List of countries by date of transition to republican system of government
This is a list of countries by date of their last transition from a monarchy to a republican form of government. There were two periods in recent history when many such transitions took place:
- during or within five years after World War I (1914–1923) – marked in green;
- during or within five years after World War II (1939–1950) – marked in pink.
Some of the countries on this list were part of larger, now extinct, states (such as the Russian Empire or Yugoslavia) when the transition to a republic took place. Countries that have always had non-republican forms of government (such as absolute monarchy, theocracy, etc.) are not included in this list. Some were also independent states that shared their head of state with other countries (such as Denmark or the United Kingdom) before abolishing the link with the shared monarchy. Countries marked in yellow have since ceased to be republics in favour of another form of government.
List of countries[]
- Legend
- Later restored monarchyTransition during or following World War I (1914–1923)Transition during or following World War II (1939–1950)Transition in pre or post world war era
Country | Date of Transition |
Remarks |
---|---|---|
San Marino | September 3, 301 | Marinus then went on to found an independently ruled monastic community on Mount Titan in AD 301; thus, San Marino lays claim to being the oldest extant sovereign state, as well as the oldest constitutional republic. |
Netherlands | July 26, 1581 | The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands declared its independence from King Philip II of Spain on July 26, 1581, with the Act of Abjuration, and became the Batavian Republic in 1795. The Kingdom of Holland was formed on June 5, 1806. |
Switzerland | October 24, 1648 | Switzerland became independent from the Holy Roman Empire by the Treaty of Westphalia |
England | May 19, 1649 | The Commonwealth of England, later known as the Protectorate, was established on May 19, 1649, following the execution of King Charles I. At its height, it ruled over all the British Isles. The monarchy was restored on May 29, 1660. |
United States | July 4, 1776 | Went de facto independent from Great Britain with adoption of the United States Declaration of Independence |
Paraguay | October 12, 1813 | Republic proclaimed after independence from Spain on May 14, 1811 |
Argentina | July 9, 1816 | Independence won from the Spanish Empire. Republican governments established from 1811 onwards. Republican constitutions of 1819 and 1826 led to the adoption of the 1853 text |
Chile | February 12, 1818 | Independence declared from the Spanish Empire. Between 1810 and 1814 there were republican governments although nominally remained loyal to the Spanish monarchy. In 1817 there was re-established the independentist government and established a republican system in different constitutional texts. |
Venezuela | August 15, 1819 | Venezuelan constitution of 1819 adopted |
Colombia | December 17, 1819 | Republic of Colombia declared during Congress of Angostura |
Panama | ||
Ecuador | May 24, 1822 | Incorporated into Republic of Colombia, end of Royal Audiencia of Quito |
Costa Rica | July 1, 1823 | Independence of United Provinces of Central America |
El Salvador | ||
Guatemala | ||
Honduras | ||
Nicaragua | ||
Peru | December 9, 1824 | Treaty signed after Battle of Ayacucho |
Bolivia | August 6, 1825 | Constitutional congress declared Bolivia a republic |
Uruguay | October 4, 1828 | Ratification of Treaty of Montevideo |
Liberia | July 26, 1847 | Independent Republic of Liberia created |
Haiti | January 15, 1859 | Abdication of Emperor Faustin |
Dominican Republic | March 25, 1865 | Adoption of new constitution near end of Dominican Restoration War |
Mexico | July 15, 1867 | Emperor Maxmilian executed; Federal Republic officially restored |
France | September 4, 1870 | Emperor Napoleon III deposed and French Third Republic proclaimed as a result of the Franco-Prussian War |
Algeria | Republican government instituted when French mother country became a republic | |
