National Day
381050
225463245
2008-07-13T20:46:01Z
79.116.200.4
/* I */
{{Unreferenced|date=May 2007}}
[[Image:Independência ou Morte.jpg|right|thumb|200px|''Independence or Death'', famous painting from [[Pedro Américo]] that celebrates the [[Independence Day]] of [[Brazil]].]]
The '''National Day''' is a designated date on which celebrations mark the [[nationhood]] of a [[nation]] or non-sovereign [[country]]. Often the National Day will be a [[Public holiday|national holiday]].
The National Day is often taken as the date on which a state or territory achieved [[independence]] or the introduction of a democratic constitution. Other dates such as the country's [[patron saint]] day, or a significant historic date are sometimes used. Most countries have a single National Day per year, though a few, for example, [[India]]<ref>See [[National days in India]].</ref> and [[Pakistan]], have more than one. Besides that, each of the two [[special administrative region]]s of the [[People's Republic of China]], namely [[Hong Kong]] and [[Macau|Macao]], celebrate the day of the establishment of the special administrative region, as well as the [[National Day of the People's Republic of China]].
The importance attached to the National Day, and the degree to which it is celebrated, vary enormously from country to country. In [[France]], for example, National Day is [[14 July]] and is known as the Fête nationale (only outside France is it called [[Bastille Day]]). It is widely celebrated and the [[Flag of France|French Tricolour]] is much in evidence, while the [[President of France|President of the Republic]] attends a military parade on the [[Champs-Élysées]] of [[Paris]]. In the [[United States]], the [[Fourth of July]] celebrations are widely celebrated with fireworks and barbecues. In the [[Republic of Ireland]], [[St. Patrick's Day]], [[March 17]], has been the National Day and a Public Holiday for many years, and in recent years it has been observed as a full Public Holiday in [[Northern Ireland]] too. However, in the rest of the [[United Kingdom]] the [[constituent countries]]' [[patron saint]]s' days are low-key affairs. In recent times campaigns have commenced to promote the National Days of [[England]], [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]], with [[St Andrew's Day]] being designated as an official [[bank holiday]] when the [[Scottish Parliament]] passed the [[St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007]]. A [[British Day|national day for the United Kingdom]] has also been proposed in recent years.
Most countries have a fixed date National Day, but some have movable dates. An example here is [[Jamaica]], which celebrates its National Day on the first Monday in August. This commemorates independence from the United Kingdom which was attained on Monday, [[6 August]] [[1962]] - the first Monday in August of that year. Another example is [[Thailand]] which celebrates the birthday of the [[King of Thailand|King]] on [[5 December]]. This date will change on the accession of the heir to the throne.
== List of National Days ==
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! {{MediaWiki:Toc}}:
|[[#A|A]] [[#B|B]] [[#C|C]] [[#D|D]] [[#E|E]] [[#F|F]] [[#G|G]] [[#H|H]] [[#I|I]] [[#J|J]] [[#K|K]] [[#L|L]] [[#M|M]] [[#N|N]] [[#O|O]] [[#P|P]] [[#Q|Q]] [[#R|R]] [[#S|S]] [[#T|T]] [[#U|U]] [[#V|V]] [[#W|W]] [[#Y|Y]] [[#Z|Z]]<br>
[[#See also|See also]] __NOTOC__
|}
===A===
* [[Andalucia]] [[28 February]]
* [[Afghanistan]] [[19 August]]
* [[Albania]] [[28 November]]
* [[Alderney]] [[9 May]]
* [[Algeria]] [[1 November]]
* [[American Samoa]] ([[United States|US]]) [[17 April]]
* [[Andorra]] [[8 September]]
* [[Angola]] [[11 November]]
* [[Anguilla]] [[30 May]]
* [[Antigua and Barbuda]] [[1 November]]
* [[Aragon]] [[23 April]]
* [[Argentina]] [[25 May]] and [[9 July]]
* [[Armenia]] [[28 May]]
* [[Aruba]] ([[Kingdom of the Netherlands|Netherlands]]) [[18 March]]
* [[Assyria]] [[1 April]]
* [[Australia]] [[26 January]] ([[Australia Day]])
* [[Austria]] [[26 October]]
* [[Azerbaijan]] [[28 May]]
===B===
* [[Bahamas]] [[10 July]]
* [[Bahrain]] [[16 December]]
* [[Bangladesh]] [[26 March]]
* [[Barbados]] [[30 November]]
* [[Belarus]] [[3 July]]
* [[Belgium]] [[21 July]]
* [[Belize]] [[10 September]] and [[21 September]]
* [[Benin]] [[1 August]]
* [[Bermuda]] [[24 May]]
* [[Bhutan]] [[17 December]]
* [[Bolivia]] [[6 August]]
* [[Bonaire]] ([[Kingdom of the Netherlands|Netherlands]]) [[6 September]]
* [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] [[1 March]] (''Dan nezavisnosti''; Independence from [[Yugoslavia]] in 1992), [[November 25]] (''Dan državnosti''; Statehood re-established in 1943 from the [[Independent State of Croatia]], a Nazi-puppet state during [[World War II]])
* [[Botswana]] [[30 September]]
* [[Brazil]] [[7 September]]
* [[British Virgin Islands]] [[1 July]]
* [[Brunei]] [[23 February]]
* [[Bulgaria]] [[3 March]]
* [[Burkina Faso]] [[4 August]]
* [[Burma]] (Myanmar) [[4 January]]
* [[Burundi]] [[1 July]]
===C===
* [[Cambodia]] [[9 November]]
* [[National Day (Cameroon)|Cameroon]] [[20 May]]
* [[Canada]] [[1 July]] ([[Canada Day]])
* [[Cape Verde]] [[September 12]]
* [[Cayman Islands]] 1st Monday in July
* [[Catalonia]] [[11 September]]
* [[Central African Republic]] [[1 December]]
* [[Chad]] [[11 August]]
* [[Chile]] [[18 September]]
* [[National Day of the People's Republic of China|People's Republic of China]] [[1 October]]
* [[Colombia]] [[20 July]]
* [[Comoros]] [[6 July]]
* [[Cook Islands]] [[4 August]]
* [[Costa Rica]] [[15 September]]
* [[Côte d'Ivoire]] [[7 August]]
* [[Croatia]] [[25 June]] ([[Statehood Day (Croatia)|Statehood Day]])
* [[Cuba]] [[1 January]]
* [[Curacao]] ([[Kingdom of the Netherlands|Netherlands]]) [[2 July]]
* [[Cyprus]] [[1 October]]
* [[Czech Republic]] [[28 October]]
===D===
* [[Democratic Republic of Congo]] [[30 June]]
* [[Denmark]] [[5 June]]
* [[Djibouti]] [[27 June]]
* [[Dominica]] [[3 November]]
* [[Dominican Republic]] [[27 February]] [[16 August]]
===E===
* [[East Timor]] [[20 May]]
* [[Ecuador]] [[10 August]]
* [[Egypt]] [[23 July]]
* [[El Salvador]] [[15 September]]
* [[England]] [[23 April]] ([[St George's Day]], not a [[bank holiday]])
* [[Equatorial Guinea]] [[12 October]]
* [[Eritrea]] [[24 May]]
* [[Estonia]] [[24 February]]
* [[Ethiopia]] [[28 May]]
===F===
* [[Falkland Islands]] [[14 June]]
* [[Faroe Islands]] ([[Denmark]]) [[29 July]]
* [[Fiji]] [[10 October]]
* [[Finland]] [[6 December]]
* [[France]] [[14 July]]
* [[French Guyana]] ([[France]]) [[14 July]]
* [[French Polynesia]] ([[France]]) [[14 July]]
===G===
* [[Gabon]] [[17 August]]
* [[Gambia]] [[18 February]]
* [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] [[26 May]]
* [[Germany]] [[3 October]]
* [[Ghana]] [[6 March]]
* [[Gibraltar]] [[10 September]]
* [[Greece]] [[25 March]] & [[28 October]]
* [[Greenland]] ([[Denmark]]) [[21 June]] ([[Solstice|Longest Day of the Year]])
* [[Grenada]] [[7 February]]
* [[Guadeloupe]] ([[France]]) [[14 July]]
* [[Guam]] ([[United States|US]]) [[21 July]]
* [[Guatemala]] [[15 September]]
* [[Guernsey|Guernsey and Dependencies]] [[9 May]]
* [[Guinea]] [[3 April]]
* [[Guinea-Bissau]] [[24 September]]
* [[Guyana]] [[23 February]]
