8 by the Treaty of Berlin); 26
March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic
proclaimed)

Russia
24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Rwanda
1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

Saint Barthelemy
none (overseas collectivity of France)

Saint Helena
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
19 September 1983 (from UK)

Saint Lucia
22 February 1979 (from UK)

Saint Martin
none (overseas collectivity of France)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
none (territorial collectivity of France;
has been under French control since 1763)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
27 October 1979 (from UK)

Samoa
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

San Marino
3 September AD 301

Sao Tome and Principe
12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Saudi Arabia
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

Serbia
5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

Seychelles
29 June 1976 (from UK)

Sierra Leone
27 April 1961 (from UK)

Singapore
9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

Slovakia
1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
Republic and Slovakia)

Slovenia
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Solomon Islands
7 July 1978 (from UK)

Somalia
1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which
became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered
UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

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)

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

Sri Lanka
4 February 1948 (from UK)

Sudan
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

Suriname
25 November 19