Compare Independence (2008) - Independence (2003)

Compare Independence (2008) with Independence (2003)

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	Independence (2008)	Independence (2003)
Albania	28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)	28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)
Andorra	1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel)	1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)
Austria	976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)	1156 (from Bavaria)
Belgium	4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)	4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to the throne
Bhutan	1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king)	8 August 1949 (from India)
Bosnia and Herzegovina	1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence completed 1 March 1992; independence declared 3 March 1992)	1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence was completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3 March 1992)
Bulgaria	3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)	3 March 1878 (from Ottoman Empire)
Canada	1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK)	1 July 1867 (from UK)
China	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)	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)
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); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence	20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902)
Cyprus	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	16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriot area proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975
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	20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)	regained on 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 (Frankish tribes unified); 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire)	486 (unified by Clovis)
French Guiana	-	none (overseas department of France)
French Polynesia	none (overseas lands of France)	none (overseas territory of France)
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)	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
Guadeloupe	-	none (overseas department of France)
Guinea-Bissau	24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)	24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)
Holy See (Vatican City)	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	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
Hungary	25 December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional founding date)	1001 (unification by King Stephen I)
Indonesia	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	17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands)
Iraq	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	3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Japan	660 B.C. (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU)	660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor Jimmu)
Latvia	18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia)	21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Libya	24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)	24 December 1951 (from Italy)
Liechtenstein	23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)	23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire
Lithuania	11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by Soviet Union)	11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)
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 overseas collectivity of France)	none (territorial collectivity of France)
Mexico	16 September 1810 (declared); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain)	16 September 1810 (from 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 rule by the House of Grimaldi)	1419 (beginning of the 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	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)	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
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 British India)	14 August 1947 (from UK)
Palau	1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)	1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
Philippines	12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US)	12 June 1898 (from Spain)
Poland	11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed)	11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)
Portugal	1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)	1143 (independent republic proclaimed 5 October 1910)
Puerto Rico	none (territory of the US with commonwealth status)	none (commonwealth associated with the US)
Reunion	-	none (overseas department of France)
Romania	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)	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)
Saint Barthelemy	none (overseas collectivity of France)	-
Saint Martin	none (overseas collectivity of France)	-
San Marino	3 September AD 301	3 September 301
Saudi Arabia	23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)	23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)
Senegal	4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960	4 April 1960 (from France); complete independence was 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 (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)	31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in 1961 following an October 1960 referendum
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	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
Suriname	25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)	25 November 1975 (from 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]); 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)	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)