National Day
The National Day is a designated date on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a nation or non-sovereign country. This nationhood can be symbolized by the date of independence, of becoming a republic or a significant date for a patron saint or a ruler (birthday, accession, removal, etc.). Often the day is not called "National Day" but serves and can be considered as one. The National Day will often be a national holiday.
Many countries have more than one National Day. For example, Pakistan has three National Days, none of which is named the "National Day". This signals the use of a "class" of National Days, that are equally important in the foundation of the nation, and a "class" of less important official public holidays.
Most countries have a fixed date National Day, but some have movable dates. An example is Jamaica, which up to 1997 celebrated its National Day on the first Monday in August. This commemorated independence from the United Kingdom which was attained on Monday, 6 August 1962, the first Monday in August of that year. Israel's Independence Day is not fixed relative to the civil Gregorian calendar, being formally linked to 5 Iyar on the Jewish calendar, but may also be moved to any day between 3 and 6 Iyar in order to avoid preparing for or celebrating either Independence Day or Memorial Day (which immediately precedes Independence Day) on Shabbat; the practical effect of this is that Independence Day may be celebrated any day between 15 April and 15 May. Another example is Thailand which celebrates the birthday of the king on 5 December. This date will change on the accession of the heir to the throne.
Most national days can be categorized in two large blocks:
- Newer countries that celebrate their national day as the day of their independence.
- Older countries that use some other event of special significance as their national day.
Denmark and the United Kingdom are among the few countries that do not have designated national days.
Celebrations
Importance attached to the National Day as well as the degree to which it is celebrated vary greatly from country to country. For example, Spain's National Day Fiesta Nacional de España is held on 12 October, the day celebrated in other countries as Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, and commemorates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas.[1] A military parade is held in Madrid celebrating the occasion.[1] The National Day in France is 14 July and known as the Fête nationale (known outside France as Bastille Day) commemorating the Storming of the Bastille,[2] which is considered the start of the French Revolution.[3] It is widely celebrated and the French Tricolour is much in evidence, while the President of the Republic attends a military parade on the Champs-Élysées of Paris. In the United States, the Independence Day celebrations on 4 July are widely celebrated with parades, fireworks, picnics and barbecues. In Ireland, Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March, is the equivalent of a national day and has been a public holiday for many years. However, in the United Kingdom the constituent countries' patron saints' days are low-key affairs. In recent times campaigns have commenced to promote the National Days of England, Scotland and Wales, with St. Andrew's Day being designated as an official bank holiday when the Scottish Parliament passed the St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007. A National Day for the United Kingdom has also been proposed in recent years.
As with the Bastille Day military parade in France, many other countries have a National Day Parade. Examples include the Singapore National Day Parade, and the parade for the National Day of the People's Republic of China.
List of National Days
Regions that are not sovereign states or part of a federal system (shared sovereignty) are shown in pink.
Nation | Date | National Day |
---|---|---|
Afghanistan | 19 August | Independence from United Kingdom control over Afghan foreign affairs in 1919 |
Albania | 28 November | "Dita e Pavarësisë", declaration of independence from Ottoman rule in 1912 |
Alderney (British Islands) | 9 May | Liberation Day, the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II 1945 |
Algeria | 1 November | Start of the War of Independence in 1954 |
American Samoa (United States) | 17 April | US Flag Day |
Andalucia (Spain) | 28 February | Día de Andalucía[4] |
Andorra | 8 September | Our Lady of Meritxell Day, patron saint of Andorra |
Angola | 11 November | Independence from Portugal in 1975 |
