Laos The two non-Vietnamese protectorates of French Indochina, Cambodia and Laos, became independent.
1954 France Vietnam Before France is able to regain control over French Indochina, Vietnam declares independence in 1945. On May 20, 1949, the French National Assembly approved the reunification of Cochinchina with the rest of Vietnam. The decision took effect on June 14 and the State of Vietnam was officially proclaimed on July 2. From 1949 to 1954, after reunification with Cochinchina, the State of Vietnam had partial autonomy from France as an associated state within the French Union.

France will recognize Vietnam in 1954 following a severe defeat, although between that year and 1975 Vietnam was divided into a communist north and a largely anti-communist south under American influence, before reuniting under North Vietnam rule.

France Pondicherry (today part of India) The Puducherry enclave is incorporated into India.
1956 United Kingdom Suez Canal (today part of Egypt) In the aftermath of July 23 revolution, the United Kingdom withdraws from the last part of Egypt it controls: the Suez Canal zone.
United Kingdom, Egypt (de jure, de facto just United Kingdom) Sudan (today Sudan and South Sudan) Egypt ends it claims of sovereignty over Sudan, forcing the United Kingdom to do the same. The southern non-Arab half will later became an independent state in 2011.
France Tunisia Tunisia achieves independence as a kingdom, becoming a republic the following year.
France, Spain Morocco After large-scale protests forces France to return the sultan of Morocco, the French-controlled territories, most of the Spanish-controlled territories (except Cape Juby and Ifni) and the Tangier International Zone are united into an independent kingdom.
1957 United Kingdom Ghana The Gold Coast became independent, initiating the decolonization of sub-Saharan Africa.
Malaysia The Federation of Malaya became independent.
1958 France Guinea After being the only colony to vote against the 1958 French constitution, Guinea is granted independence.
1960 United Kingdom Cyprus (today de facto Cyprus and Northern Cyprus) Most of Cyprus became independent, though the UK retains sovereign control over Akrotiri and Dhekelia. In 1983, the northern Turkish half of Cyprus declared its independence (this state is only recognized by Turkey).
Nigeria Nigeria became independent.
Italy, United Kingdom Somalia (today de facto Somalia and Somaliland) British Somaliland became independent. As the State of Somaliland, the former British Somaliland protectorate merges as scheduled five days later with the Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic. (In the aftermath of the Somali Civil War, the former British Somaliland split from Somalia and has been an internationally unrecognized independent state called Somaliland since 1991.)
France Ivory Coast, Benin, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali Federation (today Mali and Senegal) All remaining colony members of French West Africa became independent, including Côte d'Ivoire, Dahomey, Mauritania, Niger, Upper Volta, French Sudan, and Senegal (the last two originally as a single-entity called the Mali Federation; within the same year the two split off into Mali and Senegal).
Chad, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Gabon All colony members of French Equatorial Africa became independent, including Chad, Ubangi-Shari, the French Congo, and Gabon.
Cameroon, Togo The United Nations trust territories of Cameroun and French Togoland became independent.
Madagascar Madagascar became independent.
Belgium Democratic Republic of the Congo The Belgian Congo (also known as Congo-Kinshasa, later renamed Zaire and presently the Democratic Republic of the Congo) became independent.
1961 United Kingdom Tanzania The United Nations trust territory of Tanganyika became independent.
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone became independent.
Kuwait The United Kingdom ends its protectorate over the Sheikhdom of Kuwait.
British Cameroons (today part of Nigeria and part of Cameroon) After a referendum, United Nations trust territory of Cameroons is dissolved, with the northern Muslim half deciding to merge with Nigeria and the southern Christian half deciding to merge with Cameroon.
South Africa The Union of South Africa declares itself a republic.
Portugal Goa, Daman and Diu (today part of India) The former coastal enclave colonies of Goa, Daman and Diu are taken over by India.
1962 United Kingdom Uganda Uganda achieves independence.
Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago With the collapse of the West Indies Federation, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago became independent as separate entities.
France Algeria Following the end of the Algerian War and the signing of the Évian Accords, both French and Algerian voters approve the independence of Algeria.
Belgium Rwanda, Burundi Following a period of ethnic violence in Rwanda that led to abolition of its monarchy, Belgium ends its trusteeship over it and Burundi.
New Zealand Samoa The South Sea UN trusteeship over Western Samoa (formerly German Samoa and nowadays called just Samoa) is relinquished.
1963 United Kingdom Kenya, Zanzibar (today part of Tanzania) The United Kingdom and the Sultanate of Zanzibar ceded its sovereignty over Kenya. Zanzibar, itself a British Protectorate, would also have its protectorate terminated in the same year. After the Zanzibar Revolution that occurred a year later, Zanzibar merged with Tanganyika, which promptly renamed itself the United Republic of Tanzania.
Sarawak (today part of Malaysia), North Borneo (today part of Malaysia), Singapore Sarawak, North Borneo and Singapore merges with the independent Federation of Malaya, which promptly renamed itself Malaysia. Within two years, however, Singapore would be expelled from Malaysia.
United Nations Western New Guinea (today part of Indonesia) Less than a year after Netherlands transferred Netherlands New Guinea to the United Nations, the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority transfers West Papua to Indonesia.
1964 United Kingdom Zambia, Malawi Following the dissolution of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland declare independence.
Malta The Mediterranean island of Malta became independent.
1965 United Kingdom Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia declares independence as Rhodesia, but is not recognized due to its unwillingness to accommodate to black-majority rule.
The Gambia The Gambia receives independence.
Maldives The British protectorate over the Maldives archipelago in the Indian Ocean ends.
1966 United Kingdom Barbados, Guyana In the British West Indies, Barbados (which was a former member of the West Indies Federation) and British Guiana became independent.
Botswana, Lesotho Near South Africa, Bechuanaland and Basutoland became independent.
1967 United Kingdom South Yemen (today part of Yemen) On the Arabian peninsula, the Protectorate of South Arabia and the Federation of South Arabia became independent as a single entity called the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (or South Yemen). In 1990, South Yemen merged with the Yemen Arab Republic (or North Yemen), which promptly renamed itself as the Republic of Yemen.