Ivory Coast | ||
Mauritania | ||
Senegal | ||
Brazil | November 15, 1889 | Emperor Pedro II deposed and Brazilian Republic proclaimed by Marshall Deodoro da Fonseca |
Hawaii | July 4, 1894 | Queen Liliʻuokalani deposed and republic proclaimed following a provisional government |
Madagascar | February 28, 1897 | End of Merina Kingdom |
Philippines | January 23, 1899 | First Philippine Republic.[a] |
Cuba | May 20, 1902 | Independence as Republic of Cuba following United States Military Government after the end of the Spanish–American War |
Portugal | October 5, 1910 | King Manuel II deposed and Portuguese First Republic proclaimed as a result of the 1910 revolution |
Angola | Republican government instituted when Portuguese mother country became a republic | |
Cape Verde | ||
East Timor | ||
Guinea-Bissau | ||
Mozambique | ||
São Tomé and Príncipe | ||
China | October 10, 1911 | Republic of China (ROC) proclaimed as a result of the Xinhai Revolution. The ROC was initially in control of mainland China but later relocated to Taiwan. It is now commonly known as "Taiwan". The People's Republic of China was proclaimed on October 1, 1949, and is now in control of mainland China. It is commonly known as "China". |
Comoros | 1912 | End of last of indigenous sultanates |
Armenia | September 14, 1917 | Emperor Nicholas II of Russia abdicated as a result of the February Revolution and Russia was proclaimed a republic |
Azerbaijan | ||
Belarus | ||
Estonia | ||
Georgia | ||
Kazakhstan | ||
Kyrgyzstan | ||
Latvia | ||
Russia | ||
Ukraine | ||
Czech Republic | October 18, 1918 | Czechoslovak Republic proclaimed |
Slovakia | ||
Lithuania | November 2, 1918 | King Mindaugas II deposed and Republic of Lithuania proclaimed |
Germany | November 9, 1918 | Emperor William II abdicated as a result of the German Revolution |
Austria | November 12, 1918 | Republic of German Austria proclaimed following the dethronement of Emperor Charles |
Poland | November 14, 1918 | Power transferred from the Regency Council to Chief of State Józef Piłsudski |
Finland | December 14, 1918 | King Frederic Charles renounced the throne |
Turkmenistan | April 26, 1920 | Khan Sayid Abdullah deposed and Khorezm People's Soviet Republic proclaimed |
Lebanon | July 23, 1920 | French Mandate of Syria established after the Battle of Maysalun |
Syria | ||
Tajikistan | October 8, 1920 | Emir Mohammed Alim Khan deposed and Bukharan People's Republic proclaimed |
Uzbekistan | ||
Togo | July 20, 1922 | Formal beginning of French Togoland League of Nations Mandate |
Turkey | October 29, 1923 | Republic of Turkey was proclaimed after the Turkish War of Independence, succeeding the Ottoman Empire |
Mongolia | November 26, 1924 | Mongolian People's Republic proclaimed |
Spain | April 14, 1931 | The Second Spanish Republic came to power on April 14, 1931, following the economic crisis caused by the 1929 Wall Street Crash. The Republic lost power after the Spanish Civil War. Francisco Franco then led Spain until his death on November 20, 1975, when democracy was restored. |
Moldova | August 2, 1940 | Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic proclaimed following the annexation of Romanian Moldavia by the Soviet Union |
Iceland | June 17, 1944 | Republic of Iceland established after a referendum |
North Korea | August 15, 1945 | Korea liberated from Japan and the People's Republic of Korea established, divided into North Korea and South Korea a month later. |
South Korea | ||
Indonesia | August 17, 1945 | Republic of Indonesia's proclamation of independence triggering the Indonesian National Revolution |
Vietnam | August 25, 1945 | Emperor Bảo Đại abdicated and Democratic Republic of Vietnam was proclaimed in the north, State of Vietnam then Republic of Vietnam proclaimed in the south. |
Taiwan | October 25, 1945 | Taiwan and Penghu Islands transferred to the Republic of China. Since 1949, the ROC only controls Taiwan and the surrounding islands. |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | November 29, 1945 | Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia proclaimed while King Peter II was in exile |
