What is Independence Day?
Independence Day is the name of several different national holidays. In the United States it is 4 July, the day in 1776 when the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. Finland keeps 6 December, the anniversary of the 1917 declaration of independence from Russia, and Estonia 24 February, for the declaration of 1918. Bulgaria marks 22 September, the 1908 declaration of full independence from the Ottoman Empire.
Greece celebrates on 25 March, the day associated with the start of the Greek War of Independence in 1821, which coincides with the Orthodox feast of the Annunciation. Malta observes 21 September, the day in 1964 when it became independent from the United Kingdom, while Montenegro's Independence Day, 21 May, recalls the referendum of 2006 on ending the union with Serbia. Customs range from fireworks and barbecues to military parades, wreath-laying and school ceremonies.
Why it is observed
Independence days commemorate moments of separation from a larger state or empire, and each date has its own story. Some, like the American one, mark the adoption of a declaration while a war was still being fought. Others, like Malta's, mark the formal end of colonial rule by agreement, and others, such as Estonia's and Finland's, mark declarations made amid the upheavals of the First World War and the Russian Revolution. Montenegro's date is that of the referendum, while its formal declaration of independence came on 3 June 2006. The tone therefore varies, from celebration to solemn remembrance.
How the date is set
There is no single date. Independence Day is a generic name for the anniversary of a country's independence or of the declaration of it, and the date and the history behind it depend on the country. Some countries celebrate the day of a declaration and others the day independence took effect or was recognised.
How it is observed
Where Independence Day is a public holiday, banks, offices and most shops close, and there are often official ceremonies, flag displays and public events, with fireworks in the evening on some dates. In the United States, 4 July is a federal holiday, and when it falls on a weekend the day off moves to the Friday or Monday; in 2027 it is a Sunday, so the day off is Monday 5 July. Because dates and customs differ by country, check the specific holiday page. Pay and time off depend on national law and the contract.
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