Egypt
28 February 1922
- Sovereignty from
- the United Kingdom
- Marked as
- Independence Day (Revolution Day, 23 July, is the national day)
- Years sovereign
- 104
The struggle
Britain unilaterally declared Egypt independent in 1922 after the mass 1919 revolution, but reserved control of defence, the Suez Canal and Sudan — a sovereignty with holes in it. The Free Officers' revolution of 23 July 1952 removed the monarchy, and the last British troops left the Canal Zone in 1956. Nasser's nationalisation of the Suez Canal that year, and the failure of the Anglo-French-Israeli invasion, completed the break.
One date, a longer story: 1922 was conditional independence; full sovereignty dates from 1952–56.
Key people
Saad Zaghloul
1859–1927
Led the Wafd and the 1919 revolution
Huda Sha'arawi
1879–1947
Organised the women's demonstrations of 1919
Gamal Abdel Nasser
1918–1970
Led the 1952 revolution and nationalised the Suez Canal
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