Countries to have gained independence from the U.K.

Can you name all of the countries to have gained independence from the United Kingdom

Excluding dominions (Answer is from date of final relinquish of British power)

*unrecognized independent state

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Last updated: July 10, 2015

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First submitted	September 17, 2014
Times taken	1,734
Average score	67.2%
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Year of Independence	Country
1776	United States of America
1922	Egypt
1922	Ireland
1932	Iraq
1946	Jordan
1947	India
1947	Pakistan
1948	Israel
1948	Myanmar
1948	Sri Lanka
1956	Sudan
1957	Ghana
1957	Malaysia
1960	Cyprus
1960	Nigeria
1960*	Somaliland
1961	Kuwait
1961	Sierra Leone
1961	South Africa
1961	Tanzania
1962	Jamaica
1962	Samoa
1962	Trinidad and Tobago
1962	Uganda
1963	Kenya
1964	Malawi
1964	Malta
1964	Zambia
1965	The Gambia
1965	Maldives
1966	Barbados

Year of Independence	Country
1966	Botswana
1966	Guyana
1966	Lesotho
1967	Yemen
1968	Mauritius
1968	Nauru
1968	Swaziland
1970	Fiji
1971	Bahrain
1971	Qatar
1971	United Arab Emirates
1973	Bahamas
1974	Grenada
1975	Papua New Guinea
1976	Seychelles
1978	Dominica
1978	Solomon Islands
1978	Tuvalu
1979	Kiribati
1979	Saint Lucia
1979	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
1980	Vanuatu
1980	Zimbabwe
1981	Antigua and Barbuda
1981	Belize
1982	Canada
1983	Saint Kitts and Nevis
1984	Brunei
1986	Australia
1986	New Zealand

Level 68

Sep 17, 2014

Sorry, but on no reasonable theory did Canada gain independence in 1982 (patriation of constitution). 1867 (Confederation) or 1931 (Treaty of Westminster) could both be argued for.

Level 28

Sep 17, 2014

Read the explanation. excluding dominions, and date is from the final relinquish of British power. They became a dominion in 1867 as you said, however they fully relinquished British power on 17 April 1982, when the Canada Act 1982 was passed. They still have gained independence from the Untied Kingdom in the past regardless of the date. Canada is still an answer to this quiz, and the date is only a clue. If I was to change the answer (which would be incorrect based on my explanation) I would also have to change the date for Australia, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand who all have a similar evolution to independence. It is consistent and correct as it is.

Level 39

Mar 15, 2015

An interesting quiz, thanks for making it. A couple of minor points. PNG and Samoa did not become independent from the UK - they became indep. from Australia and NZ respectively.

And it is certainly news to me than NZ and Australia became indep. in 1986! A bit legalistic, perhaps? I am from NZ and was taught in school became indep. in 1948 when it finally adopted the Statute of Westminster. Perhaps it is only when we finally get rid of the UK monarchy and become republics that full independence will be achieved?

Level 28

Mar 16, 2015

Thanks for your feedback. It was hard to stay consistent while writing the answers for this. As I said in the instructions, the answer is from the date of final relinquish of British power. The final relinquish of any link of British power in New Zealand was in 1986 because of the Constitution Act 1986 (I am also from New Zealand). According to my criteria New Zealand and Australia were not 100% independent from the UK when PNG and Samoa became independent i decided to include them as answers in the quiz. I agree with your points but I decided to do the quiz this way as I thought it would be the least confusing (although it still seems to create some confusion). And I agree that perhaps the commonwealth nations are not fully independent however that would make this quiz is redundant so i'll leave it as it is.

Level 32

Apr 16, 2015

Canada became independent in 1982???? I think it was way before...some 1860s or 1870s...

Level 28

Apr 16, 2015

Read the other comments and instructions carefully. Then google the Canada Act 1982. It's not that hard

Level 84

Jul 8, 2015

You're missing St Vincent & the Grenadines--1979.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Vincent_and_the_Grenadines

Level 28

Jul 10, 2015

Yes you're right, thank you. I will update the quiz

Level 83

Sep 16, 2015

I had no idea we even owned some of these places. I managed to miss Guyana because I skimmed over South America as I was working through the continents.

Level 61

Jun 13, 2016

Somaliland? Really? Yeah, I know the 'state' claims to be the successor to the British protectorate, but for 31 years they were part of Somalia. If they gained their independence from anyone (which no other nation thinks they have not even the other unrecognized nations!) it was from Somalia not the UK. I'd say including Somalia as independent from the UK in 1960 is actually reasonable.

Also Papua New Guinea gained their independence from Australia not the UK.

Level 28

Jul 7, 2016

The asterisk indicates that the answer is an unrecognised state, as stated in the quiz instructions. Somaliland was formerly known as British Somaliland which was a Protectorate of the United Kingdom

Level 61

Jul 10, 2016

By that same train of thought then, you need to also include Palestine.

Level 59

Jan 25, 2019

I know im like years late but tbh would make more sense to include dominions because its generally accepted that Canada became independant in 1867 and not 1982, any history book would tell you that, just my 2 cents

Level 55

Jul 31, 2020

Somaliland = Somalia

Swaziland = Eswatini

Level 38

Feb 19, 2021

somaliland is just the northern part of modern Somalia