Compare Independence (2003) - Independence (2008)

Compare Independence (2003) with Independence (2008)

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	Independence (2003)	Independence (2008)
Albania	28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)	28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Andorra	1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)	1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel)
Austria	1156 (from Bavaria)	976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)
Belgium	4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to the throne	4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
Bhutan	8 August 1949 (from India)	1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king)
Bosnia and Herzegovina	1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence was completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3 March 1992)	1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence completed 1 March 1992; independence declared 3 March 1992)
Bulgaria	3 March 1878 (from Ottoman Empire)	3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
Canada	1 July 1867 (from UK)	1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)
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)	221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949 (People's Republic established)
Cote d'Ivoire	7 August (1960) (from France)	7 August 1960 (from France)
Cuba	20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)	20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence
Cyprus	16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975	16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these proclamations are only recognized by Turkey
East Timor	28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia	-
Estonia	regained on 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)	20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
European Union	-	7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)
France	486 (unified by Clovis)	486 (Frankish tribes unified); 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire)
French Guiana	none (overseas department of France)	-
French Polynesia	none (overseas territory of France)	none (overseas lands of France)
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	none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland)
Guadeloupe	none (overseas department of France)	-
Guinea-Bissau	24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)	24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)
Holy See (Vatican City)	11 February 1929 (from Italy) note: on 11 February 1929, three treaties were signed with Italy which, among other things, recognized the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century	11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century
Hungary	1001 (unification by King Stephen I)	25 December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional founding date)
Indonesia	17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)	17 August 1945 (declared) note: recognized by the Netherlands on 27 December 1949; in August 2005, the Netherlands announced it recognized de facto Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945
Iraq	3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)	3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi-controlled Government
Japan	660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)	660 B.C. (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU)
Latvia	21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)	18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia)
Libya	24 December 1951 (from Italy)	24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)
Liechtenstein	23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire	23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)
Lithuania	11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)	11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by Soviet Union)
Macedonia	-	8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of	8 September 1991 referendum by registered voters endorsing independence (from Yugoslavia)	-
Martinique	none (overseas department of France)	-
Mayotte	none (territorial collectivity of France)	none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Mexico	16 September 1810 (from Spain)	16 September 1810 (declared); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain)
Micronesia, Federated States of	3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)	3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
Monaco	1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)	1419 (beginning of rule by the House of Grimaldi)
Montenegro	-	3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)
Nepal	1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)	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	23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)
Norway	7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved; 26 October 1905 Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union	7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)
Pakistan	14 August 1947 (from UK)	14 August 1947 (from British India)
Palau	1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)	1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
Philippines	12 June 1898 (from Spain)	12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US)
Poland	11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)	11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)
Portugal	1143 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)	1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)
Puerto Rico	none (commonwealth associated with the US)	none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)
Reunion	none (overseas department of France)	-
Romania	9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)	9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed)
Saint Barthelemy	-	none (overseas collectivity of France)
Saint Martin	-	none (overseas collectivity of France)
San Marino	3 September 301	3 September AD 301
Saudi Arabia	23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)	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	4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960
Serbia	-	5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)
Serbia and Montenegro	27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY formed as self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)	-
South Africa	31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in 1961 following an October 1960 referendum	31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) 27 April 1994 (majority rule)
Spain	the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the early 8th Century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain	the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain
Suriname	25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)	25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)
Switzerland	1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)	1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Timor-Leste	-	28 November 1975 (independence proclaimed from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of Timor-Leste's independence from Indonesia
Virgin Islands	-	none (territory of the US)
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)	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]); note - previously North Yemen became independent in November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and became a republic with the overthrow of the theocratic Imamate in 1962; South Yemen became independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)