Anguilla (United Kingdom) | 30 May | Anguilla Day; the beginning of the Anguillian Revolution in 1967 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 1 November | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1981 |
Aragon (Spain) | 23 April | St George's Day, patron saint |
Argentina | 25 May | First Patriotic Government, the Spanish viceroy is removed and replaced by the Primera Junta during the May Revolution |
Argentina | 9 July | Declaration of Independence, from Spain in 1816 |
Armenia | 28 May | Republic Day, independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic 1918 |
Armenia | 21 September | Independence from the Soviet Union recognised in 1991 |
Aruba (Kingdom of the Netherlands) | 18 March | Flag Day; adoption of the flag in 1976 |
Ascension (United Kingdom) | 2nd Saturday in June | |
Australia | 26 January | Australia Day, date of the founding of Sydney, the first European settlement in Australia, 1788 |
Austria | 26 October | The Neutrality Constitution of 1955 |
Azerbaijan | 28 May | Republic Day, independence from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic 1918 |
Bahamas | 10 July | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1973 |
Bahrain | 16 December | Accession Day of Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the first Emir of Bahrain |
Bangladesh | 26 March | Independence Day, declaration of independence from Pakistan in 1971 |
Bangladesh | 16 December | Victory Day, the day the Bangladesh Liberation War ended in 1971 |
Barbados | 30 November | Independence Day, from the United Kingdom in 1966 |
Basque Country (Spain) | 25 October | Day of the Basque Country |
Belarus | 3 July | Independence Day, liberation of Minsk from German occupation by Soviet troops in 1944 |
Belgium | 21 July | Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld takes the oath as the first King of the Belgians in 1831 |
Belize | 10 September | Independence from Spain in 1798, alternatively celebrated as Battle of St. George's Caye Day[5] |
Belize | 21 September | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1981 |
Benin | 1 August | Independence from France in 1960 |
Bermuda (United Kingdom) | 24 May | Originally Queen Victoria's birthday; now "Bermuda Day" to celebrate the islands' heritage and culture |
Bhutan | 17 December | Ugyen Wangchuck elected hereditary king in 1907 |
Bolivia | 6 August | Proclamation of Republic (independent from Spain) in 1825 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 March | Dan nezavisnosti; Proclamation of independence from Yugoslavia in 1992 |
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina) | 25 November | Statehood Day, formation of the State Anti-fascist Council for the National Liberation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1943 |
Botswana | 30 September | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 |
Brazil | 7 September | Dia da Independência, declaration of independence from Portugal in 1822 |
British Virgin Islands (United Kingdom) | 1 July | |
Brunei | 23 February | National Day, celebrating independence from the United Kingdom on 1984, which actually occurred on 1 January |
Bulgaria | 3 March | Liberation Day, autonomy within Ottoman Empire 1878 |
Burkina Faso | 4 August | Change of name from Upper Volta in 1984 |
Burkina Faso | 5 August | Independence Day, from France in 1960 |
Burundi | 1 July | Independence from Belgium in 1962 |
Cambodia | 9 November | Independence from France in 1953 |
Cameroon | 20 May | National Day, creation of a unitary state in 1972 |
Canada | 1 July | Canada Day, creation of a federal Canada from three British Dominions in 1867 |
Cape Verde | 12 September | |
Catalonia (Spain) | 11 September | Commemorates the fall of Barcelona to Bourbon troops during the War of Spanish Succession on September 11, 1714. |
Cayman Islands (United Kingdom) | 1st Monday in July | |
Central African Republic | 1 December | Made an autonomous territory within the French Community in 1958 |
Chad | 11 August | Independence from France in 1960 |
Chile | 18 September | The first Government Junta is created in 1810 |
People's Republic of China | 1 October | National Day of the People's Republic of China (Proclamation of the People's Republic of China in 1949) |
Republic of China | 10 October | Double Ten Day commemorating the 1911 Wuchang Uprising that led to abolishment of the monarchy and founding of the Republic in China in 1911 |
Colombia | 20 July | Declaration of independence from Spain in 1810 |
Comoros | 6 July | Independence from France in 1975 |
Congo | 30 June | Independence from Belgium in 1960 |
Congo-Brazzaville | 15 August | Independence from France in 1960 |
Cook Islands | 4 August | Self-government in free association with New Zealand in 1965 |
Costa Rica | 15 September | Independence from the Kingdom of Spain in 1821 |
Croatia | 25 June | Statehood Day, declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 |
Cuba | 1 January | Liberation Day, Fidel Castro takes power in 1959 |
Curaçao (Kingdom of the Netherlands) | 2 July | The first elected island council is instituted in 1954 |
Cyprus | 1 October | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1960 |
Czech Republic | 28 October | Independence from Austria-Hungary (as Czechoslovakia) in 1918 |
Czech Republic | 28 September | Czech Statehood day (Saint Wenceslas day) |
Côte d'Ivoire | 7 August | Independence from France in 1960 |
Denmark | 5 June | (No official National Day; adoption of the Constitution of 1849) |
Djibouti | 27 June | Independence from France in 1977 |
Dominican Republic | 27 February | Independence from Haiti in 1844 |
Dominican Republic | 16 August | Restoration Day, independence from Spain in 1865 |
Dominica | 3 November | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1978 and discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1493 |
East Timor | 20 May | Independence from Indonesia in 2002 |
Ecuador | 10 August | Proclamation of independence from Spain in 1809 |
Egypt | 23 July | Revolution Day, the revolution of 1952 |
Egypt | 6 October | Armed Forces Day, the beginning of the October War in 1973 |
El Salvador | 15 September | Independence from the Kingdom of Spain in 1821 |
England (United Kingdom) | 23 April | St George's Day, patron saint of England. Not a bank holiday |
Equatorial Guinea | 12 October | Independence from Spain in 1968 |
Eritrea | 24 May | Eritrean rebels enter the capital, Asmara, in 1991; independence from Ethiopia in 1993 |
Estonia | 24 February | Independence Day, declaration of independence from Russia in 1918 |
Ethiopia | 28 May | Downfall of the Derg Day, the Derg regime is defeated in 1991 |
Falkland Islands (United Kingdom) | 14 June | Liberation Day, the end of the Falklands War in 1982 |
Faroe Islands (Denmark) | 29 July | Ólavsøka (Saint Olaf's death at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030): opening of the Løgting (parliament) session |
Fiji | 10 October | Fiji Day, independence from the United Kingdom in 1970 |
Finland | 6 December | Independence Day, declaration of independence from Russia in 1917 |
Florida (United States) | 2 April | Pascua Florida is day or week (as declared by the Governor) celebrating the founding of Florida by Juan Ponce de León on April 2, 1513. |
France | 14 July | Bastille Day, 14 July 1789.[6] |
French Guiana (France) | 20 December | Abolition of slavery day |
Gabon | 17 August | Independence from France in 1960 |
Gambia | 18 February | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1965 |
Georgia | 26 May | Day of First Republic, declaration of independence from Russia in 1918 |
Germany | 3 October | German Unity Day, unification of West Germany and East Germany in 1990 |
Ghana | 6 March | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1957 |
Gibraltar (United Kingdom) | 10 September | Gibraltar National Day, people of Gibraltar vote to reject Spanish sovereignty or association in 1967 |
Greece | 25 March | Declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821 |
Greece | 28 October | Ohi Day, rejection of the Italian ultimatum of 1940 |
Greenland (Denmark) | 21 June | (Longest Day of the Year) The National Day was introduced in 1983 as one of the Home Rule's traditions and is thus one of several expressions of national identity |
Grenada | 7 February | Independence from United Kingdom in 1974 |
Guadeloupe (France) | 27 May | abolition of slavery day |
Guam (United States) | 21 July | Liberation Day, American landing on Guam 1944, the beginning of the Battle of Guam |
Guatemala | 15 September | Independence from the Kingdom of Spain in 1821 |
Guernsey (British Islands) | 9 May | Liberation Day, the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands in1945 |
Guinea-Bissau | 24 September | Declaration of independence from Portugal in 1973 |
Guinea | 3 April | Independence from France in 1958 |
Guyana | 23 February | Mashramani, declaration of the Republic in 1970 |
Haiti | 1 January | Declaration of independence from France in 1804 |
Herm (British Islands) | 9 May | Liberation Day, the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands in 1945 |
Honduras | 15 September | Independence from the Kingdom of Spain in 1821 |
Hong Kong (China) | 1 July | Transfer of sovereignty to the PRC in 1997 |
Hungary | 15 March | 1848 Revolution memorial day |
Hungary | 20 August | St. Stephen's day |