Croatia | ||
Macedonia | ||
Montenegro | ||
Serbia | ||
Slovenia | ||
Albania | January 1, 1946 | People's Republic of Albania proclaimed while King Zog was in exile |
Hungary | February 1, 1946 | Second Hungarian Republic proclaimed |
Italy | June 12, 1946 | King Umberto II renounced the throne and the Italian Republic was established after a referendum |
Bulgaria | September 15, 1946 | Tsar Simeon II deposed and People's Republic of Bulgaria proclaimed after a referendum |
Marshall Islands | July 18, 1947 | end of South Seas Mandate and beginning of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands |
Federated States of Micronesia | ||
Palau | ||
Romania | December 30, 1947 | King Michael abdicated and the People's Republic of Romania was proclaimed |
Myanmar | January 4, 1948 | Burmese independence declared |
Israel | May 14, 1948 | State of Israel proclaimed |
Ireland | April 18, 1949 | Republic of Ireland Act came into force |
India | January 26, 1950 | Constitution of India came into effect |
Egypt | June 18, 1953 | Republic proclaimed after revolution in 1952 |
Gaza Strip | ||
South Sudan | January 1, 1956 | Independence of Republic of Sudan |
Sudan | ||
Pakistan | March 23, 1956 | Constitution of Pakistan came into effect and Governor General Iskander Mirza became President. Three coups in 1958 Pakistani coup d'état, 1977 and in 1999 respectively before restoration of civil electorate in 2008. |
Tunisia | July 25, 1957 | King Muhammad VIII al-Amin deposed |
Iraq | July 14, 1958 | Faisal II deposed/killed in 14 July Revolution |
Guinea | October 2, 1958 | Gained independence as a republic |
Mali | June 20, 1960 | Gained independence as a republic |
Somalia | June 26, 1960 | Independence of State of Somaliland, which was united with the Trust Territory of Somalia on July 1 to form the Somali Republic |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | June 30, 1960 | Gained independence as a republic |
Ghana | July 1, 1960 | Constitutional change after referendum on April 27 |
Benin | August 1, 1960 | Gained independence as a republic |
Niger | August 3, 1960 | Gained independence as a republic |
Republic of the Congo | August 15, 1960 | Declared independence from France |
Cyprus | August 16, 1960 | Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus adopted |
South Africa | May 31, 1961 | Republican constitution adopted |
Cameroon | October 1, 1961 | End of British Trusteeship in Southern Cameroons, union with rest of Cameroon |
Samoa | January 1, 1962 | Gained independence as a republic |
Rwanda | July 1, 1962 | Independence as a republic following monarchy referendum in 1961 |
Yemen | September 27, 1962 | King Muhammad al-Badr deposed and Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) proclaimed |
Tanganyika | December 9, 1962 | Republican constitution adopted |
Nigeria | October 1, 1963 | Constitutional amendment |
Uganda | October 9, 1963 | Constitutional amendment |
Zanzibar | January 12, 1964 | Sultanate overthrown in Zanzibar Revolution |
Zambia | October 24, 1964 | Gained independence as a republic |
Kenya | December 12, 1964 | Republican constitution adopted |
Singapore | August 9, 1965 | Ousted from the Federation of Malaysia |
Malawi | July 6, 1966 | Republican constitution adopted |
Botswana | September 30, 1966 | Gained independence as a republic |
Burundi | November 28, 1966 | Republic declared after army coup d'état |
West Bank | June 7, 1967 | Conquered from Jordan and occupied by Israel |
South Yemen | November 30, 1967 | Independence of People's Republic of South Yemen |
Nauru | January 31, 1968 | Gained independence as a republic |
Equatorial Guinea | October 12, 1968 | Gained independence as a republic |
Maldives | November 11, 1968 | Sultan Muhammad Fareed Didi deposed and Maldivian Second Republic established after a referendum |
Libya | September 1, 1969 | King Idris I deposed by Muammar Gaddafi's coup d'état |
Guyana | February 23, 1970 | Co-operative Republic of Guyana proclaimed |
Cambodia | March 18, 1970 | The Khmer Republic (later known as Democratic Kampuchea, then the People's Republic of Kampuchea, and finally the State of Cambodia) was declared in 1970 when Prince Norodom Sihanouk was deposed. The monarchy was restored in 1993. |
