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The [[decolonization]] of the Americas occurred over several centuries as most of the countries in the [[Americas]] gained their independence from [[Europe]]an rule. The [[American Revolution]] was the first in the Americas, and the British defeat in the [[American Revolutionary War]] (1775–83) was a victory against a [[great power]], aided by France and Spain, Britain's enemies. The [[French Revolution]] in Europe followed, and collectively these events had profound effects on the [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]], [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]], and [[French colonial empire|French]] colonies in the Americas. A [[revolutionary wave]] followed, resulting in the creation of several independent countries in [[Latin America]]. The [[Haitian Revolution]] (1791–1804), perhaps one of the most successful slave uprisings in history, resulted in the independence of the French slave colony of [[Saint-Domingue]] (now [[Haiti]]). The [[Peninsular War]] with France, which resulted from the [[Kingdom of Spain under Joseph Bonaparte|Napoleonic occupation of Spain]], caused [[Criollo people|Spanish Creole]]s in Spanish America to question their allegiance to Spain, stoking independence movements that culminated in various [[Spanish American wars of independence]] (1808–33), which were primarily fought between opposing groups of colonists and only secondarily against Spanish forces. At the same time, the Portuguese monarchy [[Transfer of the Portuguese court to Brazil|fled to Brazil]] during the [[Invasion of Portugal (1807)|French invasion of Portugal]]. After the royal court returned to [[Lisbon]], the [[prince regent]], [[Pedro I of Brazil|Pedro]], remained in Brazil and in 1822 successfully declared himself emperor of a newly [[Independence of Brazil|independent]] [[Brazilian Empire]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pedro I {{!}} emperor of Brazil {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pedro-I |access-date=2023-02-10 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210202950/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pedro-I |url-status=live }}</ref>

Spain would lose all three of its remaining Caribbean colonies by the end of the 1800s. [[Dominican Republic|Santo Domingo]] declared its first independence from Spain in 1821. The independent state was renamed [[Republic of Spanish Haiti]]. Haiti conquered the region shortly afterwards in 1822. Two decades later, in 1844, independence was proclaimed for the second time, and the [[Dominican Republic]] was established. This triggered the [[Dominican War of Independence]] (1844–56). In 1861, however, Spain regained control of the territory, and the colony was reestablished. The [[Dominican Restoration War]] (1863–65), the second war of liberation, led to the second independence from Spain, and the Dominican Republic's third and final independence. Cuba fought for independence from Spain in the [[Ten Years' War]] (1868–78) and [[Little War (Cuba)|Little War]] (1879–80) and finally the [[Cuban War of Independence]] (1895–98). American intervention in 1898 became the [[Spanish–American War]] and resulted in the United States gaining [[Puerto Rico]], [[Guam]] (which are still U.S. territories), and the [[Philippine Islands]] in the Pacific Ocean. Under military occupation, Cuba became a U.S. protectorate until its independence in 1902.

Peaceful independence by the voluntary withdrawal of colonial powers then became the norm in the second half of the 20th century. However, there are still British and Dutch colonies in North America (mostly Caribbean islands). France has fully integrated most of its former colonies in the Americas ([[French Guiana]], [[Guadeloupe]], and [[Martinique]]) as fully constituent [[Departments of France]].

==Conditions before revolution==

===Undermining of metropolitan authority===

During the 18th century, Spain recovered much of the strength it had lost in the 17th century but the country's resources were under strain because of the incessant warfare in Europe from 1793. This led to increased local participation in the financing of defense and increased participation in militias by the locally born. Such development was at odds with the ideals of the centralized [[absolute monarchy]]. The Spanish also made formal concessions to strengthen defense; In [[Chiloé Archipelago|Chiloé]], Spanish authorities promised freedom from the Encomienda for Indigenous locals who settled near the new stronghold of [[Ancud]] (founded in 1768) and contributed to its defense. The increased local organization of the defenses would ultimately undermine the metropolitan authority and bolster the independence movement.<ref name=Ossa2010>{{cite journal |last=Ossa Santa Cruz |first=Juan Luis |date=2010 |title=La criollización de un ejército periférico, Chile, 1768 to 1810 |url=http://revistahistoria.uc.cl/estudios/2247/ |journal=[[Historia (history of the Americas journal)|Historia]] |volume=42 |issue=II |pages=413–448 |access-date=27 January 2016 |language=es |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201133624/http://revistahistoria.uc.cl/estudios/2247/ |archive-date=2016-02-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Napoleonic Wars===
{{main|Napoleonic Wars|Peninsular War}}
The [[Napoleonic Wars]] were a series of wars fought between [[First French Empire|France]] (led by [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon Bonaparte]]) and alliances involving Britain, [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]], [[Kingdom of Spain|Spain]], [[Kingdom of Portugal|Portugal]], [[Russian Empire|Russia]], and [[Austrian Empire|Austria]] at different times, from 1799 to 1815.

In the case of Spain and its colonies, in May 1808, Napoleon captured [[Carlos IV]] and King [[Fernando VII]] and installed his brother, [[Joseph Bonaparte]], as Spanish monarch. This event disrupted the political stability of Spain and broke the link with some of the colonies which were loyal to the Bourbon Dynasty. The local elites, the creoles, took matters into their own hands organizing themselves into ''juntas'' to take "in absence of the king, Fernando VII, their sovereignty devolved temporarily back to the community". The juntas swore loyalty to the captive Fernando VII and each ruled different and diverse parts of the colony. Most of Fernando's subjects were loyal to him in 1808, but after he was restored to the Spanish crown in 1814, his policy of restoring absolute power alienated both the juntas and his subjects. He abrogated the [[Spanish Constitution of 1812|Cádiz Constitution of 1812]] and punished those who had supported it. The violence used by royalist forces and the prospect of being ruled by Fernando shifted the majority of the colonist population in favor of separation from Spain.<ref>Chambers, Sarah C., and John Charles Chasteen. ''Latin American Independence: An Anthology of Sources''. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub., 2010.</ref> The local elites reacted to absolutism in much the same way that the British colonial elites, Tory and Whig alike, had reacted to London's interference before 1775.

===Spanish military presence in its colonies===
[[Image:Royalist Hispanic American.png|thumb|200px|left|Graphs showing the make-up of the royalist army at the time of the revolution.]]

The colonial army of the Spanish Empire in the Americas was made up of local American and European supporters of [[Ferdinand VII of Spain|King Ferdinand]]. The Royalists were made up of a cross-section of society loyal to the crown with Americans composing the majority of the royalist forces on all fronts. There were two types of military units: from the regular Spanish army which were sent out or formed with local Europeans and called Expidicionarios and units called veterans or [[militia]]s created in the Americas. The militias included some veteran units and were called the disciplined militia. Only 11% of the personnel in the militias were European or American whites. After [[Rafael del Riego]]'s revolution in 1820, no more Spanish soldiers were sent to the wars in the Americas. In 1820 there were only 10,000 soldiers in Royal Army in Colombia and Venezuela, and Spaniards formed only 10% of all the royalist armies, and only half of the soldiers of the expeditionary units were European. By the [[Battle of Ayacucho]] in 1824, less than 1% of the soldiers were European.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}}

===Other factors===
{{Main|Enlightenment Spain|Bourbon Reforms}}
[[Age of Enlightenment|The Enlightenment]] spurred the desire for social and economic reform to spread throughout the Americas and the Iberian Peninsula. Ideas about free trade and [[Physiocrats|physiocratic]] [[economics]] were raised by the Enlightenment.

Independence movements in South America can be traced back to slave revolts in plantations in the northernmost part of the continent and the Caribbean. In 1791, a [[Haitian Revolution|massive slave revolt]] sparked a general insurrection against the plantation system and French colonial power.<ref name="BBC_Haiti">{{cite web|date = April 29, 2009|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1202857.stm|title = Timeline: Haiti|work = [[BBC News]]|access-date = 2009-04-30|archive-date = May 14, 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190514130124/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1202857.stm|url-status = live}}</ref> These events were followed by a violent uprising led by [[José Leonardo Chirino]] and [[José Caridad González]] that sprung up in 1795 Venezuela, allegedly inspired by the revolution in Haiti.

Toussaint L'Ouverture was born a slave in Saint-Domingue where he developed labor skills that would give him higher privileges than other slaves. He intellectually and physically advanced resulting in promotion, land of his own, and owning slaves. In 1791, slaves in Haiti formed a revolution to seek independence from their French owners. L'Ouverture joined the rebellion as a top military official to abolish slavery without complete independence. However, through a series of letters written by Toussaint, it became clear that he grew open to equal human rights for all that live in Haiti. Similar to how the United States Constitution was ratified, the enlightenment ideas of equality and representation of the people created an impact of change against the status quo that sparked the revolution. The letter details the great concerns he felt due to a conservative shift in France's legislature after the revolution in 1797. The greatest fear was that these conservative values could give ideas to the French Government to bring back slavery. The enlightenment has proven to forever change the way a captive society thinks after L'Ouverture refuses to let the French send him and his people back into slavery. "[W]hen finally the rule of law took the place of anarchy under which the unfortunate colony had too long suffered, what fatality can have led the greatest enemy of its prosperity and our happiness still to dare to threaten us with the return of slavery?" Ultimately, slavery was abolished from French colonies in 1794 and Haiti declared Independence from France in 1804.<ref>Toussaint L'Ouverture, "Letter to the French Directory, 1797", in Nicola Foote, ''Sources for Latin America in the Modern World''. New York: Oxford University Press, 2018.</ref>

==United States==
{{main|American Revolution|History of United States continental expansion}}
The [[United States|United States of America]] declared independence from [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] on July 4, 1776, thus becoming the first independent, foreign-recognized nation in the Americas and the first European colonial entity to break from its mother country. Britain formally acknowledged American independence in 1783 after its defeat in the [[American Revolutionary War]]. The U.S. victory encouraged independence movements in other parts of the Americas.

Although initially occupying only the land east of the [[Mississippi River|Mississippi]] between Canada and Florida, the United States would later eventually [[Territorial evolution of the United States|acquire various other North American territories]] from the [[British Empire|British]], [[French colonial empire|French]], [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]], and [[Russian Empire|Russian]]s in succeeding years under the mantle of [[Manifest Destiny]]. While ending European control over the region, these events resulted in the expansion of [[settler colonialism]] against Native nations, especially following the discovery of [[gold]] in regions such as the Dakotas and California, as well as opportunities for American settlers to claim farmland in the [[Great Plains]]. Land speculators and individual settlers both played a significant role in the expansion of America into what was then termed [[Indian Territory]]. American encroachment on Indigenous nations prompted the creation of several federations opposed to Manifest Destiny such as the [[Northwestern confederacy]] and [[Tecumseh's Confederacy]].

==Haiti and the French Antilles==
{{Main|Haitian Revolution}}
The [[American Revolution|American]] and [[French Revolution]]s had profound effects on  [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]], [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] and [[French colonial empire|French]] colonies in the Americas. [[Haiti]], a French slave colony, was the first to follow the [[United States]] to independence, during the [[Haitian Revolution]], which lasted from 1791 to 1804. Thwarted in his attempt to rebuild a French empire in North America, [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon Bonaparte]] sold [[Louisiana Purchase|Louisiana]] to the United States and from then on focused on the European theater, marking the end of France's ambitions of building a colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere.

