Independence Day (Somalia)

Independence Day is a public holiday in Somalia on June 26 yearly. The holiday commemorates the anniversary when the State of Somaliland achieved its independence from the United Kingdom on June 26, 1960.

Somalia, formally the Federal Republic of Somalia, is a country in the Horn of Africa. In the late 19th century, European colonists began the Scramble for Africa after the Berlin Conference in 1884. The territory was administrated separately: the Italian Somaliland and the British Somaliland Protectorate.

At the beginning of World War II, Italia occupied British Somaliland. However, the United Kingdom regained it and conquered the Italian Somaliland in 1941. In 1950, Italian Somaliland became a United Nations trusteeship under the Italian administration, while British Somaliland was still under the control of the United Kingdom.

In 1960, the British Government started to grant independence to the Somaliland protectorate, and on June 26, 1960, the British Somaliland protectorate gained independence as the State of Somaliland. The State only lasted 5 days before uniting with the Trust Territory of Somalia to establish the Somali Republic on July 1, 1960.

The following is the list of Independence Day in Somalia from 2022 to 2026.

Please check more public holidays in Somalia: