y 2002 is the official date of
international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

Ecuador
24 May 1822 (from Spain)

Egypt
28 February 1922 (from UK)

El Salvador
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Equatorial Guinea
12 October 1968 (from Spain)

Eritrea
24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

Estonia
20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Ethiopia
oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest
in the world - at least 2,000 years

European Union
7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed
establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered
into force)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
none (overseas territory of the
UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Fiji
10 October 1970 (from UK)

Finland
6 December 1917 (from Russia)

France
486 (unified by Clovis)

French Guiana
none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
none (overseas territory of France)

Gabon
17 August 1960 (from France)

Gambia, The
18 February 1965 (from UK)

Georgia
9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Germany
18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into
four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945
following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West
Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and
French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)
proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone;
unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October
1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

Ghana
6 March 1957 (from UK)

Gibraltar
none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Greenland
none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is
the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates
in international agreements relating to Greenland)

Grenada
7 February 1974 (from UK)

Guadeloupe
none (overseas department of France)

Guam
none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Guernsey
none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
2 October 1958 (from France)

Guinea-Bissau
24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by
Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)