1968 United Kingdom Mauritius Mauritius achieves independence.
Swaziland The Kingdom of Swaziland has its protectorate terminated.
Spain Equatorial Guinea Spanish Guinea achieves independence.
Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom (de jure, de facto just Australia) Nauru Australia relinquishes UN trusteeship (nominally shared by the United Kingdom and New Zealand) of Nauru in the South Sea.
1970 United Kingdom Oman The United Kingdom ends its protectorate over Muscat and Oman.
1971 United Kingdom Fiji, Tonga In Oceania, Fiji became independent, while the protectorate over the Kingdom of Tonga ends.
United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar All seven members of the Trucial States became independent upon the termination of their protectorates, with six (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain) forming the United Arab Emirates; the seventh, Ras al-Khaimah, would join the UAE a year after. Two other Arab monarchies in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain and Qatar (which despite discussions of joining the UAE were not considered part of the Trucial States) also became independent as their British protectorates are lifted.
Pakistan Bangladesh Rise of the Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan led to the Liberation War and eventually resulted in the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent sovereign in 1971
1973 United Kingdom The Bahamas The Bahamas are granted independence.
Portugal Guinea-Bissau After more than a decade of fighting, guerrillas unilaterally declare independence in the Southeastern regions of Portuguese Guinea. It would not be recognized by Portugal until a year later, in the aftermath of Carnation Revolution.
1974 United Kingdom Grenada Grenada, a former member of the West Indies Federation became independent.
1975 France Comoros The Comoros archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa is granted independence.
Portugal Angola, Mozambique After the Carnation Revolution, the two other colonies who have been fighting against colonial rule, Angola and Mozambique achieve independence.
Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe After the Carnation Revolution, the Western African island groups of Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe achieve independence.
East Timor After the Carnation Revolution, East Timor declares independence, but is subsequently invaded and occupied by Indonesia nine days later.
Netherlands Suriname Surinam (also known as Dutch Guiana) achieves independence.
Australia Papua New Guinea Released from Australian trusteeship, Papua New Guinea gains independence.
India Kingdom of Sikkim In 1975, After disarming the palace, a referendum on the monarchy was held, in which the Sikkimese people overwhelmingly voted to abolish the monarchy, and the new parliament of Sikkim, led by Kazi Lhendup Dorjee, proposed a bill for Sikkim to become an Indian state, which was promptly accepted by the Government of India.
1976 United Kingdom Seychelles The Seychelles archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the African coast became independent (one year after granting of self-rule).
Spain Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic The Spanish colonial rule is de facto terminated over the Western Sahara (then Rio de Oro), when the territory was passed on to and partitioned between Mauritania and Morocco (which annexes the entire territory in 1979), rendering the declared independence of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ineffective to the present day.
1977 France Djibouti French Somaliland, also known as the "French Territory of the Afars and the Issas" (after its dominant ethnic groups), gains independence.
1978 United Kingdom Dominica Dominica, a former member of the West Indies Federation, became independent.
Solomon Islands, Tuvalu The Solomon Islands and the Ellice Islands (which previously split off from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands) became independent.
1979 United States Panama Canal (today part of Panama) The United States promises to return the Panama Canal Zone (held under a regime sui generis since 1903) to the republic of Panama after 1999.
United Kingdom Kiribati The Gilbert Islands became independent.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Lucia, both former members of the West Indies Federation, became independent.
1980 United Kingdom Zimbabwe In the aftermath of the Rhodesian Bush War, Rhodesia, which temporary regained its colonial status, became formally independent under black-majority rule.
United Kingdom, France Vanuatu The joint Anglo-French colony of the New Hebrides became the independent island Republic of Vanuatu.
1981 United Kingdom Belize, Antigua and Barbuda In the British West Indies, British Honduras and Antigua and Barbuda (which was a former member of the West Indies Federation) became independent.
1982 United Kingdom Canada Canada gains full independence from the British parliament with the Canada Act 1982.
1983 United Kingdom Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis (an associated state since 1963) became independent.
1984 United Kingdom Brunei The United Kingdom ends its protectorate over the Brunei sultanate.
1986 United Kingdom Australia, New Zealand Australia and New Zealand became fully independent with the Australia Act 1986 and the Constitution Act 1986.
1990 South Africa Namibia South West Africa, the only League of Nation mandate that did not become a United Nation trust territory via independence, became independent from South Africa. South Africa would continue to hold on to Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands until 1994.
Soviet Union Lithuania Declared the end of Soviet occupation and restoration of its 1918 independence on March 11.
United States Marshall Islands, Micronesia The UN Security Council gives final approval to end the U.S. Trust Territory of the Pacific (dissolved already in 1986), finalizing the independence of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, having been a colonial possession of the empire of Japan before UN trusteeship.
1991 Soviet Union Estonia Adopted a resolution on March 30 that its independent status had never been suspended and only subject to an illegal occupation since 1940, and another on August 20 restoring an Estonian republic.
Georgia Declared independence on April 9 after a referendum.
Latvia Restored pre-Soviet-occupation independence on May 4, and full independence on August 21.
Belarus, Ukraine Following a coup attempt by Russian hardliners against the Soviet government, Ukraine declared independence on August 24, and its people ratified this in a referendum on December 1, gaining international recognition, including by the Russian Republic, the following day. Belarus declared independence August 25. With Russia, both agreed to dissolve the Soviet Union when they signed the Belavezha Accords on December 8.
Moldova, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Russian Federation, Kazakhstan With Belarus and Ukraine, the remaining Soviet republics signed the Almaty Protocol on December 21, agreeing to dissolve the Soviet Union and create a Commonwealth of Independent States. On December 25, Soviet president Gorbachev resigned and the Soviet Union was effectively dissolved.

