List of countries that have gained independence from Portugal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Below are several lists of the countries and territories that were formerly ruled or administered by Portugal or part of the Portuguese Empire at some point in the past. Additional information is provided along with their independence dates that may detail Portugal's recognition of that country's independence or any extenuating circumstances that may have complicated the independence process. These lists are split between official colonies and territories while also detailing any independence efforts that were tried and failed prior to successful independence.
Colonies and overseas territories
| Country | Pre-independence name (if different) | Date of independence or first stage | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day & month | Year | |||
 Brazil |
 Kingdom of Brazil |
29 August | 1825 | Declared independence under Dom Pedro I on September 7, 1822 but only recognized by Portugal in August 29, 1825 in the Treaty of Rio de Janeiro. |
 Guinea-Bissau |
 Portuguese Guinea |
10 September | 1974 | Formally recognized as independent on September 10, 1974.[1] |
 Angola |
Portuguese Angola |
11 November | 1975 | On November 11 NATO declared the independence of the People's Republic of Angola. |
 Mozambique |
Portuguese Mozambique |
25 June | 1975 | Independence for Mozambique was officially declared on June 25, 1975.[2] |
 Cape Verde |
Portuguese Cape Verde |
5 July | 1975 | On 30 June 1975, Cape Verde elected a National Assembly which received the instruments of independence from Portugal on July 5, 1975.[3] |
 São Tomé and Príncipe |
Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe |
12 July | 1975 | Independence granted on July 12, 1975.[4] |
 East Timor |
Portuguese Timor |
20 May | 2002 | Despite being invaded by Indonesia in 1975, the invasion was not recognized as legal by the United Nations, which continued to regard Portugal as the legal administering power of East Timor. East Timor finally achieved independence in 2002 following a UN-administered transition period.[5] |
Territories ceded to other sovereign states
| Territory | Recipient state | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Canary Islands |
 Crown of Castile |
4 September | 1479 | Officially recognized Castilian sovereignty over the Canary Islands in the Treaty of Alcáçovas. |
 Bombay |
 Kingdom of England |
Unknown | 1661 | Marriage Treaty |
| Tangier |
Kingdom of England |
Unknown | 1661 | Given to king Charles II of England.[6] |
| Ceuta |
 Spanish Empire |
13 February | 1668 | Treaty of Lisbon (1668) |
 Equatorial Guinea |
Spanish Empire |
26 November | 1778 | Treaty of El Pardo (1778) |
| Portuguese Macau |
 China |
20 December | 1999 | Handover of Macau |
Territories lost through conquest or expulsion
Abandoned territories
| Territory | Modern-day | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Newfoundland |
 Canada |
1502 | Last expedition in 1502. |
 Safi, Azemmour, Alcácer-Ceguer and Asilah |
 Morocco |
1540s | Territories abandoned by King João III in the 1540s.[14] |
| Matatana |
 Madagascar |
1553 | Last known missions in 1553.[15] |
| Cape Breton |
Canada |
1570 | Fishing colony last mentioned in 1570.[16] |
Unsuccessful independence and resistance movements
| Territory | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Minas Gerais |
Unknown | 1789 | Inconfidência Mineira |
 Pernambucan rebels |
Unknown | 1817 | Pernambucan revolt |
Goa Satyagraha |
15 August | 1955 | Satyagraha movement in Goa |
| 6 June | 1975 | 6 June 1975 Micalense Farmers' Protest | |
| 1975 | 1978 | Movement dissolved in 1978.[17] | |