Hungary | 23 October | 1956 Revolution memorial day |
Iceland | 17 June | National Day, founding of the Republic and dissolution of the personal union with Denmark in 1944 |
India | 26 January | Republic Day, adoption of the Constitution of India[7] in 1950 |
India | 15 August | Independence from the British Empire in 1947 |
Indonesia | 17 August | Proclamation of Independence day (Hari Proklamasi Kemerdekaan R.I.) from Japan and the Netherlands in 1945 |
Iran | 11 February | Victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 |
Iraq | 3 October | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1932 |
Ireland | 17 March | Day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland |
Isle of Man (British Islands) | 5 July (usual date) | Tynwald Day, annual meeting of the Tynwald (parliament) |
Israel | 14 May | (date varies according to Jewish calendar at 5 Iyar) Yom Ha'atzmaut, proclamation of independence from the British Mandate of Palestine in 1948 |
Italy | 25 April | Partisans liberate Genoa, Milan, and Turin from German troops in 1945 |
Italy | 2 June | Festa della Repubblica, Italy is made a republic in 1946; death of Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1882 |
Kosovo | 17 February | Independence Day, 2008 |
Jamaica | 1st Monday in August | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1962 |
Japan | 11 February | National Foundation Day, Jimmu, the first emperor, is crowned in 660 BC |
Jersey (British Islands) | 9 May | Liberation Day, the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands in 1945 |
Jordan | 25 May | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1946 |
Kazakhstan | 30 August | Constitution Day, approval of the constitution in 1995 |
Kazakhstan | 16–17 December | Independence Day |
Kenya | 12 December | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1963; (Jamhuri Day), made a republic in 1964 |
Kiribati | 12 July | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1979 |
Kurdistan | 21 March | Nowruz, Persian New Year, celebrated on the spring equinox |
Kuwait | 25 February | National Day |
Kuwait | 26 February | Liberation Day (from Iraq in 1991) |
Kyrgyzstan | 31 August | Independence Day, declaration of independence from the USSR in 1991 |
Laos | 2 December | National Day, declaration of the People's Republic in 1975 |
Latvia | 18 November | Declaration of independence from Russia in 1918 |
Lebanon | 25 May | Resistance and Liberation Day from Israel in 2000 |
Lebanon | 22 November | Independence from France in 1943 |
Lesotho | 4 October | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 |
Liberia | 26 July | Proclamation of the Republic: independence from the United States in 1847 |
Libya | 17 February | Start of the 2011 Revolution |
Liechtenstein | 15 August | The Hereditary Prince becomes Regent in 2004 |
Lithuania | 16 February | Lithuanian State Reestablishment Day, declaration of independence from Russia and Germany in 1918 |
Lithuania | 6 July | Statehood Day, establishment of the medieval Lithuanian kingdom by Mindaugas in 1253. |
Luxembourg | 23 June | The Monarch's birthday |
Macau (China) | 20 December | Transfer of sovereignty to the PRC in 1999 |
Republic of Macedonia | 8 September | Independence Day (Den na nezavisnosta), declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 |
Madagascar | 26 June | Independence from France in 1960 |
Madeira (Portugal) | 1 July | Madeira Day, day of autonomy from Portugal |
Malawi | 6 July | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1964; declaration of the Republic in 1966 |
Malaysia | 31 August | Hari Merdeka, independence from the United Kingdom (as Malaya) in 1957 |
Malaysia | 16 September | Malaysia Day, the formation of Malaysia in 1963 |
Maldives | 26 July | |
Mali | 22 September | Independence from the Mali Federation in 1960 |
Malta | 31 March | Freedom Day, withdrawal of British troops from Malta in 1979 |
Malta | 7 June | Sette Giugno, bread riot of 1919 in which 4 Maltese men died |
Malta | 8 September | Victory Day, celebrating the victory of the Knights of St. John over the Ottoman Empire in the Great Siege of Malta in 1565, the end of the French occupation in 1800, and the surrender of Italy to the Allies in 1943 |
Malta | 21 September | Independence Day, independence from the United Kingdom in 1964 |
Malta | 13 December | Republic Day, adoption of the republican constitution of 1974 |
Marshall Islands | 1 May | Constitution Day, adoption of the Compact of Free Association in 1979 |
Martinique (France) | 22 May | Abolition of slavery day |
Mauritania | 28 November | Independence from France in 1960 |
Mauritius | 12 March | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1968; formation of the Republic in 1992 |
Mayotte (France) | 27 April | Abolition of slavery day |
Mexico | 16 September | Grito de Dolores, beginning of the War of Independence from Spain in 1810 |
Micronesia | 3 November | Independence from the US-administered UN Trusteeship in 1979 |
Minorca (Spain) | 17 January | Conquest of the island by Alfonso III of Aragon from the Caliphate of Córdoba in 1287 |
Moldova | 27 August | Independence Day, declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 |
Monaco | 19 November | the accession of Prince Albert II to the throne in 2005 |
Mongolia | 11 July | Naadam Holiday; establishment of independence from China and Russia in 1921 |
Mongolia | 26 November | National Foundation Day |
Montenegro | 21 May | Independence from Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 |
Montenegro | 13 July | recognised as independent at the Congress of Berlin in 1878 |
Montserrat (United Kingdom) | 2nd Saturday in June | |
Morocco | 18 November | Independence from France in 1956 |
Mozambique | 25 June | Independence from Portugal in 1975 |
Myanmar | 4 January | The day that students started the first protest against British colonials in 1920 |
Namibia | 21 March | Independence from South Africa in 1990 |
Nauru | 31 January | Independence from the Australia, NZ, and UK-administered UN trusteeship 1968 |
Nepal | 28 May | Nepal declared a republic in 2008 |
Kingdom of the Netherlands | 15 December | Kingdom day, signing of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands 1954 |
Kingdom of the Netherlands | 27 April | King's Day, King Willem-Alexander's birthday |
Netherlands (Kingdom of the Netherlands) | 5 May | Liberation Day, end of German occupation in 1945 |
New Zealand | 6 February | Waitangi Day, signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 |
Nicaragua | 15 September | Independence from the Kingdom of Spain in 1821 |
Nigeria | 29 May | Democracy Day, return to democratic rule in 1999 |
Nigeria | 1 October | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1960; formation of the Republic in 1963 |
Niger | 18 December | Republic Day, made an autonomous state within the French Community in 1958 |
Niue | 19 October | Self-government in free association with New Zealand in 1965 |
Norfolk Island (Australia) | 8 June | Beginning of permanent settlement of the island by migrants from the Pitcairn Islands in 1856 |
North Korea | 9 September | Declaration of the Democratic People's Republic in 1948 |
Northern Ireland (United Kingdom) | 17 March | St. Patrick's Day; a public holiday sometimes associated with Irish nationalism |
Northern Ireland (United Kingdom) | 12 July | "The Twelfth" commemorates the Battle of the Boyne in 1690; a public holiday associated with Ulster unionism |
Northern Mariana Islands (United States) | 8 January | Commonwealth Day, the constitutional government takes office in 1978 |
Norway | 17 May | Constitution Day, the signing of the first Norwegian Constitution in Eidsvoll 1814 |
Oman | 18 November | Birthday of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said |
Pakistan | 23 March | Pakistan day, the Pakistan Resolution passed in Lahore in 1940 |
Pakistan | 14 August | Independence Day, independence from the British Indian Empire in 1947 |
Palau | 9 July | Constitution Day, adoption of the Constitution in 1981 |
Palestine | 15 November | Declaration of Independence in 1988 |
Panama | 3 November | Separation Day, independence from Colombia in 1903 |
Papua New Guinea | 16 September | Independence from Australia in 1975 |
Paraguay | 14 May | Independence Day (Día de Independencia), declaration of independence from Spain in 1811 |
Peru | 28 July | Declaration of independence from Spain in 1821 |
Philippines | 12 June | Araw ng Kalayaan, declaration of independence from Spain in 1898 |
Pitcairn Islands (United Kingdom) | 2nd Saturday in June | |
Poland | 3 May | Swieto Konstytucji, (Constitution Day), adoption of the Constitution of 1791 |
Poland | 11 November | Swieto Niepodleglosci (Independence Day), restoration of independence from Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Russia in 1918 |
Portugal | 10 June | Portugal Day, officially the Day of Portugal, Camões, and the Portuguese Communities, death of national poet Luís de Camões in 1580 |
Puerto Rico (United States) | 25 July | Constitution Day, establishment of Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1952; formerly Invasion Day, day of the American invasion in 1898 |
Qatar | 18 December | Qatar National Day, the assumption of power by Emir Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani in 1878 |
