Independence Day
An Independence Day is an annual celebration commemorating the anniversary of a nation's creation as an independent state, usually by ceasing to be a colony of another state. Many countries have a public holiday on their Independence Day.
Independence Days around the world:
- Albania - November 28, proclaimed by Ismail Qemali and signaled the end of five centuries of Ottoman rule in Albania.
- Argentina - July 9, marking independence from Spain.
- Central America - September 15, celebrated in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, the former states of the United States of Central America, who achieved independence from Spain or Mexico on this date.
- Colombia - July 20
- Finland - December 6
- India - August 15; Pakistan - August 14, On the midnight of August 14-15, 1947 the British occupation of India ended and two independent nations of India and Pakistan were born.
- Israel (yom ha-a'tzmaut) - Hebrew date of 5 Iyar (unless that falls on Shabbat, in which case it is the 3rd) which occurs usually at the end of spring (May). The Gregorian date for the day in which Israel independence was proclaimed is May 14th. See also Jewish holidays.
- Kyrgyzstan - August 31
- Mexico - September 16, see Fiestas Patrias for more details.
- Mongolia - November 26
- Panama - November 3, independence from Colombia in 1903.
- Paraguay - May 15, independence from Spain in 1811.
- Poland (Swieto Niepodleglosci) - November 11, in memory of the restoration of Polish independence in 1918. There is also a public holiday on May 3, celebrating the first Polish constitution (which was second written national constitution in the world after the United States Constitution) proclaimed in 1791 (Swieto konstytucji 3 Maja).
- Romania - May 9, independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1877
- Russia - June 12, see Russia Day.
- Singapore - August 9
- Slovakia - the Declaration of Independence was issued on July 17 (no public holiday only a remembrance day), but the independence came only on January 1 (public holiday)
- United States - public holiday celebrating the Declaration of Independence held on July 4, 1776. It is commonly associated with fireworks displays, barbecues, picnics and other public celebratory events.