== Spanish America ==
{{Main|Spanish American wars of independence}}
{{further|Libertadores}}

[[File:Americas independence map.PNG|thumb|Places in the Americas by date of independence.{{contradictory inline|section=Timeline|article=Decolonization of the Americas|reason=Date of Mexican Independence 1820 or 1821?|date=April 2020}} Note that the United States did not complete its continental territorial expansion until 1867; Canada did not complete sovereignty as an independent country until 1982.]]
[[File:South America 1799.png|thumb|right|upright|[[Intendant (government official)|Intendecies]] (provinces) of the South American viceroyalties.]]

Except for [[Cuba]] and [[Puerto Rico]], the Spanish colonies in the Americas won their independence during the first quarter of the 19th century.

During the [[Peninsular War]], [[Napoleon]] installed his brother, [[Joseph Bonaparte]], on the Spanish throne and captured the King [[Fernando VII]]. The crisis of political legitimacy sparked a reaction in Spain's overseas empire. Several assemblies were established after 1810 by the ''[[Spanish Criollo peoples|Criollos]]'' (Latin Americans who are of full or near full Spanish descent) to recover sovereignty and self-government based on the [[Siete Partidas|Castilian law]] and to rule American lands in the name of [[Ferdinand VII of Spain]].

This experience of self-government, along with the influence of [[Liberalism]] and the ideas of the [[French Revolution|French]] and [[American Revolution]]s, brought about a struggle for independence, led by the ''[[Libertadores]]''. The territories freed themselves, often with help from foreign mercenaries and privateers. The United States and Europe were neutral, yet aimed to achieve political influence and trade without the Spanish monopoly.

In [[South America]], [[Simón Bolívar]] and [[José de San Martín]] led the final phase of the independence struggle. Although Bolívar attempted to keep the Spanish-speaking parts of the continent politically unified, they rapidly became independent of one another as well, and several further wars were fought, such as the [[Paraguayan War]] and the [[War of the Pacific]].

A related process took place in what is now Mexico, Central America, and parts of North America between 1810 and 1821 with the [[Mexican War of Independence]]. Independence was achieved in 1821 by a coalition uniting under [[Agustín de Iturbide]] and the [[Army of the Three Guarantees]]. Unity was maintained for a short period under the [[First Mexican Empire]], but within a decade the region fought against the United States over the borderlands (losing the bordering lands of California and Texas). Most of the heat was during the official [[Mexican–American War|Mexican-American War]] from 1846 to 1848.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Mexican-American-War|title=Mexican-American War {{!}} Mexico-United States [1846-1848]|work=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=2017-05-06|language=en|archive-date=May 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514001321/https://www.britannica.com/event/Mexican-American-War|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1898, in the [[Greater Antilles]], the [[United States]] won the [[Spanish–American War]] and occupied [[Cuba]] and [[Puerto Rico]], ending Spanish territorial control in the Americas.

===Argentina===
{{main|Argentine War of Independence}}

After the defeat of Spain in the [[Peninsular War]] and the abdication of [[King Ferdinand VII]], the Spanish colonial government of the [[Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata]], present-day [[Argentina]], majority of [[Bolivia]], parts of [[Chile]], [[Paraguay]] and [[Uruguay]], became greatly weakened. Without a recognized king on the Spanish throne to render the office of the Viceroy legitimate, the right of [[Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros|Viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros]] to govern came under fire. The local elites, tired of the Spanish trade restrictions and taxes, seized the opportunity and during the [[May Revolution]] of 1810, removed Cisneros and created the first local government, the [[Primera Junta]].

[[Image:José de San Martín (retrato, c.1828).jpg|thumb|upright|José de San Martín]]

Following half a decade of battles and skirmishes with provincial royalist forces within the former Vice-royalty along with military expeditions across the Andes to [[Chile]], [[Peru]] and [[Bolivia]] led by [[José de San Martín|General José de San Martín]] to finally end Spanish rule in America, a formal declaration was signed on 9 July 1816, by an assembly in [[San Miguel de Tucumán]], declaring full independence with provisions for a national constitution. [[Constitution of Argentina of 1853|The Argentine Constitution]] was signed in 1853, declaring the creation of the [[Argentine Republic]].

===Bolivia===
{{main|Bolivian War of Independence}}

Following upheaval caused by the [[May Revolution]], along with the independence movements in [[Chilean independence|Chile]] and [[Venezuelan Independence War|Venezuela]], a local struggle for independence kicked off with two failed revolutions. Over sixteen years of struggle followed before the first steps toward the establishment of a republic were taken.

Formally, it is considered that the fight for independence culminated in the [[Battle of Ayacucho]], on 9 December 1824.{{Citation needed|date=March 2017}}

[[Image:Non-Native American Nations Control over South America 1700 and on.gif|thumb|upright|Retreat of European colonialism and change of political borders in South America, 1700–present]]

===Colombia===
[[image:Batalla de Boyaca de Martin Tovar y Tovar.jpg|thumb|left|upright|The [[Battle of Boyacá]] sealed Colombia's independence]]
{{main|Patria Boba|Spanish reconquest of New Granada|Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada}}
[[Colombia]] was the first [[South America|South American]] country to declare independence from [[Spain]] and the third oldest independent country after [[Haiti]] and the [[United States]].{{cn|date=March 2025}}

===Chile===
{{main|Chilean War of Independence}}

The Chilean Independence campaign was led by Liberator General Jose de San Martin with the support of Chilean exiles such as Bernardo O'Higgins. The local independence movement was composed of Chilean-born criollos, who sought political and economic independence from Spain. The independence movement was far from gaining unanimous support among Chileans, who became divided between independentists and royalists. What started as an elitist political movement against their colonial master, finally ended as a full-fledged civil war. Traditionally, the process is divided into three stages: [[Patria Vieja]], [[Reconquista (Chile)|Reconquista]], and [[Patria Nueva (Chile)|Patria Nueva]].

===Ecuador===
{{main|Ecuadorian War of Independence}}
The first uprising against Spanish rule took place in 1809, and criollos in Ecuador set up a junta on 22 September 1810, to rule in the name of the Bourbon monarch; but as elsewhere, it allowed assertion of their power.<ref>David Bushnell, "Wars of Independence: South America", in ''The Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture'', vol. 5, p. 447. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons 1996.</ref> Only in 1822 did [[Ecuador]] fully gain independence and became part of [[Gran Colombia]], from which it withdrew in 1830.<ref>{{Cite web | last = Fuertes Medina | first = Aurelia | title = History of Ecuador | work = A Guide to Andean Countries | url = http://www.ddg.com/LIS/aurelia/ecuhis.htm | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/19981201035842/http://www.ddg.com/LIS/aurelia/ecuhis.htm | archive-date = 1998-12-01 }}</ref> At the [[Battle of Pichincha]], near present-day [[Quito]], [[Ecuador]] on 24 May 1822, General [[Antonio José de Sucre]]'s forces defeated a Spanish force defending Quito. The Spanish defeat guaranteed the liberation of Ecuador.

===Guatemala===
In 1821, the entire Kingdom of Guatemala was peacefully subject to Spanish rule. With the innovations produced by the constitutional system, the freedom of the press and the exaltation of the parties, which were born in the popular elections,  opinion in favor of independence spread.

Those in favor of independence held meetings in Guatemala, but they did not have the resources to rise up against the government; They expected everything from the progress made in Mexico by the Plan of Iguala or Plan of Independence. Likewise, not all the independentists were in agreement with the system of government proclaimed by Iturbide, much less by the dynasty called to the Mexican throne, but then it was only about independence, each one reserving their opinion regarding the forms of government.

On September 13, the minutes of Ciudad Real de Chiapas and other towns of that State adhering to the Plan of Iguala were received in Guatemala; the advances that the army was making gave all their strength to the pronouncements of Chiapas, which by itself never had any political importance in that kingdom.

The trustee of the Guatemala City Council, Mr. Mariano Aycinena, requested an extraordinary session to present a petition in order to proclaim independence.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Munro|first1=Dana Gardiner|editor-last=Kinley|editor-first1=David|editor1-link=David Kinley|date=1918|title=The Five Republics of Central America; Their Political and Economic Development and Their Relations with the United States|url=https://archive.org/details/fiverepublicsofc00munr/page/28/mode/2up|language=en|location=[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]]|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|lccn=18005317|access-date=2 July 2022|pages=85–90}}</ref>

===Mexico===
{{main|Mexican War of Independence}}
Independence in Mexico was a protracted struggle from 1808 until the fall of the royal government in 1821 and the establishment of independent Mexico. In the [[Viceroyalty of New Spain]], as elsewhere in Spanish America in 1808, people reacted to the unexpected French invasion of the Iberian peninsula and the ouster of the Bourbon king, replaced by [[Joseph Bonaparte]]. Local American-born Spaniards saw the opportunity to seize control from Viceroy [[José de Iturrigaray]] who may well have been sympathetic to creoles' aspirations. Iturrigaray was ousted by pro-royalists. A few from among the creole elites sought independence, including [[Juan Aldama]], [[Ignacio Allende]], and the secular parish priest [[Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla]]. Hidalgo made a proclamation in his home parish of Dolores, which was not recorded in writing at the time, but denounced the bad government and ''gachupines'' (pejorative for peninsular-born Spaniards), and declared independence. The unorganized hordes following Hidalgo wrought destruction on the property and the lives of whites in the region of the Bajío. Hidalgo was caught, defrocked, and executed in 1811, along with Allende. Their heads remained on display until 1821. His former student [[José María Morelos]] continued the rebellion and was himself caught and killed in 1815. The struggle of Mexican insurgents continued under the leadership of [[Vicente Guerrero]] and [[Guadalupe Victoria]]. From 1815 to 1820 there was a stalemate in New Spain, with royalist forces unable to defeat the insurgents and the insurgents unable to expand beyond their narrow territory in the southern region. Again, events in Spain intervened, with an uprising of military men against Ferdinand VII and the restoration of the liberal [[Spanish Constitution of 1812]], which mandated a constitutional monarchy and curtailed the power of the Roman Catholic Church. The monarch repudiated the constitution once the Spanish monarchy was restored in 1814. For conservatives in New Spain, these changed political circumstances threatened the institutions of church and state. Royal military officer [[Agustín de Iturbide]] seized the opportunity to lead, allying with his former enemy Guerrero. Iturbide proclaimed the [[Plan de Iguala]], which called for independence, equality of peninsular and American-born Spaniards, a monarchy with a prince from Spain as king, and secured Catholicism as the proclaimed state religion.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bakewell |first1=Peter |title=A History of Latin America |date=September 2003 |publisher=Blackwell |isbn=0-631-23160-9 |pages=404 |edition=2nd}}</ref> He persuaded the insurgent Guerrero to ally with him and create the [[Army of the Three Guarantees]]. [[Juan O'Donojú]],the final Viceroy of New Spain, and Iturbide settled a [[Treaty of Córdoba|treaty in Córdoba]] which recognized Mexico as independent from the Spanish Empire. Iturbide and O'Donojú entered Mexico City with the Army of the Three Guarantees on September 27, 1821, where the remaining Spanish forces surrendered.<ref>Bakewell, 404</ref> With no European monarch presenting himself for the Crown of Mexico, Iturbide himself was proclaimed emperor Agustín I in 1822. He was overthrown in 1823 and Mexico was established as a republic. Decades of political and economic instability ensued which resulted in a population decline.