Québec (Canada) | 24 June | Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, feast day of John the Baptist, the patron saint of French Canadians |
Romania | 24 January | Unification of the Romanian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, the foundation of modern Romania in 1859 |
Romania | 1 December | Great Union Day, unification with Transylvania in 1918 |
Russia | 12 June | Russia Day, Declaration of State Sovereignty in 1990 |
Rwanda | 1 July | Independence from Belgium in 1962 |
Réunion (France) | 20 December | Abolition of slavery day |
Saba (Kingdom of the Netherlands) | 3 December | |
Saint Helena (United Kingdom) | 2nd Saturday in June | |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 19 September | Independence from the United Kingdom in 1983 |
Saint Lucia | 13 December | Feast day of Saint Lucy, after whom the island was named |
Saint Lucia | 22 February | Independence Day, independence from the United Kingdom in 1979 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 27 October | Independence Day, independence from the United Kingdom in 1979 |
Samoa | 1 June | Independence Day, independence from New Zealand in 1962 |
San Marino | 3 September | Independence from the Roman Empire in year 301 (traditional date) |
Sark (British Islands) | 9 May | Liberation Day, the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands in 1945 |
Saudi Arabia | 23 September | Unification of Nejd and Hejaz in 1932 |
Scotland (United Kingdom) | 30 November | Day of St. Andrew, patron saint of Scotland |
Senegal | 4 April | Independence from France in 1960 |
Serbia | 15 February | The beginning of the Serbian revolution against Ottoman rule in 1804; adoption of the first constitution in 1835 |
Seychelles | 18 June | National Day, adoption of a multi-party democratic constitution in 1993 |
Sierra Leone | 27 April | Republic Day, independence from the United Kingdom in 1961 |
Singapore | 9 August | National Day, independence from Malaysia in 1965 |
Sint Maarten (Kingdom of the Netherlands) | 11 November | |
Slovakia | 1 January | Independence Day, independence from Czechoslovakia in 1993 |
Slovakia | 29 August | Slovak National Uprising Day, start of a Slovak uprising against Nazi Germany in 1944 |
Slovakia | 1 September | Constitution Day, adoption of the Constitution in 1992 |
Slovenia | 25 June | Statehood Day, declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 |
Slovenia | 25 October | Sovereignty Day, withdrawal of the last soldier of the Yugoslav Peoples' Army from the Slovenian territory in 1991 |
Slovenia | 26 December | Indepence and Unity Day, declaration of the results of the Slovenian independence referendum in 1990 |
Solomon Islands | 7 July | Independence Day, independence from the United Kingdom in 1978 |
Somalia | 1 July | Independence from Italy and unification with Somaliland in 1960 |
South Africa | 27 April | First democratic general election in 1994 (see Freedom Day (South Africa)) |
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (United Kingdom) | 2nd Saturday in June | |
South Korea | 1 March | Declaration of independence from the Empire of Japan |
South Korea | 15 August | Liberation from Japanese rule in 1945 (Gwangbokjeol); declaration of the Republic in 1948 |
South Korea | 3 October | Gaecheonjeol, ancient Korea founded in 2333 BC |
South Sudan | 9 July | Independence Day, independence from Sudan in 2011 |
Spain | 12 October | Fiesta Nacional de España, Columbus discovery of America in 1492 |
Sri Lanka | 4 February | Independence Day, independence from the United Kingdom in 1948 under the name of Ceylon |
Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) | 9 January | Proclamation of the Republic, independent of Bosnia and Herzegovina and part of Yugoslavia, in 1992 |
Sudan | 1 January | Independence from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Egypt in 1956 |
Suriname | 25 November | Independence Day, independence from the Netherlands in 1975 |
Swaziland | 6 September | Independence Day, independence from the United Kingdom in 1968 |
Sweden | 6 June | National Day: election of Gustav Vasa as King of Sweden in 1523; adoption of the constitutions of 1809 and 1974 |
Switzerland | 1 August | National Day, alliance between Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden against the Holy Roman Empire in 1291 |
Syria | 8 March | Independence from The Ottoman Empire and the declaration of the Arab Kingdom of Syria. |
Syria | 17 April | Evacuation Day, end of French colonial rule in 1946 |
São Tomé and Príncipe | 12 July | Independence from Portugal in 1975 |
Tajikistan | 9 September | Independence Day, declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 |