===H===
* [[Haiti]] [[1 January]]
* [[Herm]] [[9 May]]
* [[Honduras]] [[15 September]]
* [[Hungary]] [[15 March]] [[20 August]] [[23 October]]
===I===
* [[Iceland]] [[17 June]]
* [[India]] [[26 January]] [[15 August]] [[2 October]]
* [[Indonesia]] [[17 August]]
* [[Iran]] [[1 April]]
* [[Iraq]] [[3 October]]
* [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland, Republic of]] [[17 March]] ([[ St. Patrick's Day]])
* [[Isle of Man]] [[5 July]]
* [[Israel]] [[14 May]]
* [[Italy]] [[2 June]]
===J===
* [[Jamaica]] 1st Monday in August
* [[Japan]] [[11 February]] ([[National Foundation Day]])
* [[Jersey]] [[9 May]]
* [[Jordan]] [[25 May]]
===K===
* [[Kazakhstan]] [[25 October]]
* [[Kenya]] [[12 December]]
* [[Kiribati]] [[12 July]]
* [[Kosovo]] [[17 February]]
* [[Kuwait]] [[25 February]]
* [[Kyrgyzstan]] [[31 August]]
===L===
* [[Laos]] [[2 December]]
* [[Latvia]] [[18 November]]
* [[Lebanon]] [[22 November]]
* [[Lesotho]] [[4 October]]
* [[Liberia]] [[26 July]]
* [[Libya]] [[1 September]]
* [[Liechtenstein]] [[15 August]]
* [[Lithuania]] [[16 February]]
* [[Luxembourg]] [[23 June]]
===M===
* [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]] [[8 September]]
* [[Madagascar]] [[26 June]]
* [[Malawi]] [[6 July]]
* [[Malaysia]] [[31 August]]
* [[Maldives]] 1st of [[Rabi' al-awwal]], the third month in the Islamic calendar
* [[Mali]] [[22 September]]
* [[Malta]] [[21 September]]
* [[Marshall Islands]] [[1 May]]
* [[Martinique]] ([[France]]) [[14 July]]
* [[Mauritania]] [[28 November]]
* [[Mauritius]] [[12 March]]
* [[Mayotte]] ([[France]]) [[14 July]]
* [[Mexico]] [[16 September]]
* [[Federated States of Micronesia|Micronesia]] [[10 May]]
* [[Moldova]] [[27 August]]
* [[Monaco]] [[19 November]]
* [[Mongolia]] [[11 July]]
* [[Montenegro]] [[13 July]]
* [[Montserrat]] 2nd Saturday in June
* [[Morocco]] [[2 March]]
* [[Mozambique]] [[25 June]]
===N===
* [[Namibia]] [[21 March]]
* [[Nauru]] [[31 January]]
* [[Nepal]] [[18 February]] [[28 December]]
* [[Netherlands Antilles]] (Part of the [[Kingdom of the Netherlands|Netherlands]]) [[30 April]]
* [[Netherlands]] ([[Koninginnedag|Queensday]]) [[30 April]]
* [[Netherlands]] ([[Kingdom day]]) [[15 December]]
* [[New Caledonia]] ([[France]]) [[14 July]]
* [[New Zealand]] [[6 February]] ([[Waitangi Day]])
* [[Nicaragua]] [[15 September]]
* [[Niger]] [[18 December]]
* [[Nigeria]] [[1 October]]
* [[Niue]] [[6 February]]
* [[Norfolk Island]] ([[Australia]]) [[8 June]]
* [[North Korea]] [[8 September]]
* [[Northern Ireland]] [[17 March]] ([[ St. Patrick's Day]]) and [[12 July]] ([[Battle of the Boyne]] Day)
* [[Northern Mariana Islands]] [[8 January]]
* [[Norway]] [[17 May]]
===O===
* [[Oman]] [[18 November]]
===P===
* [[Pakistan]] [[28 January]] ([[Pakistan]] day), [[23 March]] ([[Republic Day]]) and [[Resolution]] day) [[14 August]] ([[Independence Day]])
* [[Palau]] [[9 July]]
* [[Panama]] [[3 November]]
* [[Papua New Guinea]] [[16 September]]
* [[Paraguay]] [[14 May]]
* [[Peru]] [[28 July]]
* [[Philippines]] [[12 June]]
* [[Pitcairn Islands]] 2nd Saturday in June
* [[Poland]] [[3 May]], Constitution Day, and [[November 11]], [[Independence Day]]
* [[Portugal]] [[10 June]]
* [[Puerto Rico]] ([[United States|US]]) [[25 July]] ([[Constitution Day]])
===Q===
* [[Qatar]] [[3 September]], [[18 December]]
* [[Québec]] [[24 June]]
===R===
* [[Republic of the Congo]] [[15 August]]
* [[Réunion]] ([[France]]) [[14 July]]
* [[Romania]] [[1 December]]
* [[Russia]] [[12 June]]
* [[Rwanda]] [[1 July]]
===S===
* [[Saba]] ([[Kingdom of the Netherlands|Netherlands]]) [[3 December]]
