Algeria gained independence from France in 1962. The achievement followed the Algerian War, a long and violent conflict between French authorities and the nationalist National Liberation Front, commonly known by its French initials, FLN.
The war began in 1954 after decades of French colonial rule. Negotiations produced the Évian Accords, signed on March 18, 1962, and a ceasefire took effect the following day. In a July 1 referendum, Algerians voted overwhelmingly for independence. France formally recognised the result on July 3, and Algeria proclaimed independence on July 5.
The date carried symbolic meaning: July 5 marked the anniversary of the French capture of Algiers in 1830. The conflict ended roughly 132 years of French colonial rule and led to a major exodus of European settlers and other groups from Algeria.
A common mix-up is treating the Évian Accords as the independence date itself. They created the framework for the transition; the formal declaration came later in July 1962.