===Paraguay===
{{main|Independence of Paraguay}}
[[Paraguay]] [[History of Paraguay#Independence of 1811|gained its independence]] on the night of May 14 and the morning of May 15, 1811, after a plan organized by various pro-independence nationalists including [[Fulgencio Yegros]] and [[José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia]].

===Peru===
{{main|Peruvian War of Independence}}
[[File:La Independencia del Perú.jpg|thumb|[[Proclamación de la Independencia del Perú|Painting]] of [[José de San Martín]]'s proclamation of the independence of [[Peru]] on 28 July 1821 in [[Lima]]]]
Spain initially had the support of the Lima oligarchs because of their opposition to the commercial interests of Buenos Aires and Chile. Therefore, the [[Viceroyalty of Peru]] became the last redoubt of the Spanish Monarchy in South America. Nevertheless, a Creole rebellion arose in 1812 in [[Huánuco]] and another in [[Cusco]] between 1814 and 1816. Both were suppressed. These rebellions were supported by the armies of Buenos Aires.

Peru finally succumbed after the decisive continental campaigns of José de San Martín (1820–1823) and Simón Bolívar (1824). While San Martín was in charge of the land campaign, a newly built Chilean Navy led by [[Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald|Lord Cochrane]] transported the fighting troops and launched a sea campaign against the Spanish fleet in the Pacific. San Martín, who had displaced the royalists of Chile after the [[Battle of Maipú]], and who had disembarked in [[Paracas Peninsula|Paracas]] in 1820, proclaimed the independence of Peru in Lima on 28 July 1821. Four years later, the Spanish Monarchy was defeated definitively at the [[Battle of Ayacucho]] in late 1824.

After independence, the conflicts of interests that faced different sectors of Creole Peruvian society and the particular ambitions of the [[caudillo]]s, made the organization of the country excessively difficult. Only three civilians — Manuel Pardo, Nicolás de Piérola, and Francisco García Calderón — acceded to the presidency in the first seventy-five years of Peru's independence. The Republic of Bolivia was created in Upper Peru. In 1837, a [[Peru-Bolivian Confederation]] was also created, but was dissolved two years later due to Chilean military intervention.

===Uruguay===
Following the events of the [[May Revolution]], in 1811 [[José Gervasio Artigas]] led a successful revolt against the Spanish forces in the Provincia Oriental, now Uruguay, joining the independentist movement that was taking place in the [[Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata]] at the time. In 1821, the Provincia Oriental was invaded by Portugal, trying to annex it into Brazil under the name of Província Cisplatina.

The former Vice-royalty of the Río de la Plata, [[United Provinces of the Río de la Plata]], fought back against Brazil in a war that lasted over 2 years, eventually turning into a stalemate. The Brazilian forces withdrew with the United Provinces keeping them at bay but failing to win any decisive victory. With neither side gaining the upper hand and the economic burden of the war crippling the United Provinces economy, the [[1828 Treaty of Montevideo|Treaty of Montevideo was signed in 1828]], fostered by Britain, declaring Uruguay as an independent state.<ref>Nilton Freixinho, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20141103172023/http://131.137.250.135/dhh-dhp/his/docs/Coll_21st_Peacekeeping.pdf#page=614 International Relations in South America Nineteenth Century A Case Study: The Independence and Sovereignty of Uruguay]", in ''Peacekeeping 1815 to Today'' (1995) pp 612–619; {{ISBN|0-662-62062-3}}</ref>

===Venezuela===
{{main|Venezuelan War of Independence|First Republic of Venezuela|Second Republic of Venezuela}}
According to the ''Encyclopedia Americana'' of 1865, General Francisco de Miranda, already a hero to the French, Prussians, English, and Americans had garnered a series of successes against the Spanish between 1808 and 1812. He had effectively negated their access to all the ports in the Caribbean, thus preventing them from receiving reinforcements and supplies, and was essentially conducting mopping-up operations throughout the country. At that point, he convinced Simon Bolívar to join the struggle and put him in charge of the fort at Puerto Cabello. This was all at once a supply and arms depot, a strategic port, and the central holding facility for Spanish prisoners. Through what amounts to a gross dereliction of duty, Simon Bolívar neglected to enforce the customary security dispositions before departing to a social event. During the night there was an uprising of the Spanish prisoners and they managed to subdue the Independentist garrison and gain control of the supplies, arms and ammunition, and the port. The Loyalist forces progressively regained control of the country and eventually, Monteverde's successes forced the newly formed congress of the republic to ask Miranda that he sign a capitulation at La Victoria in Aragua, on July 12, 1812, thus ending the first phase of the revolutionary war.

After the capitulation of 1812, [[Simón Bolívar]] turned over Francisco de Miranda to the Spanish authorities, secured a safe passage for himself and his closest officers, and fled to [[United Provinces of New Granada|New Granada]]. He later returned with a new army, while the war had entered a tremendously violent phase. After much of the local aristocracy had abandoned the cause of independence, blacks and mulattoes carried on the struggle. Elites reacted with open distrust and opposition to the efforts of these common people. Bolívar's forces [[Admirable Campaign|invaded Venezuela from New Granada]] in 1813, waging a campaign with a ferocity captured perfectly by their motto of "[[Decree of War to the Death|war to the death]]". Bolívar's forces defeated Domingo Monteverde's Spanish army in a series of battles, taking [[Caracas]] on August 6, 1813, and besieging Monteverde at [[Puerto Cabello]] in September 1813.

[[File:BatallaCarabobo01.JPG|thumb|right|Battle of Carabobo]]

With loyalists displaying the same passion and violence, the rebels achieved only short-lived victories. The army led by the loyalist [[José Tomás Boves]] demonstrated the key military role that the ''[[Llanero]]s'' came to play in the region's struggle. Turning the tide against independence, these highly mobile, ferocious fighters made up a formidable military force that pushed Bolívar out of his home country once more. In 1814, heavily reinforced Spanish forces in Venezuela lost a series of battles to Bolívar's forces but then decisively defeated Bolivar at La Puerta on June 15, took Caracas on July 16, and again defeated his army at [[Aragua de Maturín|Aragua]] on August 18, for 2,000 Spanish casualties out of 10,000 soldiers as well as most of the 3,000 in the rebel army. Bolívar and other leaders then returned to New Granada. Later that year the largest expeditionary force ever sent by Spain to America arrived under the command of [[Pablo Morillo]]. This force effectively replaced the improvised llanero units, who were [[Military discharge|disbanded]] by Morillo.

Bolívar and other republican leaders returned to Venezuela in December 1816, leading a largely unsuccessful insurrection against Spain from 1816 to 1818 from bases in the [[Llanos]] and [[Ciudad Bolívar]] in the [[Orinoco|Orinoco River]] area.

In 1819 Bolívar successfully invaded New Granada, and returned to Venezuela in April 1821, leading an army of 7,000. At [[Battle of Carabobo|Carabobo]] on June 24, his forces decisively defeated Spanish and colonial forces, winning Venezuelan independence, although hostilities continued.

==Brazil==
{{main|Independence of Brazil}}
[[File:Independencia brasil 001.jpg|thumb|Prince [[Pedro I of Brazil|Pedro]] in [[São Paulo]] after giving the news of the Brazilian independence on 7 September 1822]]
Unlike the Spanish, the Portuguese did not divide their colonial territory in the Americas. The captaincies they created were subdued to a centralized administration in Salvador which reported directly to the Crown in Lisbon. Therefore, it is not common to refer to "Portuguese America" (like Spanish America, Dutch America, etc.), but rather to Brazil, as a unified colony since its very beginnings.

As a result, Brazil did not split into several states by the time of independence (1822), as happened to its Spanish-speaking neighbors. The adoption of a monarchy instead of a federal republic in the first six decades of Brazilian political sovereignty also contributed to the nation's unity. {{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

After several failed revolts in the Portuguese colony, [[Dom Pedro I]] (also Pedro IV of Portugal), son of the Portuguese [[monarch|king]] [[Dom João VI]], proclaimed the country's independence in 1822 and became Brazil's first [[Emperor]]. This began when [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] forced the Portuguese court out of their capital city of Lisbon and into exile in Brazil. Over the next eight years, the capital of the Portuguese empire would be located in [[Rio de Janeiro]]. In 1815, after Lisbon was reclaimed from the French by the Portuguese, King Dom João VI declared that Rio and Lisbon would become equal centers of the empire. King João VI was forced back to Lisbon in 1821 by the Portuguese Cortes but left his son Dom Pedro behind to run Rio. A year later, Dom Pedro declared independence for Brazil and officially became emperor Pedro I. Although Brazil's independence was met with little resistance from Portugal, several small-scale battles were fought against Portuguese loyalist forces until 1824 to bring the rest of the Brazilian territories under the control of the new Brazilian government, and they were officially recognized by their former colonial overlords in 1825. 
<ref>{{cite book |last1=Meade |first1=Teresa |author-link=Teresa Meade |title=A History of Modern Latin America |date=2016 |publisher=Blackwell Publishing Ltd |location=West Sussex, UK |isbn=9781118772485 |pages=70 |edition=Second}}</ref>

==Canada==
{{main|Canadian Confederation}}
[[Canada]]'s transition from colonial rule to independence occurred gradually over many decades and was achieved mostly through political means, as opposed to the violent revolutions that marked the end of colonialism in other North and South American countries. Attempts at revolting against the British, such as the [[Rebellions of 1837–1838]], were brief and quickly put down. Canada was declared a dominion within the British Empire in 1867. Originally, the Canadian Confederation included just a few of what are now Canada's eastern provinces; other British colonies in modern-day Canada, such as [[British Columbia]], [[Prince Edward Island]], and [[Newfoundland]], would join later (the last only in 1949). Additionally, Britain's and Norway's claims to Arctic lands were ceded to Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By 1931, the United Kingdom had relinquished its control over Canada's foreign policy. What few political links that remained between Canada and the UK were formally severed in 1982 with the ''[[Canada Act 1982|Canada Act]]''.

==20th century==
Other countries did not gain independence until the 20th century:

From [[Spain]]:
* [[Cuba]]

From the United Kingdom:
* [[Jamaica]]: from the [[United Kingdom]], in 1962
* [[Trinidad and Tobago]]: from the United Kingdom, in 1962
* [[Guyana]] (formerly British Guiana): from the United Kingdom, in 1966.
* [[Barbados]]: from the United Kingdom, in 1966
* [[Bahamas]]: Granted internal self-government in 1964 and, then achieved full independence from the United Kingdom in 1973.
* [[Grenada]]: from the United Kingdom, in 1974
* [[Dominica]]: from the United Kingdom, in 1978
* [[Saint Lucia]]: from the United Kingdom, in 1979
* [[St. Vincent and the Grenadines]]: from the United Kingdom, in 1979
* [[Antigua and Barbuda]]: from the United Kingdom, in 1981
* [[Belize]] (formerly British Honduras): from the United Kingdom, in 1981
* [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]: from the United Kingdom, in 1983

From the Netherlands:
* [[Suriname]]: from [[Netherlands|the Netherlands]], in 1975

==Current non-sovereign territories==
Some parts of the Americas are still administered by European countries or the United States:
* [[Anguilla]] (United Kingdom)
* [[Aruba]] (Netherlands)
* [[Bermuda]] (United Kingdom)
* [[Bonaire]] (Netherlands)
* [[British Virgin Islands]] (United Kingdom)
* [[Cayman Islands]] (United Kingdom)
* [[Curaçao]] (Netherlands)
* [[Falkland Islands]] (United Kingdom)
* [[French Guiana]] (France)
* [[Greenland]] (Kingdom of Denmark)
* [[Guadeloupe]] (France)
* [[Martinique]] (France)
* [[Montserrat]] (United Kingdom)
* [[Puerto Rico]] (United States)
* [[Saba (island)|Saba]] (Netherlands)
* [[Saint Barthelemy]] (France)
* [[Collectivity of Saint Martin|Saint Martin]] (France)
* [[Saint-Pierre and Miquelon]] (France)
* [[Sint Eustatius]] (Netherlands)
* [[Sint Maarten]] (Netherlands)
* [[South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands]] (United Kingdom)
* [[Turks and Caicos Islands]] (United Kingdom)
* [[United States Virgin Islands]] (United States)

Some of the remaining non-sovereign territories of the Americas have retained this status by choice, and enjoy a significant degree of self-government. (Some have nevertheless been placed on the [[United Nations list of non-self-governing territories#Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea|U.N. list of non-self-governing territories]], an ongoing subject of controversy.) Aruba, for example, seceded from the Netherlands Antilles on January 1, 1986, and became a separate, self-governing member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. A movement toward full independence by 1996 was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. [[French Guiana]], [[Guadeloupe]] and [[Martinique]] are not considered [[dependent territories]] of [[France]], but have been "incorporated" into France itself, as overseas ''[[département in France|départements]]'' (''[[départements d'outre-mer]], or DOM''). Other regions however have had or currently have movements to change their political status, for example, different movements to change the [[political status of Puerto Rico]] and intermittent calls for independence in other non-sovereign territories such as [[Martinican Independence Movement|Martinique]] and others, with differing amounts of support. An [[1995 Bermudian independence referendum|independence referendum]] in Bermuda in 1995 resulted in a massive "no" vote.

