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Independence Day
South Sudan

Independence Day 2023, 2024 and 2025 in South Sudan

South Sudan celebrates Independence Day on 9 July, the day in 2011 when it separated from Sudan to become an independent nation. This was the result of a two-decades-long civil war between north and south in which many thousands of people perished.

YearDateDayHoliday
20239 JulSunIndependence Day
20249 JulTueIndependence Day
20259 JulWedIndependence Day
20269 JulThuIndependence Day
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

While the history of South Sudan is long and complex, the modern situation began to unfold in 1899, when all of Sudan was under a joint Egyptian-British government. When Egypt became fully independent in 1922, however, Egypt’s influence was restricted by the UK. Plus, the UK began to administer northern and southern Sudan somewhat differently, not wanting the north to impose its will on the south.

The process of letting Sudan go as an independent nation began in 1953, and before it was finalised in 1956, the first Sudanese Civil War had already broken out. This first war ran from 1955 until 1972. A Second Sudanese Civil War then broke out in 1983 and lasted until a truce was signed in 2005. Finally, South Sudan’s people voted for independence in a referendum in 2011. South Sudan declared its full autonomy on 9 July 2011.

Previous Years

YearDateDayHoliday
20229 JulSatIndependence Day
20219 JulFriIndependence Day
20209 JulThuIndependence Day
20199 JulTueIndependence Day
20189 JulMonIndependence Day
20179 JulSunIndependence Day