List of wars of independence

This article is about wars of secession by a breakaway region from a state. For wars of succession during succession crises, see List of wars of succession.

This is a list of wars of independence (also called liberation wars). These wars may or may not have been successful in achieving a goal of independence.

List

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Dates	Name	Independent state	Original state	Result
1038–1047	Miecław's Rebellion	Miecław's State	Duchy of Poland	Defeat of Miecław; his state is reincorporated into Poland
1185–1188	Uprising of Asen and Peter	Bulgaria	Byzantine Empire	Independence of Bulgaria from the Byzantine Empire; creation of the Second Bulgarian Empire
1296–1357	Wars of Scottish Independence	Scotland	England	Scotland retains its status as an independent nation
1468–1500	Kazakh War of Independence	Kazakh Khanate	Uzbek Khanate	Kazakh Khanate maintains independence from the Uzbek Khanate
1521–1523	Swedish War of Liberation	Sweden	Kalmar Union	Independence of Sweden from the Kalmar Union
1568–1648	Eighty Years' War	Netherlands	Spain	Independence of the Netherlands from Spain
1640–1668	Portuguese Restoration War	Portugal	Spain	Restoration of Portuguese independence from Spain
1680–1707	Maratha War of Independence	Maratha Empire	Mughal Empire	Mughals fail to annex Maratha Empire
1703–1711	Rákóczi's War of Independence	Hungary	Holy Roman Empire	Limited autonomy for Hungary within the Habsburg monarchy
1775–1783	American Revolutionary War (United States War of Independence)	United States	Great Britain	Independence of the United States from Great Britain
1791–1804	Haitian Revolution	Haiti	France	Independence of Haiti from France
1804–1813	First Serbian Uprising (Serbian Revolution)	Serbia	Ottoman Empire	Defeat of insurgents; Ottoman Empire retains control of Serbia
1808–1814	Peninsular War	Portugal Spain	France	Independence of Portugal and Spain from France
1810s–1820s	Latin American wars of independence: Argentine War of Independence, Bolivian War of Independence, Chilean War of Independence, Foolish Fatherland, Ecuadorian War of Independence, Mexican War of Independence, Peruvian War of Independence, Venezuelan War of Independence	Río de la Plata Bolivia Chile Colombia Ecuador Mexico Peru Venezuela	Spanish Empire	Independence of many Spanish-American colonies from Spain
1814	Swedish–Norwegian War (1814)	Norway	Sweden	Partial independence of Norway within the later United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway
1815–1817	Second Serbian Uprising (Serbian Revolution)	Serbia	Ottoman Empire	Semi-independence of Serbia within the Ottoman Empire
1821–1829	Greek War of Independence	Greece	Ottoman Empire	Independence of Greece from the Ottoman Empire
1822–1824	Brazilian War of Independence	Brazil	Portuguese Empire	Independence of the Empire of Brazil from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves
1825–1828	Cisplatine War	Uruguay	Brazil Río de la Plata	Disputed between the Empire of Brazil and United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. Independence of Uruguay from Brazil
1830–1831	November Uprising	Poland	Russia	Defeat of Polish insurgents. Russian retains control of Poland, introduction of the Organic Statute of the Kingdom of Poland, liquidation of Polish autonomy.
1830–1839	Belgian Revolution	Belgium	Netherlands	Independence of Belgium from the Netherlands
1835–1845	Ragamuffin War	Riograndense Republic	Brazil	The Riograndense Republic is dissolved; reintegration with Brazil
1835–1836	Texas Revolution	Texas	Mexico	Independence of Texas from Mexico
1844–1856	Dominican War of Independence	Dominican Republic	Haiti	Independence of Dominican Republic from Haiti
1846	Bear Flag Revolt	California	Mexico	The California Republic declares independence from the Centralist Republic of Mexico. The republic is quickly annexed by the United States
1848–1849	Italian War of Independence	Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont	Austria	Sardinia-Piedmont defeated by the Austrian Empire; Italian unification not achieved