Post–Cold War era
Year Previous entity Newly independent entity Event
1993 Ethiopia Eritrea Eritrea, a former Italian colony declares independence and is subsequently recognized.
1994 United States Palau Palau (after a transitional period as a Republic since 1981, and before part of the U.S. Trust territory of the Pacific) becomes independent from its former trustee, having been a mandate of the Japanese Empire before UN trusteeship.
1997 United Kingdom Hong Kong The British overseas territory of Hong Kong is transferred to China.
1999 Portugal Macau Macau is transferred to China. It is the last in a series of coastal enclaves that militarily stronger powers had obtained through treaties from the Ming and Qing dynasties of China. Macau, like Hong Kong, is not organised into the existing provincial structure applied to other provinces of the People's Republic of China, but is guaranteed an autonomous system of government within the People's Republic of China as a "Special Administrative Region" or S.A.R.
2002 Indonesia East Timor East Timor formally achieves independence after a transitional UN administration, three years after Indonesia ended its quarter-century occupation of the former Portuguese colony.
2011 Sudan South Sudan Following a referendum, South Sudan gained independence from the Republic of the Sudan in 2011.

See also

References
  1. Michael Khodarkovsky, Russia's Steppe Frontier: The Making of a Colonial Empire, 1500–1800 (Indiana University Press, 2002), 80.
  2. Israel, J. I. (1995). The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, and Fall, 1477–1806. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-873072-1.
  3. Elliot, J.H. (2002). Imperial Spain: 1469-1716. New York: Penguin Books. pp. 337–338. ISBN 0-14-100703-6.
  4. Spain proffered a treaty of recognition in 1857, but it was rejected by the Argentine legislature.
  5. Galloy, Denise; Hayt, Franz (2006). La Belgique: des Tribus Gauloises à l'Etat Fédéral (in French) (5th ed.). Brussels: De Boeck. ISBN 2-8041-5098-4.
  6. Shelly L Peffer (2008). Tenuous legitimacy: The administrative state, the antigovernment movement, and the stability of the United States constitutional democracy (PhD). Cleveland State University. Docket 3316905.
  7. Onley, The Raj Reconsidered (2009), p. 50.
  8. The Japanese rule over French Indochina is usually seen on par with other occupations at that time.
  9. The Italian rule over Ethiopia is usually seen on par with other occupations at that time.
  10. Occupied by Germany.
  11. The Japanese rule over the Dutch East Indies is usually seen on par with other occupations at that time.
  12. Occupied by Germany.
  13. The Japanese rule over large parts of China is usually seen on par with other occupations at that time.
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