Over the past 250 years, there have been several major waves of independence: the revolutions of European colonies in the Americas in the 18th-19th centuries, the creation of independent states out of the defunct Habsburg, Ottoman, and Russian empires after World War I, the end of European colonialism in Africa and Asia after World War II, and, finally, the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In honor of US Independence Day, here's an animated GIF that illustrates the historic sweep of the founding dates that countries around the world celebrate today.
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Graphic Truth: Catching the Independence Wave
By Alex Kliment,
Alex Kliment
Alex wears a few different caps and tips them all regularly. He writes for the GZERO Daily, works as a field correspondent for GZERO's nationally syndicated TV show GZERO WORLD WITH IAN BREMMER, and writes/directs/voices GZERO's award-winning puppet satire show PUPPET REGIME. Prior to joining GZERO, Alex worked as an analyst covering Russia and broader Emerging Markets for Eurasia Group. He has also written for the Financial Times from Washington, DC, and Sao Paulo Brazil. In his spare time, he makes short films and composes scores for long ones. He studied history and Slavic literature at Columbia and has a Master's from Johns Hopkins SAIS. He's a native New Yorker, a long-suffering Mets fan, and owns too many bicycles.
Gabriella Turrisi