Tanzania | 9 December | Independence Day, independence from the United Kingdom in 1961 |
Tatarstan (Russia) | 30 August | Declaration of independence from the RSFSR in 1990 |
Texas (United States) | 2 March | Independence Day, declaration of independence from Mexico in 1836. |
Thailand | 5 December | Birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej |
Togo | 27 April | Independence from the French-administered UN trusteeship in 1960 |
Tonga | 4 June | Emancipation Day abolition of serfdom 1862; independence from the United Kingdom 1970 |
Tonga | 4 November | National Day [formerly Constitution Day] 1875 |
Transnistria | 2 September | Independence Day, declaration of independence from Moldova in 1990 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 31 August | Independence Day, independence from the United Kingdom in 1962 |
Tristan da Cunha (United Kingdom) | 2nd Saturday in June | |
Tunisia | 20 March | Declaration of independence from France in 1956 |
Turkey | 29 October | Republic Day (Cumhuriyet Bayrami), adoption of a republican constitution in 1923 |
Turkmenistan | 27 October | Independence Day, declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 |
Turks and Caicos Islands (United Kingdom) | 30 August | Constitution Day, adoption of a constitution in 1976 |
Tuvalu | 1 October | Independence Day, independence from the Gilbert Islands (Kiribati) in 1975 and from the United Kingdom in 1978 |
Ukraine | 24 August | Independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 |
United Arab Emirates | 2 December | National Day, formation of the federation of seven emirates on independence from the United Kingdom in 1971 |
United Kingdom | 2nd Saturday in June | Does not have a recognized national day (see proposed British national day), although the Queen's Official Birthday (which is declared annually, usually falling on the second Saturday in June) is sometimes considered as such, for example, in British diplomatic institutions overseas |
United States Virgin Islands (United States) | 31 March | (Transfer Day, transfer of the islands from Denmark to the United States in 1917 |
United States | 4 July | Independence Day, declaration of independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1776 |
Uruguay | 25 August | Día de la Independencia (Independence Day), declaration of independence from Brazil in 1825 |
Uzbekistan | 1 September | Independence Day, declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 |
Vanuatu | 30 July | Independence Day, independence from the United Kingdom and France in 1980 |
Vatican City | 11 February | Foundation of Vatican City |
Venezuela | 5 July | Independence Day, declaration of independence from Spain in 1811 |
Vietnam | 2 September | National Day, declaration of independence from France and Japan in 1945 |
Wales (United Kingdom) | 1 March | St. David's Day, feast day of patron saint |
Yemen | 22 May | Unity Day, North and South Yemen are unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990 |
Zambia | 24 October | Independence Day, declaration of independence from the United Kingdom in 1964 |
Zimbabwe | 18 April | Declaration of independence from the United Kingdom 1980; it had previously declared independence as Rhodesia in 1965 |
See also
References
- 1 2 Molina A. de Cienfuegos, Ignacio; Martínez Bárcena, Jorge; Fuller, Linda K. (Ed.) (2004). "Spain: National Days throughout the History and the Geography of Spain". National Days/National Ways: Historical, Political, and Religious Celebrations around the World: 253. ISBN 978-0-275-97270-7. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
- ↑ "Bastille Day - Celebrate French Ancestry". Genealogy.about.com. 2012-04-09. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
- ↑ "French Bastille Day in Australia. France's national day". Frenchdesire.com.au. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
- ↑ "Festivals - February Guide".
- ↑ September Celebrations of Belize
- ↑ "Bastille Day – 14th July". Official Website of France.
A national celebration, a re-enactment of the storming of the Bastille [...] Commemorating the storming of the Bastille on 14th July 1789, Bastille Day takes place on the same date each year. The main event is a grand military parade along the Champs-Élysées, attended by the President of the Republic and other political leaders. It is accompanied by fireworks and publics dances in towns throughout the whole of France.
- ↑ "India celebrates Republic Day". news.com.au. 2014-01-26. Retrieved 2014-05-25.
External links
- Flags by Louis, a blog about flags updated daily to show different national days