1857–1858	Indian War of Independence	India Pakistan Bangladesh	British East India Company	East India Company loses power to Great Britain, vide Government of India Act 1858.
1859	Second Italian War of Independence	Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont Lombardy–Venetia Parma Modena Tuscany	Austria	France and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia defeat the Austrian Empire; most of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia transferred to France and then to Piedmont-Sardinia; Duchy of Parma, Duchy of Modena, Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Papal Legations annexed by Piedmont-Sardinia
1861–1865	American Civil War	Confederate States	United States (Union)	Defeat and dissolution of the Confederacy; U.S. retains control of the South
1863–1865	January Uprising	Poland	Russia	Defeat of Polish insurgents; Russia retains control of Poland
1863–1865	Dominican Restoration War	Dominican Republic	Spain	Independence of Dominican Republic from 4 year occupation by the Spanish Empire; ousts Spain from Hispaniola
1866	Third Italian War of Independence	Veneto	Austria	Austrian Empire loses Veneto to Kingdom of Italy
1868–1878	Ten Years' War	Cuba	Spain	Defeat of insurgents; Spain retains control of Cuba
1869	Red River Rebellion	Métis	Canada	Establishment of Provisional government of the Red River Colony
1876	April Uprising	Bulgaria	Ottoman Empire	Defeat of Bulgarian nationalists by the Ottoman Empire; subsequent reprisals by the Ottomans led to the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–78 and the 1878 independence of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire.
1877	Romanian War of Independence	Romania	Ottoman Empire	Independence of Romania from the Ottoman Empire
1896–1898	Philippine Revolution	Philippines	Spain	Inconclusive; Philippines independence from Spain then achieved by Spanish–American War
1895–1898	Cuban War of Independence	Cuba	Spain	Independence of Cuba from Spain following four years of American occupation
1899–1913	Philippine–American War	Philippines	United States	Defeat of Philippine insurgents; United States retains control of the Philippines
1916–1918	Arab Revolt	Hejaz	Ottoman Empire	Defeat of Arab aspirations for independence by post-World War I partition of Arab Ottoman Empire lands into protectorates controlled by United Kingdom and France
1917–1921	Ukrainian War of Independence	Ukraine	Soviet Russia Poland	Independence of Ukraine from Russia; partition of Ukraine by Soviet Union and Poland
1918	Finnish Civil War	Finland	Soviet Russia	Independence of Finland from Russian Empire/Russian SFSR under a White regime
1918–1920	Estonian War of Independence	Estonia	Soviet Russia	Independence of Estonia from Russian Empire/Russian SFSR
1918–1920	Latvian War of Independence	Latvia	Soviet Russia	Independence of Latvia from Russian Empire/Russian SFSR
1918–1920	Lithuanian War of Independence	Lithuania	Soviet Russia Poland	Independence of Lithuania from Russian Empire/Russian SFSR and Poland
1919–1921	Irish War of Independence	Ireland	United Kingdom	Anglo-Irish Treaty; Partition of Ireland; secession of 26 of Ireland's 32 counties (the Irish Free State) from the United Kingdom
1919–1923	Turkish War of Independence	Turkey	Ottoman Empire Allies of World War I	Creation of the Republic of Turkey
1920–1926	Rif War	Republic of the Rif	Spain	Defeat of insurgents and Rif Republic; Spain retains control of Spanish Morocco
1936–1939	Waziristan Uprising	Waziristan	British Empire	Rebellion suppressed
1942-1947	Second Indian War of Independence	Free India	United Kingdom	INA captured parts of North-East India and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, later INA Trials triggered Bombay Mutiny & Royal Air Force mutiny which resulted in Indian Independence Act 1947
1944–1948	Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine	Israel	United Kingdom	Independence of Israel from the United Kingdom
1945–1949	Indonesian National Revolution	Indonesia	Netherlands	Independence of Indonesia from the Netherlands
1946–1954	First Indochina War	South Vietnam Laos Cambodia	France	Independence of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia from France; partition of Vietnam
1947–1949	1948 Arab–Israeli War, aka Israel's War of Independence	Israel	United Kingdom Arab League	Defeat of Arabs; Israel retains independence
1952–1960	Kenyan Mau Mau Uprising	Kenya	United Kingdom	Defeat of insurgents; United Kingdom retains control of Kenya
1954–1962	Algerian War	Algeria	France	Independence of Algeria from France
1955–1972	First Sudanese Civil War	Southern Sudan	Sudan	Conflict between Sudan and South Sudan
1961–1974	Angolan War of Independence	Angola	Portugal	Independence of Angola from Portugal
1961–1991	Eritrean War of Independence	Eritrea	Ethiopia	Independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia
1961–ongoing	Papua conflict	Free Papua	Indonesia	Ongoing
1963–1974	Guinea-Bissau War of Independence	Guinea-Bissau	Portugal	Independence of Guinea-Bissau from Portugal
1964–1974	Mozambican War of Independence	Mozambique	Portugal	Independence of Mozambique from Portugal
1966–1988	Namibian War of Independence	Namibia	South Africa	Independence of Namibia from South Africa
1967–1970	Nigerian Civil War	Biafra	Nigeria	Defeat and dissolution of the Republic of Biafra
1971	Bangladesh Liberation War	Bangladesh	Pakistan	Independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan
1975–ongoing	Cabinda War	Cabinda	Angola	Ongoing
1975–1991	Western Sahara War	Western Sahara	Morocco	Partition of Western Sahara between Morocco and Sahrawi Republic
1976–2005	Insurgency in Aceh	Free Aceh Movement	Indonesia	Special autonomy granted to Aceh, disarmament of the GAM
1981–1991	Somaliland War of Independence	Somali National Movement	Somalia	De facto independence of Somaliland from Somalia
1982–ongoing	Casamance conflict	Casamance	Senegal	Low-level conflict since 2014
1983–2005	Second Sudanese Civil War	South Sudan	Sudan	Independence of South Sudan from Sudan
1988–1994	First Nagorno-Karabakh War	Artsakh	Azerbaijan	De facto independence of the Republic of Artsakh from Azerbaijan
1988–1998	Bougainville Civil War	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Bougainville receives autonomy in 2002; voted in favour of independence in 2019
1990–1992	Transnistria War	Transnistria	Moldova	De facto independence of Transnistria from Moldova
1991–1992	South Ossetia War	South Ossetia	Georgia	De facto independence for South Ossetia from Georgia
1991	Liberation of Kuwait	Kuwait	Iraq	Part of the Gulf War; Kuwait regains independence
1991–1995	Croatian War of Independence	Croatia	Yugoslavia	Independence of Croatia from Yugoslavia
1991	Ten-Day War	Slovenia	Yugoslavia	Independence of Slovenia from Yugoslavia
1992–1995	Bosnian War	Bosnia and Herzegovina	FR YugoslaviaCroatia	Independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina from SFR Yugoslavia; the new country is divided between two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska
1992–1993	War in Abkhazia	Abkhazia	Georgia	De facto independence for Abkhazia from Georgia
1993–1996	First Chechen War	Chechen Republic of Ichkeria	Russia	Chechnya maintains de facto independence from Russia
1998–1999	Kosovo War	Republic of Kosova	Serbia & Montenegro	No legal changes to Yugoslav borders according to the Resolution 1244, but de facto independence of Kosovo from the rest of Yugoslavia
1999–2009	Second Chechen War	Chechen Republic of Ichkeria	Russia	Defeat of Chechnya; reincorporation into Russia
2012	Tuareg rebellion (2012)	Azawad	Mali	Unrecognized independence of Azawad from Mali; renounced its independence in 2013
2014–ongoing	Russo-Ukrainian War	Ukraine	Russia	Also called a "rebirth," or a war of independence from Russia by some Ukrainian sources.
2014–2022	War in Donbas	Donetsk People's Republic Luhansk People's Republic	Ukraine	Part of the Russo-Ukrainian War; recognition of independence by Russia on 21 February 2022; annexed by Russia on September the same year.
2017–ongoing	Anglophone Crisis	Ambazonia	Cameroon	Ongoing
2020–ongoing	Western Togoland Rebellion	Western Togoland	Ghana	Ongoing

See also

• Lists of active separatist movements
• List of civil wars
• List of ongoing armed conflicts
• National liberation