==Timeline==
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2021}}
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Country<ref group=note>Timeline list arranged according to current countries. Explanatory notes are added in cases where decolonization was achieved jointly or where the current state is formed by a merger of previously decolonized states. For simplicity's sake, the numerous U.S. military occupations that occurred during the [[Banana Wars]] are not listed here despite accusations of [[American imperialism]].</ref>
! Colonial name
! Colonial power<ref group=note>Some territories changed hands multiple times, so the list is mentioned as the last colonial power.</ref>
! data-sort-type="date" | Independence date<ref group=note>Date of decolonization. Subsequent [[mergers]], [[secessions]] and [[civil war|civil]] and other wars in the period after decolonization and the resulting states and federations are not part of this list and are only noted – see the [[list of sovereign states by formation date]]. Any discrepancies between dates listed here and public holidays celebrating the country's independence (and whether the date listed is celebrated as a holiday at all) are noted, as well as the national day if the country does not have an independence day. Date when a commonwealth realm abolished its monarchy is noted. Note that a large number of states (i.e. those formed in the aftermath of the [[Spanish American wars of independence]]) would not be recognized by their colonial power as independent until decades later.</ref>
! First head of state<ref group=note>For countries that became independent either as a [[Commonwealth realm]] or as a parliamentary republic the head of government is listed instead.</ref>
! Independence won through
|- 
| {{flag|United States}}
 | [[Thirteen Colonies]]
 | {{flag|British Empire}}
 | July 4, 1776; September 3, 1783<ref group=note>After independence the United States colonized and later incorporated in their federal structure, territories on their own. The last [[United States territorial acquisitions|acquisition in the Americas]] was in 1935, the last [[List of U.S. states by date of statehood|incorporation]] in 1959, but some of the territories [[Territories of the United States|remain unincorporated]].</ref>
 | [[George Washington]]<ref group=note>Assumed office on April 30, 1789 as President. From [[Confederation Period|September 5, 1774]] until Washington's inauguration the United States was nominally headed by the [[President of the Continental Congress]]. [[Elias Boudinot]] held the office on the date of independence.</ref>
 | [[American Revolutionary War]], [[Siege of Yorktown]]
|-
| {{flag|Haiti}}
 | [[Saint-Domingue]]
 | {{flagcountry|Kingdom of the French}} (until 1792) <br />{{flag|French First Republic}}
 | January 1, 1804<ref group=note>Not recognized by France until April 17, 1825.</ref>
 | [[Jean-Jacques Dessalines]]<ref group=note>[[Jean-Pierre Boyer]] was President on the date of France's recognition.</ref>
 | [[Haitian Revolution]]
|-
| {{flag|Argentina}}
 |rowspan="2"| [[Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata]]
 |rowspan="16"| {{flag|Spanish Empire|1785}}
 | May 25, 1810; July 9, 1816<ref group=note>Not recognized by Spain until April 29, 1857.</ref>
 | [[Juan Martín de Pueyrredón]]<ref group=note>[[Justo José de Urquiza]] was President on the date of Spain's recognition.</ref>
 | [[Argentine War of Independence]]
|-
| {{flag|Paraguay}}
 | May 14, 1811
 | Junta<ref group=note>Composed of the following leaders: Vicente Ignacio Iturbe Domínguez; Juan Valeriano de Zevallos; [[Fulgencio Yegros]]; [[Pedro Juan Caballero (politician)|Pedro Juan Caballero]] and [[José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia]]</ref>
 | [[Paraguay campaign]]
|-
| {{flag|Chile}}
 | [[Captaincy General of Chile]]
 | September 18, 1810
February 12, 1818<ref group="note">Not celebrated as a holiday. The date September 18, 1810 (when the [[Government Junta of Chile (1810)|Government Junta]] was formed) is [[Fiestas Patrias (Chile)|celebrated]] as Chile's date of independence. Chile would not be recognized by Spain until April 25, 1844.</ref>
 | [[Bernardo O'Higgins]]<ref group=note>Assumed office four days after independence as Supreme Director. [[Manuel Bulnes]] was President on the date of Spain's recognition.</ref>
 | [[Chilean War of Independence]]
|-
| {{flag|Colombia}}<br /><small>as part of {{flag|Gran Colombia}}</small>
 | [[Viceroyalty of New Granada]]
 | August 7, 1819<ref group=note>Celebrated as [[Battle of Boyacá]] Day. The date July 20, 1810 (when Viceroy [[Antonio José Amar y Borbón]] formally declared New Granada's independence) is celebrated as Colombia's date of independence.</ref>
 | [[Simón Bolívar]]
 | [[Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada]]
|-
| {{flag|Venezuela}}<br /><small>as part of {{flag|Gran Colombia}}</small>
 | [[Captaincy General of Venezuela]]
 | June 24, 1821 <ref group=note>Not celebrated as a holiday. After declaring independence from Spain on July 5, 1811 with the enactment of the [[Venezuelan Declaration of Independence]], the territory of present-day Venezuela continued to struggle for its independence until June 24, 1821 when the decisive victory of [[Simón Bolívar]] and Venezuelan forces over the Spanish at the [[Battle of Carabobo]] led to the independence of the country from Spain and the establishment of the [[Gran Colombia|Republic of Gran Colombia]], from which Venezuela gained independence on January 13, 1830. Venezuela celebrates July 5, 1811 as its independence day.</ref>
 | [[Simón Bolívar]]
 | [[Venezuelan War of Independence]], [[Battle of Carabobo]]
<!--|-
| {{flag|Peru}}
 | [[Viceroyalty of Peru]]
 | July 28, 1821
 | [[José de San Martín]]
 | [[Peruvian War of Independence]]-->
|-
| {{flag|Costa Rica}}<br /><small>as part of {{flagicon image|Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg}} [[Federal Republic of Central America]]</small>
 |rowspan="5"| [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]]
 | September 15, 1821<ref group=note name="Central America">After gaining independence from Spain, the Federal Republic of Central America was annexed by the [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] on January 25, 1822. The Federal Republic would regain independence on July 1, 1823.</ref><ref group=note>On November 15, 1838, Costa Rica formally withdrew from the Federal Republic of Central America and then declared itself as an independent republic on September 28, 1848</ref>
 | [[Gabino Gaínza]]<ref group=note name="CA2">[[Pedro Molina Mazariegos]], [[Antonio Rivera Cabezas]], and [[Juan Vicente Villacorta Díaz]] assumed office as a triumvirate nine days after the Federal Republic of Central America regained independence from Mexico, succeeding Chief of State [[Vicente Filisola]].</ref><ref group=note>[[Braulio Carrillo Colina]] was Head of State when Costa Rica withdrew from the Federal Republic of Central America. [[José María Castro Madriz]] was President when Costa Rica declared its sovereignty.</ref>
 |rowspan="5"| [[Act of Independence of Central America]]
|-
| {{flag|Guatemala}}<br /><small>as part of {{flagicon image|Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg}} [[Federal Republic of Central America]]</small>
 | September 15, 1821<ref group=note name="Central America" /><ref group=note>Sometime around 1840 Guatemala formally withdrew from the Federal Republic of Central America and became an independent republic on March 21, 1847.</ref> 
 | [[Gabino Gaínza]]<ref group=note name="CA2" /><ref group=note>[[Mariano Rivera Paz]] was Head of State around the time of Guatemala's withdrawal from the Federal Republic of Central America. [[Rafael Carrera]] became President upon the declaration of Guatemala's sovereignty.</ref>
|-
| {{flag|Nicaragua}}<br /><small>as part of {{flagicon image|Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg}} [[Federal Republic of Central America]]</small>
 | September 15, 1821<ref group=note name="Central America" />
 | [[Gabino Gaínza]]<ref group=note name="CA2" />
|-
| {{flag|Honduras}}<br /><small>as part of {{flagicon image|Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg}} [[Federal Republic of Central America]]</small>
 | September 15, 1821<ref group=note name="Central America" /><ref group=note>On November 15, 1838, Honduras formally withdrew from the Federal Republic of Central America and became an independent state.</ref>
 | [[Gabino Gaínza]]<ref group=note name="CA2" /><ref group=note>[[Francisco Zelaya y Ayes]] was sworn in as Acting President on September 21, 1839. From November 12, 1838, from the Federal Republic to Zelaya y Ayes' inauguration, Honduras was headed by a provisional President. [[José Lino Matute]] held office on the date of independence.</ref> 
|-
| {{flag|El Salvador}}<br /><small>as part of {{flagicon image|Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg}} [[Federal Republic of Central America]]</small>
 | September 15, 1821<ref group=note name="Central America" /><ref group=note>On February 18, 1841, El Salvador (by then the only member remaining in the Federal Republic of Central America), formally withdrew and became an independent state.</ref>
 | [[Gabino Gaínza]]<ref group=note name="CA2" /><ref group=note>[[Juan Lindo]] was President when El Salvador withdrew from the Federal Republic.</ref>
|-
| {{flag|Mexico}}
 | [[New Spain|Viceroyalty of New Spain]]
 | September 27, 1821
 | [[Agustín de Iturbide|Agustín I]]
 | [[Mexican War of Independence]]
|-
| {{flag|Dominican Republic}}<ref group=note>as the [[Republic of Spanish Haiti]]</ref>
 | [[Captaincy General of Santo Domingo]]
 | November 20, 1821<ref group=note>Not celebrated as a holiday. After gaining independence from Spain, the Republic of Spanish Haiti was [[Unification of Hispaniola|annexed by Haiti]] on February 9, 1822. On November 6, 1844, [[Dominican War of Independence|after months of fighting]] starting from February 27 of that year, the Dominican Republic regained sovereignty upon the ratification of the [[Constitution of the Dominican Republic]]. The February 27 date is celebrated as the Dominican Republic's date of independence.</ref>
 | [[José Núñez de Cáceres]]<ref group=note>[[Pedro Santana]] was the President of the Central Government Junta on the date of ratification of the Dominican Constitution.</ref>
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Panama}}<br /><small>as part of {{flag|Gran Colombia}}</small>
 |rowspan=2| [[Viceroyalty of New Granada]]
 | November 28, 1821
 | [[Simón Bolívar]]
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Ecuador}}<br /><small>as part of {{flag|Gran Colombia}}</small>
 | May 24, 1822<ref group=note>Celebrated as [[Battle of Pichincha]] Day. The date August 10, 1909 (when the city of [[Quito]] formally declared Ecuador's independence) is celebrated as Ecuador's date of independence. On May 13, 1830, Ecuador formally seceded from Gran Colombia.</ref>
 | [[Simón Bolívar]]<ref group=note>[[Juan José Flores]] was Jéfe Supremo when Ecuador seceded from Gran Colombia.</ref>
 | [[Ecuadorian War of Independence]]
|-
| {{flag|Peru}}
 | [[Viceroyalty of Peru]]
 | December 9, 1824
 | [[Simón Bolívar]]
 | [[Peruvian War of Independence]]
|-
| {{flag|Bolivia}}
 | [[Real Audiencia of Charcas]]
 | August 6, 1825<ref group=note>Not recognized by Spain until July 21, 1847.</ref> 
 | [[Simón Bolívar]]<ref group=note>Assumed office six days after independence as President. [[José Ballivián]] was President on the date of Spain's recognition.</ref>
 | [[Bolivian War of Independence]]
|-
| {{flag|Brazil}}<ref group=note>As the [[Empire of Brazil]].</ref>
 | [[United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves]]
 | {{flag|Portuguese Empire}}
 | August 29, 1825<ref group=note>Not celebrated as a holiday. Brazil’s independence from Portugal was officially recognized on August 29, 1825 by the [[Treaty of Rio de Janeiro (1825)|Treaty of Rio de Janeiro]]. The date September 7, 1822 (when then-Prince Regent Dom Pedro [[Independence of Brazil|formally declared Brazil's independence]]) is [[Independence Day (Brazil)|celebrated]] as Brazil's date of independence.</ref>
 | [[Pedro I of Brazil|Pedro I]]
 | [[Brazilian War of Independence]]
|-
| {{flag|Uruguay}}
 | [[Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata]];<br />[[Cisplatina Province]]
 | {{flag|Spanish Empire}};<br /> {{flag|Empire of Brazil}}
 | August 27, 1828<ref group=note>Not celebrated as a holiday. After its decisive victory over Spanish forces at the [[Battle of Las Piedras (1811)|Battle of Las Piedras]], Uruguay continued to struggle for its independence against Spain. From 1816 to 1820, the territory of present-day Uruguay was invaded and  conquered by the [[Portuguese Empire]] during the [[Portuguese conquest of the Banda Oriental]]. Uruguay was formally annexed firstly by the [[Portuguese Empire]] in 1821 and secondly by the [[Empire of Brazil]] in 1822 as a Brazilian province under the name [[Cisplatina]]. Uruguay declared independence from the Empire of Brazil on August 25, 1825, but its independence was officially recognized on August 27, 1828 by the [[Preliminary Peace Convention (1828)|Preliminary Peace Convention]]. Uruguay celebrates August 25, 1825 as its independence day.</ref>
 | [[José Gervasio Artigas]];<br />[[Juan Antonio Lavalleja]]
 | [[Battle of Las Piedras (1811)|Battle of Las Piedras]];<br />[[Cisplatine War]]
|-
| {{flag|Dominican Republic}}<ref group=note>On March 18, 1861, the Dominican Republic under Pedro Santana formally rejoined the Spanish Empire as a colony. This proved to be very unpopular among the Dominican people, and on August 16, 1865, the Dominican Republic became independent once again.</ref>
 | [[Spanish occupation of the Dominican Republic|Captaincy General of Santo Domingo]]
 | {{flag|Spanish Empire}}
 | August 16, 1865<ref group=note>Celebrated as Restoration Day.</ref>
 | [[José María Cabral]]
 | [[Dominican Restoration War]]
|-
| {{flag|Canada}}
 | {{flagicon image|Flag of the United Kingdom.svg}} [[Province of Canada]]<br />{{flagicon image|Flag of the United Kingdom.svg}} [[New Brunswick]]<br />{{flagicon image|Flag of the United Kingdom.svg}} [[Nova Scotia]]
 | {{flag|United Kingdom}}
 | July 1, 1867<ref group=note>Celebrated as [[Canada Day]]. The Dominion of Canada was constituted through the [[Constitution Act, 1867]] entering into force on July 1, 1867. On December 11, 1931, it got increased self-governance powers through the [[Statute of Westminster 1931|Statute of Westminster]], followed by complete sovereignty on April 17, 1982, after the passage of the [[Canada Act 1982]]. Because of these decades-long steps, Canada Day is not considered to be a celebration of Canada's independence (although it is usually celebrated as such).</ref>
 | [[John A. Macdonald]]<ref group=note>[[R. B. Bennett]] and [[Pierre Trudeau]] were respectively the Prime Minister on the date of passage of the Statute of Westminster and the Canada Act.</ref>
 | [[Canadian Confederation]]<ref group=note>The [[Rebellions of 1837]] were a pair of Canadian armed uprisings that occurred in 1837 and 1838 in response to frustrations in political reform.</ref>
|-
| {{flag|Cuba}}
 | {{flagicon|Restoration (Spain)}} [[Captaincy General of Cuba]]
 | {{flagcountry|Restoration (Spain)}}<ref group=note>''De jure''. ''De facto'' the {{flag|United States}}.</ref>
 | December 10, 1898<ref group=note>[[Treaty of Paris (1898)|Date marking the end of Spanish rule over Cuba.]] Not celebrated as a holiday. From this date to May 20, 1902, Cuba was occupied by the United States, supposedly to help Cuba prepare for independence. However, the terms of the [[Platt Amendment]] meant that the United States continued to dominate Cuba long after independence, including [[Second Occupation of Cuba|another period of occupation]]. This dominance would last until the end of the [[Cuban Revolution]] on January 1, 1959. As a result, Cuba celebrates the date October 10, 1868, as its date of independence, when [[Carlos Manuel de Céspedes]] formally declared Cuba's independence and launched the [[Ten Years' War]].</ref> 
 | [[Tomás Estrada Palma]]<ref group=note>Assumed office on May 20, 1902 as President. Although [[Fidel Castro]] was the ''de facto'' leader of Cuba in the aftermath of the Cuban Revolution, he would not assume office until February 16, 1959, as Prime Minister. [[Manuel Urrutia Lleó]] was sworn in as President two days after the end of the Cuban Revolution.</ref>
 | [[Cuban War of Independence]]<ref group=note>The [[Ten Years' War]] was an earlier armed uprising that failed to gain independence from Spain.</ref>
|-
| {{flag|Jamaica}}
 | {{flag|Jamaica|1957}}
 |rowspan="6"| {{flag|United Kingdom}}
 | August 6, 1962
 | [[Alexander Bustamante]]
 | -<ref group=note>See [[Independence of Jamaica]].</ref>
|-
| {{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}}
 | {{flag|Trinidad and Tobago|colonial}}
 | August 31, 1962<ref group=note>Abolished its commonwealth monarchy on August 1, 1976.</ref>
 | [[Eric Williams]]
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Guyana}}
 | {{flag|British Guiana}}
 | May 26, 1966<ref group=note>Abolished its commonwealth monarchy on February 23, 1970.</ref>
 | [[Forbes Burnham]]<ref group=note>Remained Prime Minister when Guyana abolished its monarchy. [[Arthur Chung]] was sworn in as President on March 17, 1970. From the abolition of Guyana's monarchy and Chung's inauguration [[Edward Luckhoo]] served as Acting President.</ref>
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Barbados}}
 | {{flag|Barbados|1885}}
 | November 30, 1966<ref group=note>Abolished its commonwealth monarchy on November 30, 2021.</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Faulconbridge|first1=Guy|last2=Ellsworth|first2=Brian|date=2021-11-30|title=Barbados ditches Britain's Queen Elizabeth to become a republic|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/prince-charles-travels-barbados-celebrate-creation-republic-2021-11-29/|access-date=2021-12-05|archive-date=November 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130210039/https://www.reuters.com/world/prince-charles-travels-barbados-celebrate-creation-republic-2021-11-29/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 | [[Errol Barrow]]
 | [[Barbados Independence Act 1966]]
|-
| {{flag|Bahamas}}
 | {{flag|Bahamas|1953}}
 | July 10, 1973
 | [[Lynden Pindling]]
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Grenada}}
 | {{flag|British Windward Islands}}
 | February 7, 1974
 | [[Eric Gairy]]
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Suriname}}
 | {{flag|Dutch Guiana}}
 | {{flag|Netherlands}}
 | November 25, 1975
 | [[Johan Ferrier]]
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Dominica}}
 |rowspan="3"| {{flag|British Windward Islands}}
 |rowspan="6"| {{flag|United Kingdom}}
 | November 3, 1978
 | [[Patrick John]]
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Saint Lucia}}
 | February 22, 1979
 | [[John Compton]]
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}}
 | October 27, 1979
 | [[Milton Cato]]
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Belize}}
 | {{flag|British Honduras}}
 | September 21, 1981
 | [[George Cadle Price]]
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Antigua and Barbuda}}
 |rowspan="2"| {{flag|British Leeward Islands}}
 | November 1, 1981
 | [[Vere Bird]]
 | -
|-
| {{flag|Saint Kitts and Nevis}}
 | September 19, 1983
 | [[Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw]]
 | -
|}