The Gambia | April 24, 1970 | Republic proclaimed following constitutional referendum |
Sierra Leone | April 19, 1971 | Republican constitution adopted |
Sri Lanka | May 22, 1972 | Sri Lankan constitution adopted |
Bangladesh | December 16, 1972 | Constitution came into effect after a year of formation of state in 1972. Three coups followed in 1975 and 1982. |
Afghanistan | July 17, 1973 | King Mohammed Zahir Shah abdicated after Mohammed Daoud Khan's coup d'état |
Greece | December 8, 1974 | Final abolition of monarchy; referendum |
Malta | December 13, 1974 | Republic of Malta proclaimed |
Eritrea | March 21, 1975 | Monarchy of Ethiopian Empire finally abolished |
Ethiopia | ||
Suriname | November 25, 1975 | Gained independence as a republic |
Laos | December 2, 1975 | King Savang Vatthana abdicated as a result of a communist revolution |
Seychelles | June 29, 1976 | Gained independence as a republic |
Trinidad and Tobago | August 1, 1976 | Republican constitution adopted |
Dominica | November 3, 1978 | Gained independence as a republic |
Iran | February 11, 1979 | Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi deposed and Islamic Republic of Iran (a theocratic republic) proclaimed as a result of the Iranian Revolution[1] |
Kiribati | July 12, 1979 | Gained independence as a republic[2] |
Central African Empire | September 21, 1979 | Emperor Bokassa I deposed in a coup d'état[3] |
Zimbabwe | April 17, 1980 | Full independence of Zimbabwe[4] |
Northern Cyprus | November 15, 1983 | Declared independence from Cyprus |
Fiji | October 6, 1987 | Fiji Republic proclaimed as a result of the coup d'état of Sitiveni Rabuka[5] |
Mauritius | March 12, 1992 | Republic of Mauritius proclaimed as a result of constitutional changes[6] |
Nepal | May 28, 2008 | Abolition of monarchy[7] |
Barbados | November 30, 2021 | Proclaimed itself a republic via constitutional changes[6] |
See also[]
- Abolished monarchy
- List of countries by system of government
Notes[]
- ^ The First Philippine Republic was a nascent revolutionary government established on January 23, 1899, during the period following the end of the Spanish–American War. That war had concluded with the cession of the Philippines to the U.S. by Spain, and the Philippines was under U.S. military government at the time. Hostilities which erupted between the Philippine Revolutionary Army and U.S. forces on February 4, 1899 quickly developed into the Philippine–American War, which led to the dissolution of that nascent government. During its period as a U.S. territory, the first elections to the Philippine Assembly were held in 1907.
References[]
- ^ AFP (February 8, 2019). "Iran celebrates 40th anniversary of Islamic Revolution". France 24. Tehran. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ Raghavan, Dee (July 11, 2021). "Celebrating Kiribati Independence Day!". CulturalPulse. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ "Bokassa Is Reported Overthrown In Coup in Central African Empire". The New York Times. September 21, 1979. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
- ^ Musvanhiri, Privilege (April 17, 2020). "Zimbabwe celebrates 40 years of independence". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ Associated Press (1987-10-07). "FIJI COUP LEADER DECLARES REPUBLIC". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
- ^ a b Landler, Mark; Ahmed, Azam (September 18, 2020). "'The Time Has Come': Barbados Casts Off the Queen as Head of State, and Others May Follow". The New York Times.
- ^ Monk, Katie (June 9, 2008). "Nepal hails a new republic". The Guardian. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
Sources[]
- Agoncillo, Teodoro (1990) [1960], History of the Filipino People (Eighth ed.), R.P. Garcia Publishing Company, ISBN 971-10-2415-2
- Zaide, Sonia M. (1994), "Chapter 20. First Republic in Asia", The Philippines: A Unique Nation, All-Nations Publishing Co., pp. 263–277, ISBN 971-642-071-4
External links[]
- Lists of countries
- Republicanism