7 Countries Marking a National Day in December

December closes the year with a handful of founding and independence dates. Seven countries in our catalog mark one this month. Here they are in calendar order, with the story behind each.

December 2 — United Arab Emirates

On December 2, 1971, the rulers of the emirates signed a union agreement that created the United Arab Emirates. National Day celebrates that union of the emirates into one country.

December 6 — Finland and Ireland

Finland declared independence from Russia on December 6, 1917. The declaration was signed by the Senate on December 4 and adopted by Parliament two days later. Ireland marks December 6, 1922, when the Irish Free State was officially proclaimed and its constitution took effect, covering 26 of Ireland's 32 counties.

December 9 — Tanzania

Tanganyika, the mainland part of today's Tanzania, became independent on December 9, 1961, as a sovereign state within the Commonwealth, with Julius Nyerere as its first prime minister and later its president.

December 12 — Kenya

Kenya became independent on December 12, 1963. The day is known as Jamhuri Day — jamhuri is Swahili for republic — because Kenya became a republic exactly a year later, on December 12, 1964, with Jomo Kenyatta as president.

December 16 — Kazakhstan

On December 16, 1991, Kazakhstan declared its independence from the Soviet Union, the last of the fifteen Soviet republics to do so.

December 17 — Bhutan

Bhutan's National Day marks December 17, 1907, the coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck as the first Druk Gyalpo, which established the hereditary monarchy and united the country under the Wangchuck dynasty.

Each of these dates is printed on the matching design in our catalog. Browse the collections: Finland, Ireland, Kenya, Bhutan, Kazakhstan — or explore the story behind any country's flag on our free Flag Story Cards page. More dates: October and November.

More national days by month: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November.