* [[St. Eustatius]] ([[Kingdom of the Netherlands|Netherlands]]) [[16 November]]
* [[St Helena]] 2nd Saturday in June
* [[St Kitts and Nevis]] [[19 September]]
* [[St Lucia]] [[13 December]]
* [[St. Maarten]] ([[Kingdom of the Netherlands|Netherlands]]) [[11 november]]
* [[St Pierre and Miquelon]] ([[France]]) [[14 July]]
* [[St Vincent and the Grenadines]] [[27 October]]
* [[Sami people|Sami]] ([[Sweden]], [[Finland]], [[Norway]], [[Russia]]) [[6 February]]
* [[Samoa]] [[1 June]]
* [[San Marino]] [[3 September]]
* [[São Tomé and Príncipe]] [[12 July]]
* [[Sark]] [[9 May]]
* [[Saudi Arabia]] [[23 September]]
* [[Scotland]] [[30 November]] ([[St. Andrew's Day]], now a [[bank holiday]])
* [[Senegal]] [[4 April]]
* [[Serbia]] [[15 February]]
* [[Seychelles]] [[18 June]]
* [[Sierra Leone]] [[27 April]]
* [[Singapore]] [[9 August]]
* [[Slovakia]] [[29 August]] [[1 September]]
* [[Slovenia]] [[25 June]]
* [[Solomon Islands]] [[7 July]]
* [[Somalia]] [[21 October]]
* [[South Africa]] [[27 April]]
* [[South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands]] 2nd Saturday in June
* [[South Korea]] [[15 August]]
* [[Spain]] [[12 October]] ([[Hispanic Day]])
* [[Sri Lanka]] [[4 February]]
* [[Sudan]] [[1 January]]
* [[Suriname]] [[25 November]]
* [[Swaziland]] [[6 September]]
* [[Sweden]] [[6 June]]
* [[Swiss National Day|Switzerland]] [[August 1]]
* [[Syria]] [[17 April]]
===T===
* [[Tajikistan]] [[9 September]]
* [[Taiwan]] (list of islands of the Republic of China and [[China]]) ([[Double Ten Day]]) [[10 October]]
* [[Tanzania]] [[26 April]]
* [[Tartarstan]] [[30 August]]
* [[Thailand]] [[5 December]]
* [[Togo]] [[27 April]]
* [[Tonga]] [[4 June]]
* [[Transnistria]] [[2 September]]
* [[Trinidad and Tobago]] [[31 August]]
* [[Tunisia]] [[20 March]]
* [[Turkey]] [[29 October]]
* [[Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus]] [[15 November]]
* [[Turkmenistan]] [[27 October]]
* [[Turks and Caicos Islands]] [[30 August]]
* [[Tuvalu]] [[1 October]]
===U===
* [[Uganda]] [[9 October]]
* [[Ukraine]] [[24 August]]
* [[United Arab Emirates]] [[2 December]]
* [[United Kingdom]] None (see [[British Day|proposed British Day]])
* [[United States]] [[4 July]] ([[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]])
* [[United States Virgin Islands]] ([[United States|US]]) [[31 March]]
* [[Uruguay]] [[25 August]]
* [[Uzbekistan]] [[1 September]]
===V===
* [[Vanuatu]] [[30 July]]
* [[Vatican City]] [[24 April]]
* [[Venezuela]] [[5 July]]
* [[Vietnam]] [[2 September]]
===W===
* [[Wales]] [[1 March]] ([[St. David's Day]])
===Y===
* [[Yemen]] [[22 May]]
* [[Yugoslavia]] [[29 November]]
===Z===
* [[Zambia]] [[24 October]]
* [[Zimbabwe]] [[18 April]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==See also==
{{portalpar|Holidays|Calendar icon.svg}}
*[[Public holiday|National holiday]]
*[[Independence Day]]
*[[Liberation day]]
*[[Republic Day]]
*[[Civil religion]]
*[[Public Holidays in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:National days| ]]
[[als:Nationalfeiertag]]
[[ang:Þēodlic Dæg]]
[[ar:عيد وطني]]
[[br:Devezh ar vro]]
[[bg:Национален празник]]
[[cs:Státní svátek]]
[[da:Nationaldag]]
[[de:Nationalfeiertag]]
[[es:Fiesta nacional]]
[[eo:Nacia tago]]
[[fr:Fête nationale]]
[[fy:Nasjonale feestdei]]
[[it:Festa nazionale]]
[[li:Nationale fiesdaag]]
[[hu:Nemzeti ünnep]]
[[ms:Hari Kebangsaan]]
[[nl:Nationale feestdag]]
[[nds-nl:Nasionale feesdag]]
[[ja:建国記念日]]
[[no:Nasjonaldag]]
[[nn:Nasjonaldag]]
[[nrm:Fête nâtionnale]]
[[pl:Święto państwowe]]
[[pt:Feriado nacional]]
[[ro:Zi naţională]]
[[sq:Festa kombëtare]]
[[fi:Kansallispäivä]]
[[sv:Nationaldag]]
[[vi:Ngày quốc khánh]]
[[zh:国庆日]]