==North America==
This is a '''list of all present [[sovereign state]]s in North America and their predecessors'''. The division between North and South America is unclear, generally viewed as lying somewhere in the [[Isthmus of Panama]], however, the [[Caribbean Islands]], Central America including the whole of [[Panama]] is considered to be part of North America as its southernmost nation. The continent was [[Colony|colonized]] by the [[European colonization of the Americas|Europeans]]: Mainly by the [[Spanish colonization of the Americas|Spaniards]], the [[French colonization of the Americas|French]], the [[English colonization of the Americas|English]] and the [[Dutch colonization of the Americas|Dutch]]. The United States of America gained its independence in [[American Revolutionary War]]; most of nations in [[Central America]] gained [[Spanish American wars of independence|independence]] in the early 19th century; Canada and many other island countries in the [[Caribbean Sea]] (most of them were British colonies) gained their independence in 20th century. Today, North America consists of twenty-two sovereign states with common government system being some form of [[Presidential system|presidential republic]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Sovereign state
! Predecessors
|-
| [[Antigua and Barbuda]]
| [[File:Flag of Leeward Islands (1952–1958).svg|24px]] [[History of Antigua and Barbuda#European colonization|Colony of Antigua]] (1671–1816; 1833–1958) ''(part of [[British Leeward Islands]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of Leeward Islands (1952–1958).svg|24px]] [[History of Antigua and Barbuda#European colonization|Colony of Barbuda]] (1671–1816; 1833–1958) ''(part of [[British Leeward Islands]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of the West Indies Federation.svg|24px]] Part of [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>[[File:Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg|24px]] [[History of Antigua and Barbuda#Political development|Colony of Antigua]] (1962–1981) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] since 1967)''<br/>'''{{flag|Antigua and Barbuda}}''' (1981–present) ''([[Commonwealth realm]])''
|-
| [[The Bahamas|Bahamas, The]]
| {{Flagicon|Kingdom of England|variant=1648}} [[Eleutheran Adventurers|Colony of the Bahamas]] (1648–1717)<br/>[[File:Flag of the Bahamas (1953-1964).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of the Bahamas.svg|24px]] [[History of the Bahamas#Reclaiming Bahamas for the Crown|Colony of the Bahamas]] (1717–1973)<br />'''{{flag|Bahamas|name= Commonwealth of the Bahamas}}''' (1973–present)
|-
| [[Barbados]]
| [[File:Flag of the British Windward Islands (1903-1958).png|24px]] [[History of Barbados|Colony of Barbados]] (1625–1885) ''(part of [[British Windward Islands]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of Barbados (1870–1966).svg|24px]] [[History of Barbados#Colony of Barbados1800s – 1920s|Colony of Barbados]] (1885–1958; 1962–1966) ''(separated Crown colony)''<br />[[File:Flag of the West Indies Federation.svg|24px]] Part of [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br />'''{{flag|Barbados}}''' (1966–present)
|-
| [[Belize]]
| [[File:Flag of British Honduras (1919–1981).svg|24px]] [[British Honduras]] (1862–1973)<br/>[[File:Flag of British Honduras (1919–1981).svg|24px]] [[British Honduras|Belize]] (1973–1981) ''(British self-governing colony)''<br/>'''{{flag|Belize}}''' (1981–present) ''([[Commonwealth realm]])''
|-
| [[Canada]]
| [[File:Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg|24px]] [[Canada (New France)|New France]] (1535–1763) ''(a [[French Colonial Empire|French colony]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of Great Britain.svg|24px]] [[Province of Quebec (1763–1791)|Province of Quebec]] (1763–1791)<br/>{{flagdeco|UK|civil}} [[Upper Canada|Province of Upper Canada]] (1791–1841)<br/>{{flagdeco|UK|civil}} [[Lower Canada|Province of Lower Canada]] (1791–1841)<br/>[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|24px]] [[United Province of Canada]] (1841–1867)<br/>[[File:Hudsons Bay Company Flag.svg|24px]] [[Rupert's Land]] (1670–1870) ''(a territory of the [[Hudson's Bay Company]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|24px]] [[North-Western Territory]] (1859–1870)<br/>[[File:Flag of the Colony of British Columbia.svg|24px]] [[Colony of British Columbia (1866–71)|Colony of British Columbia]] (1858–1871) ''(included the [[Colony of Vancouver Island]] and former [[Colony of British Columbia (1858–66)|British Columbia]] since 1866)''<br />[[Provisional Government of Saskatchewan]] (1885) ''(unrecognized [[Métis]] republic defeated in the [[North-West Rebellion]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|24px]] [[Newfoundland Colony]] (1610–1907)<br/>[[File:Flag of the Dominion of Newfoundland.svg|24px]] [[Dominion of Newfoundland]] (1907–1949) ''(a [[dominion]] within [[British Empire]] 1907–1934, a dependency of United Kingdom 1934–1949)''<br/>{{flagdeco|UK}} [[File:Canadian Red Ensign 1868-1921.svg|24px]] [[File:Canadian Red Ensign 1921-1957.svg|24px]] [[File:Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965).svg|24px]] '''{{flag|Canada}}''' (1867–present) ''(before the [[Second World War]] the term '''Dominion of Canada''' were also used)''
|-
| [[Costa Rica]]
| [[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] Part of [[Real Audiencia of Guatemala]] (1543–1609) ''(part of [[New Spain]])''<br />[[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] Part of [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] (1609–1821) ''(part of [[New Spain]])''<br />[[File:Bandera del Primer Imperio Mexicano.svg|24px]] Part of [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] ([[Central America under Mexican rule|1822–1823]])<br />[[File:Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg|24px]] Part of [[Federal Republic of Central America]] (1823–1838)<br />[[File:Flag of Costa Rica (1840-1842).svg|24px]][[File:Flag of Costa Rica (1842-1848).svg|24px]][[Free State of Costa Rica]] (1838–1847)<br />[[File:Flag of Costa Rica (1848-1906).svg|24px]][[First Costa Rican Republic]] (1848–1948)<br />'''{{flag|Costa Rica|name= Second Costa Rican Republic}}''' (1949–present)
|-
| [[Cuba]]
| [[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] Part of [[Captaincy General of Santo Domingo]] (1512–1607)<br />[[File:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|24px]] [[Captaincy General of Cuba]] (1607–1898)<br />[[File:Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg|24px]] [[United States Military Government in Cuba]] (1898–1902)<br />[[File:Flag of Cuba (sky blue).svg|24px]] [[Republic of Cuba (1902–1959)]] (1902–1959)<br />'''{{flag|Cuba|name= Republic of Cuba}}''' (1959–present)
|-
| [[Dominica]]
| [[File:Flag of Leeward Islands (1952–1958).svg|24px]] [[History of Dominica#British colony: 1763–1978|Colony of Dominica]] (part of [[British Leeward Islands]] 1871–1958) (1763–1958)<br/>[[File:Flag of the West Indies Federation.svg|24px]] Part of [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>[[File:Flag of Dominica.svg|24px]] [[History of Dominica#British colony: 1763–1978|Dominica]] (1962–1978) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] since 1967)''<br/>'''{{flag|Dominica|name=Commonwealth of Dominica}}''' (1978–present)
|-
| [[Dominican Republic]]
| [[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] [[Captaincy General of Santo Domingo]] (1492–1795)<br />[[File:Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of France.svg|24px]] [[Era de Francia|French Santo Domingo]](1795–1809)<br />[[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] [[España Boba|Captaincy General of Santo Domingo]] (1809–1821)<br />[[File:Flag of Spanish Haiti.svg|24px]] [[Republic of Spanish Haiti]] (1821–1822)<br />[[File:Flag of Haiti.svg|24px]] Occupied by [[Unification of Hispaniola|Haiti]] (1822–1844)<br />[[File:Flag of the Dominican Republic (up to 1844).svg|24px]] [[Dominican Republic]] (1844–1861)<br />[[File:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|24px]] Occupied by [[Spanish occupation of the Dominican Republic|Spain]] (1861–1865)<br />'''{{flag|Dominican Republic}}''' (1865–present)
|-
| [[El Salvador]]
| [[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] Part of [[Real Audiencia of Guatemala]] (1543–1609) ''(part of [[New Spain]])''<br />[[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] Part of [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] (1609–1821) ''(part of [[New Spain]])''<br />[[File:Bandera del Primer Imperio Mexicano.svg|24px]] Part of [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] ([[Central America under Mexican rule|1822–1823]])<br />[[File:Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg|24px]] Part of [[Federal Republic of Central America]] (1823–1841)<br/>[[File:Flag of Costa Rica (1840-1842).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of Costa Rica (1842-1848).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of El Salvador (1875-1877).svg|24px]] '''{{flag|El Salvador|name= Republic of El Salvador}}''' (1841–present) ''(before 1890 referred to as '''Republic of Salvador''' in English)''
|-
| [[Grenada]]
| [[File:Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg|24px]] [[Grenada#French colony (1649–1763)|French Grenada]] (1649–1763) <br />[[File:Flag of Grenada (1875-1903).svg|24x24px]] [[Grenada#British colony (1763–1974)|British Grenada]] (1763–1958) part of [[File:Flag of the British Windward Islands (1903-1953).svg|24px]] [[British Windward Islands]] 1833–1958)<br />[[File:Flag of the West Indies Federation.svg|24px]] Part of [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>[[File:Flag of Grenada (1903–1967).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of Grenada (1967-1974).svg|24px]] [[Grenada#British colony (1763–1974)|British Grenada]] (1962–1974) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] (since 1967)''<br />''{{flag|Grenada}}'' ([[Commonwealth realm]]) (1974–present)
|-
| [[Guatemala]]
| [[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] Part of [[Real Audiencia of Guatemala]] (1543–1609)<br />[[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] Part of [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] (1609–1821)<br />[[File:Bandera del Primer Imperio Mexicano.svg|24px]] Part of [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] ([[Central America under Mexican rule|1822–1823]])<br/>[[File:Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg|24px]] Part of [[Federal Republic of Central America]] (1823–1839)<br/>[[File:Flag of Guatemala (1838-1843).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of Guatemala (1843-1851).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of Guatemala (1851-1858).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of Guatemala (1858–1871).svg|24px]] '''{{flag|Guatemala|name= Republic of Guatemala}}''' (1839–present)
|-
| [[Haiti]]
| [[File:Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of France.svg|24px]] [[Saint-Domingue|Colony of Saint-Domingue]] (1625–1804)<br/>[[File:Flag of Haiti 1964 (civil).svg|24px]] [[First Empire of Haiti|Empire of Haiti]] (1804–1806)<br/>[[File:Flag of Haiti (1806-1811).svg|24px]] [[State of Haiti]] (1806–1811) ''(northern [[Haiti]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of Haiti (1814-1820).svg|24px]] [[Kingdom of Haiti]] (1811–1820)<br />[[File:Flag of Haiti.svg|24px]] [[Haiti|Republic of Haiti]] (1806–1849) ''(included [[Kingdom of Haiti|northern Haiti]] since 1820; [[Unification of Hispaniola|with Dominican Republic annexed]] 1822–1844)''<br />[[File:Flag of Haiti (1849-1859).png|24px]] [[Second Empire of Haiti|Empire of Haiti]] (1849–1859)<br/>[[File:Flag of Haiti (1964-1986).svg|24px]] '''{{flag|Haiti|name= Republic of Haiti}}''' (1859–present) ''(occupied by [[United States occupation of Haiti|United States]] 1915–1934)''
|-
| [[Honduras]]
| [[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] Part of [[Real Audiencia of Guatemala]] (1543–1609)<br />[[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] Part of [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] (1609–1821)<br />[[File:Bandera del Primer Imperio Mexicano.svg|24px]] Part of [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] ([[Central America under Mexican rule|1822–1823]])<br/>[[File:Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg|24px]] Part of [[Federal Republic of Central America]] (1823–1838)<br/>{{flagicon|Honduras|1839}} {{flagicon|Honduras|1866}} {{flagicon|Honduras|1949}} '''{{flag|Honduras|name= Republic of Honduras}}''' (1838–present)
|-
| [[Jamaica]]
| [[File:Flag of Jamaica (1875–1906).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of Jamaica (1906–1957).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of Jamaica (1957–1962).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of Jamaica (1962).svg|24px]] [[Colony of Jamaica]] (1655–1962)<br/>'''{{flag|Jamaica}}''' (1962–present) ''([[Commonwealth realm]])''
|-
| [[Mexico]]
| [[Aztec Empire]]<br/> [[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] [[New Spain|Viceroyalty of New Spain]] (1521–1821)<br/>[[File:Bandera del Primer Imperio Mexicano.svg|24px]] [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] (1821–1823)<br/>[[File:Flag of Mexico (1823-1864, 1867-1893).svg|24px]] [[Provisional Government of Mexico (1823–24)|Provisional Government of Mexico]] (1823–1824)<br/>[[File:Bandera Histórica de la República Mexicana (1824-1918).svg|24px]] [[First Mexican Republic|United Mexican States]] (1824–1835)<br/>[[File:Flag of Mexico (1823-1864, 1867-1893).svg|24px]] [[Centralist Republic of Mexico|Mexican Republic]] (1835–1846)<br/>[[File:Bandera Histórica de la República Mexicana (1824-1918).svg|24px]] [[Second Federal Republic of Mexico|United Mexican States]] (1846–1863)<br/>[[File:Bandera del Segundo Imperio Mexicano (1864-1867).svg|24px]] [[Second Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] (1863–1867)<br/>'''{{flag|Mexico|name= United Mexican States}}''' (1867–present)
|-
| [[Nicaragua]]
| [[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] Part of [[Real Audiencia of Guatemala]] (1543–1609)<br />[[File:Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg|24px]] Part of [[Captaincy General of Guatemala]] (1609–1821)<br />[[File:Bandera del Primer Imperio Mexicano.svg|24px]] Part of [[First Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]] ([[Central America under Mexican rule|1822–1823]])<br/>[[File:Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America.svg|24px]] Part of [[Federal Republic of Central America]] (1823–1838)<br/>[[File:Flag of Nicaragua (1839-1858).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of Nicaragua (1858-1889 and 1893-1896).svg|24px]] '''{{flag|Nicaragua|name= Republic of Nicaragua}}''' (1838–present)
|-
| [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]
| [[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|24px]] [[Saint Kitts|Colony of Saint Christopher]] (1623–1882) ''(since 1833 part of [[File:Flag of Leeward Islands (1952–1958).svg|24px]] [[British Leeward Islands]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|24px]] [[Nevis|Colony of Nevis]] (1628–1882) ''(since 1833 part of [[File:Flag of Leeward Islands (1952–1958).svg|24px]] [[British Leeward Islands]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|24px]] Colony of [[Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla]] (1882–1958) ''(part of [[File:Flag of Leeward Islands (1952–1958).svg|24px]] [[British Leeward Islands]]; [[Anguilla]] separated from 1882 to 1951)''<br/>[[File:Flag of the West Indies Federation.svg|24px]] Part of [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>[[File:Flag of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla.svg|24px]] [[Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla]] (1962–1983) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] since 1967; [[Anguilla]] separated since 1980)''<br/>'''{{flag|Saint Kitts and Nevis|name=Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis}}''' (1983–present) ''(also known as the '''Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis''')''
|-
| [[Saint Lucia]]
| [[File:Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg|24px]] [[History of Saint Lucia#18th century|Colony of Sainte Lucie]] (1674–1814)<br/>[[File:Flag of Saint Lucia (1939–1967).svg|24px]] [[History of Saint Lucia#18th century|Colony of Saint Lucia]] (1814–1958) ''(since 1838 part of [[File:Flag of the British Windward Islands (1903-1958).png|24px]] [[British Windward Islands]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of the West Indies Federation.svg|24px]] Part of [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>[[File:Flag of Saint Lucia (1939–1967).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of Saint Lucia (1967-1979).svg|24px]] [[History of Saint Lucia#20th century to 21st century|Colony of Saint Lucia]] (1962–1979) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] since 1967)''<br />'''{{flag|Saint Lucia}}''' ([[Commonwealth realm]]) (1979–present)
|-
| [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]
| [[File:Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1907-1979).svg|24px]] [[History of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines#British colony|Colony of Saint Vincent]] (1763–1958) ''(since 1838 part of [[File:Flag of the British Windward Islands (1903-1958).png|24px]] [[British Windward Islands]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of the West Indies Federation.svg|24px]] Part of [[West Indies Federation]] (1958–1962)<br/>[[File:Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1907-1979).svg|24px]] [[History of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines#Self-rule and independence|Colony of Saint Vincent]] (1962–1979) ''([[West Indies Associated States|Associated State]] since 1967)''<br/>[[File:Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1979-1985).svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1985).svg|24px]] '''{{flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}}''' (1979–present) ''([[Commonwealth realm]])''
|-
| [[United States]]

| [[File:Flag of Great Britain (1707-1800).svg|24px]] [[Thirteen Colonies]] (1732–1776)<br/>-[[Province of New Hampshire]]<br/>-[[Province of Massachusetts Bay]]<br />-[[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]]<br />-[[Connecticut Colony]]<br />-[[Province of New York]]<br />-[[Province of New Jersey]]<br />-[[Province of Pennsylvania]]<br />-[[Delaware Colony]]<br />-[[Province of Maryland]]<br />-[[Colony of Virginia]]<br />-[[Province of Carolina]]<br />-[[Province of North Carolina]]<br />-[[Province of South Carolina]]<br />-[[Province of Georgia]]<br />[[File:Flag of Vermont Republic.svg|24px]] [[Vermont Republic]] (1777–1791)<br/>[[File:West Florida Flag.svg|24px]] [[Republic of West Florida]] (1810)<br/>[[Republic of Indian Stream]] (1832–1835)<br/>[[File:Flag of Texas.svg|24px]] [[Republic of Texas]] (1836–1846)<br/>[[File:1stBearFlag.svg|24px]] [[California Republic]] (1846)<br/>[[File:Flag of Hawaii.svg|24px]] [[Kingdom of Hawaii]] (1795–1893), [[Republic of Hawaii]] (1894–1898)<br/>[[File:Grand Union Flag.svg|24px]] [[File:US flag 13 stars – Betsy Ross.svg|24px]] [[File:Star-Spangled Banner flag.svg|24px]] [[File:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg|24px]] '''{{flag|United States|name=United States of America}}''' (1776–present)
|}

