Which African country became independent from France on 5 July 1962? Algeria. The date is celebrated as Algeria’s Independence Day, marking the end of French colonial rule.
Algeria’s independence followed the Algerian War, which began in November 1954 when the National Liberation Front (FLN) launched an armed struggle against France. The conflict became one of the most significant and violent decolonization wars after World War II.
The Évian Accords produced a cease-fire on 19 March 1962. In a referendum on 1 July, Algerian voters overwhelmingly supported independence. France recognized Algeria on 3 July, but Algerian leaders chose 5 July as Independence Day, exactly 132 years after the French capture of Algiers in 1830.
A common mix-up is confusing the referendum date with the independence date. The vote occurred on 1 July, while 5 July is the nationally commemorated date. Algeria’s independence also triggered the departure of many European settlers and reshaped relations between Algeria and France.