==South America==
This is a '''list of all present [[sovereign state]]s in [[South America]] and their predecessors'''. The division between North and South America is unclear, generally viewed as lying somewhere in the [[Isthmus of Panama]], however, the whole of [[Panama]] is considered to be part of North America as its southernmost nation. The continent was [[Colony|colonized]] by the [[European colonization of the Americas|Europeans]]: First by the [[Spanish colonization of the Americas|Spaniards]], and the [[Portuguese colonization of the Americas|Portuguese]]; and later by the [[Dutch colonization of the Americas|Dutch]], the [[French colonization of the Americas|French]], and the [[English colonization of the Americas|English]]. Most of the present-day nations gained [[Spanish American wars of independence|independence]] in the early 19th century. Today, South America consists of twelve sovereign states with common government system being some form of [[Presidential system|presidential republic]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Sovereign state
! Predecessors
|-
| [[Argentina]]
| [[File:Flag of New Spain.svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of Peru]] (1542–1776) ''([[Viceroyalty]] of the [[Crown of Castile]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata]] (1776–1810) ''([[Viceroyalty]] of the [[Spanish Empire]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of Argentina (civil).svg|24px]] [[United Provinces of the Río de la Plata]] (1810–1831)<br/>[[File:Flag of the Argentine Confederation.svg|24px]] [[Argentine Confederation]] (1831–1861)<br/>'''{{flag|Argentina|name= Argentine Republic}}''' (1861–present)
|-
| [[Bolivia]]
| [[File:Flag of New Spain.svg|24px]]  [[Governorate of New Toledo]] (1528–1542)<br/>[[File:Flag of New Spain.svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of Peru]] (1542–1776) ''([[Viceroyalty]] of the [[Crown of Castile]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata]] (1776–1810) ''([[Viceroyalty]] of the [[Spanish Empire]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of Peru]] (1810–1825) ''([[Viceroyalty]] of the [[Spanish Empire]])''<br/>{{flag|Bolivia|name= Republic of Bolivia}} (1825–2009)<br/>'''{{flag|Bolivia|name= Plurinational State of Bolivia}}''' (2009–present)
|-
| [[Brazil]]
| [[File:Flag Princes of Brazil.svg|24px]] [[Colonial Brazil]] (1500–1815) ''([[colony]] of [[Kingdom of Portugal|Portugal]])''<br/>[[File:Flag United Kingdom Portugal Brazil Algarves.svg|24px]] [[United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves]] (1815–1822)<br/>[[File:Flag of Empire of Brazil (1870-1889).svg|24px]] [[Empire of Brazil]] (1822–1889)<br/>[[File:Flag of Brazil.svg|24px]] [[First Brazilian Republic|Republic of the United States of Brazil]] (1889–1930)<br/>[[File:Flag of Brazil.svg|24px]] [[Vargas Era|Republic of the United States of Brazil]] (1930–1946) ''(renamed "United States of Brazil" in 1937)''<br/>[[File:Flag of Brazil.svg|24px]] [[Second Brazilian Republic|United States of Brazil]] (1946–1964)<br/>[[File:Flag of Brazil.svg|24px]] [[Brazilian military government|United States of Brazil]] (1964–1989) ''([[military dictatorship]], renamed "Federative Republic of Brazil" in 1967)''<br/>'''{{flag|Brazil|name= Federative Republic of Brazil}}''' (1889–present)
|-
| [[Chile]]
| [[File:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|24px]] [[Captaincy General of Chile]] (1542–1818)<br/>'''{{flag|Chile|name= Republic of Chile}}''' (1818–present)
|-
| [[Colombia]]
| [[File:Bandera de la confederacion muisca.png|24px]] [[Muisca Confederation]] (~1450–1540)<br />[[File:Flag of New Spain.svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of Peru]] (1542–1717)<br/>[[File:Bandera de Costas.svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of New Granada]] (1717–1819)<br/>[[File:Flag of the Gran Colombia (1822 proposal).svg|24px]] [[Gran Colombia]] (1819–1831)<br/>[[File:Flag of New Granada.svg|24px]] [[Republic of New Granada]] (1831–1858)<br/>[[File:Flag of New Granada.svg|24px]] [[Granadine Confederation]] (1858–1863)<br/>[[File:Flag of Colombia.svg|24px]] [[United States of Colombia]] (1863–1886)<br/>'''{{flag|Colombia|name= Republic of Colombia}}''' (1886–present)
|-
| [[Ecuador]]
| [[File:Flag of New Spain.svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of Peru]] (1542–1717)<br/>[[File:Bandera de Costas.svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of New Granada]] (1717–1822)<br/>[[File:Flag_of_the_Gran_Colombia_(1819-1820).svg|24px]] [[Gran Colombia]] (1822–1830)<br/>'''{{flag|Ecuador|name= Republic of Ecuador}}''' (1830–present)
|-
| [[Guyana]]
| [[File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg|24px]] [[Essequibo (colony)|Colony of Essequibo]] (1616–1815), [[File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg|24px]] [[Berbice]] (1627–1815) & [[File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg|24px]] [[Demerara|Colony of Demerara]] (1745–1815) ''(all [[Dutch Empire|Dutch colonies]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of British guiana 1919-1954.gif|24px]] [[British Guiana]] (1814–1966)<br/>[[File:Flag of Guyana.svg|24px]] [[Guyana (Commonwealth realm)|Commonwealth Realm of Guyana]] (1966–1970)<br/>'''{{flag|Guyana|name= Co-operative Republic of Guyana}}''' (1970–present)
|-
| [[Panama]]
| [[File:Flag of New Spain.svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of Peru]] (1542–1717)<br/>[[File:Bandera de Costas.svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of New Granada]] (1717–1819)<br/>[[File:Flag of the Gran Colombia (1822 proposal).svg|24px]] [[Gran Colombia]] (1819–1831)<br/>[[File:Flag of New Granada.svg|24px]] [[Republic of New Granada]] (1831–1858)<br/>[[File:Flag of New Granada.svg|24px]] [[Granadine Confederation]] (1858–1863)<br/>[[File:Flag of Colombia.svg|24px]] [[United States of Colombia]] (1863–1906)<br/>'''{{flag|Panama|name= Republic of Panama}}''' (1906–present)
|-
| [[Paraguay]]
| [[File:Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata]] (1776–1814)<br/>'''{{flag|Paraguay|name= Republic of Paraguay}}''' (1814–present)
|-
| [[Peru]]
| [[File:Banner of the Inca Empire.svg|24px]] [[Inca Empire]] (1438–1533)<br/>[[File:Flag of New Spain.svg|24px]] [[Governorate of New Castile]] (1528–1542) & [[File:Flag of New Spain.svg|24px]] [[Governorate of New Toledo]] (1528–1542) ''(both [[Spanish Empire|Spanish colonies]])''<br/>[[File:Flag of New Spain.svg|22x20px]] [[Viceroyalty of Peru]] (1542–1824)<br/>'''{{flag|Peru|name= Republic of Peru}}''' (1824–present)
|-
| [[Suriname]]
| [[File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg|24px]] [[Surinam (Dutch colony)|Colony of Surinam]] (1630–1954)<br/>[[File:Flag of Dutch Guyana.svg|24px]] [[Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands)|Country of Suriname]] (1954–1975) ''([[Kingdom of the Netherlands#Constituent countries|constituent country]] of the [[Kingdom of the Netherlands]])'''<br/>'''{{flag|Suriname|name= Republic of Suriname}}''' (1975–present)
|-
| [[Trinidad and Tobago]]
| [[File:Bandera de Costas.svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of New Granada]] (1717–1797)<br/>[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|24px]] [[British West Indies]] (1797–1962)<br/>'''{{flag|Trinidad and Tobago|name= Republic of Trinidad and Tobago}}''' (1962–present)
|-
| [[Uruguay]]
| [[File:Flag of Argentina (civil).svg|24px]]  [[United Provinces of the Río de la Plata]] (1810–1816)<br/>[[File:Flag United Kingdom Portugal Brazil Algarves.svg|24px]] [[United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves]] (1816–1822)<br/>[[File:Flag of Empire of Brazil (1870-1889).svg|24px]] [[Empire of Brazil]] (1822–1828)<br/>'''{{flag|Uruguay|name= Eastern Republic of Uruguay}}''' (1828–present)
|-
| [[Venezuela]]
| [[File:Bandera de Costas.svg|24px]] [[Viceroyalty of New Granada]] (1717–1819)<br/>[[File:Flag_of_the_Gran_Colombia_(1819-1820).svg|24px]] [[Gran Colombia]] (1819–1828)<br/>'''{{flag|Venezuela|name= Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela}}''' (1828–present) ''(renamed from "Republic of Venezuela" in 1999)''
|}

==World reaction==
{{Expand section|date=June 2008}}

===United States and Great Britain===
Great Britain and the United States were rivals for influence in the newly independent sovereign nations.<ref>Fred Rippy, ''Rivalry of the U.S. and Great Britain over Latin America (1808–1830)'' New York, Octagon Press, 1964 [c1929].</ref> As a result of the successful revolutions which established so many newly independent nations, United States President [[James Monroe]] and the Secretary of State [[John Quincy Adams]] drafted the [[Monroe Doctrine]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2017}} It stated that the United States would not tolerate any European interference in the [[Western Hemisphere]]. This measure ostensibly was taken to safeguard the newfound liberties of these new countries, but it was also taken as a precautionary measure against the intrusion of European states.{{Citation needed| reason = This is the author's opinion, which can be contested with the premise that the doctrine was aimed to conquer Mexico. |date=October 2014}} Since the United States was a newly founded nation, it could not prevent other European powers from interfering, for that the United States looked for Britain's help and support to execute the Monroe Doctrine into action.

Great Britain's trade with Latin America greatly expanded during the revolutionary period, which until then was restricted due to Spanish [[mercantilism|mercantilist]] trade policies. British pressure was sufficient to prevent Spain from attempting any serious reassertion of its control over its lost colonies.

===Attempts at hemispheric unity===
{{main|Latin American integration}}

The notion of closer Spanish American cooperation and unity was first put forward by the Liberator [[Simón Bolívar]] who, in 1826 [[Congress of Panama]], proposed the creation of a league of American republics, with a common military, a mutual defense pact, and a supranational parliamentary assembly. This meeting was attended by representatives of [[Great Colombia|Gran Colombia]] (comprising the modern-day nations of Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela), [[Peru]], the [[United Provinces of Central America]] ([[Guatemala]], [[El Salvador]], [[Honduras]], [[Nicaragua]], and [[Costa Rica]]), and [[Mexico]]. Nevertheless, the great distances and geographical barriers, not to mention the different national and regional interests, made union impossible.

Sixty-three years later the Commercial Bureau of the American Republics was established. It was renamed the International Commercial Bureau at the Second International Conference of 1901–1902. These two bodies, in existence as of 14 April 1890, represent the point of inception of today's [[Organization of American States]].

==See also==
* [[Colonialism]]
* [[Decolonization]]
* [[Decolonization of public space]]
* [[Wars of national liberation]]
* [[Predecessors of sovereign states in South America]]
* [[Creole nationalism]]
* [[Spanish Empire]]
* [[Libertadores]]
* [[Spanish reconquest of Mexico]]
* [[Royalist (Spanish American Revolution)|Spanish American Royalists]]
* [[Wars of national liberation]]
* [[History of Central America]]
* [[History of South America]]
* [[History of Cuba]]
* [[History of the Dominican Republic]]
* [[History of Puerto Rico]]
* [[Age of Revolution]]
* [[Territorial evolution of the Caribbean]]
* [[Spanish American wars of independence]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Andrien, Kenneth J. and Lyman, L. Johnson. ''The Political Economy of Spanish America in the Age of Revolution, 1750&ndash;1850''. Albuquerque, University of New Mexico Press, 1994. {{ISBN|978-0-8263-1489-5}}
* Bethell, Leslie. ''From Independence to 1870''. The Cambridge History of Latin America, Vol. 3. Cambridge University Press, 1987. {{ISBN|0-521-34128-0}}
* Burns, Bradford E. ''The Poverty of Progress: Latin America in the Nineteenth Century''. Berkeley, University of California Press, 1980. {{ISBN|978-0-520-04160-8}}
* Brown, Matthew. ''Adventuring through Spanish Colonies: Simón Bolívar, Foreign Mercenaries and the Birth of New Nations''. Liverpool University Press, 2006. {{ISBN|1-84631-044-X}}
* Bushnell, David, and Macaulay, Neill. ''The Emergence of Latin America in the Nineteenth Century'' (2nd edition). Oxford University Press, 1994. {{ISBN|0-19-508402-0}}
* Chasteen, John Charles. ''Americanos: Latin America's Struggle for Independence''. Oxford University Press, 2008. {{ISBN|978-0-19-517881-4}}
* Costeloe, Michael P. . ''Response to Revolution: Imperial Spain and the Spanish American Revolutions, 1810&ndash;1840''. Cambridge University Press, 1986. {{ISBN|978-0-521-32083-2}}
* Graham, Richard. ''Independence in Latin America: A Comparative Approach'' (2nd edition). McGraw-Hill, 1994. {{ISBN|0-07-024008-6}}
* Harvey, Robert. "Liberators: Latin America`s Struggle For Independence, 1810&ndash;1830". John Murray, London (2000). {{ISBN|0-7195-5566-3}}
* Hasbrouck, Alfred. ''Foreign Legionaries in the Liberation of Spanish South America''. New York: Octagon Books, 1969.
* Higgins, James (editor). ''The Emancipation of Peru: British Eyewitness Accounts'', 2014. Online at https://sites.google.com/site/jhemanperu
* Humphreys, R. A., and Lynch, John (editors). ''The Origins of the Latin American Revolutions, 1808&ndash;1826''. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1965.
* Kaufman, William W.. ''British Policy and the Independence of Latin America, 1804&ndash;1828''. New Haven, Yale University Press, 1951.
* Kinsbruner, Jay. ''Independence in Spanish America''. 1994
* Lynch, John. ''The Spanish American Revolutions, 1808-1826, 2nd ed.''. 1986
* Robertson, William Spence. ''France and Latin American Independence''. New York, Octagon, [1939] 1967.
* Savelle, Max. ''Empires to Nations: Expansion in America, 1713&ndash;1824''. Europe and the World in the Age of Expansion, Vol. 5. Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press, 1974. {{ISBN|978-0-8166-0709-9}}
* Uribe, Victor M. "The Enigma of Latin American Independence: Analyses of the Last Ten Years," ''Latin American Research Review'' (1997) 32#1 pp.&nbsp;236–255 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2504056 in JSTOR]
* Whitaker, Arthur P. ''The United States and the Independence of Latin America, 1800&ndash;1830''. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1941.
* Zea, Leopoldo. ''The Latin-American Mind''. Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1963.

{{Colonization}}
{{Americas topic|Decolonization of}}
{{Latin America topics}}
{{Pan-Americanism}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Decolonization of the Americas}}
[[Category:European colonization of the Americas]]
[[Category:Independence movements]]
[[Category:Decolonization|Americas]]
[[Category:History of the Americas]]
[[Category:Rebellions against the Spanish Empire]]
[[Category:Rebellions against the British Empire]]
[[Category:Decolonization by region|Americas]]
[[Category:Spanish colonization of the Americas]]