Independence Day
🇱🇸 Lesotho
- Public Holiday
- Countrywide
- Fixed date
Overview
Independence Day celebrates the moment Lesotho became a sovereign nation. On October 4, 1966, the British territory of Basutoland gained its independence and took the name Kingdom of Lesotho. The day is observed each year as a national public holiday across the country.
What It Is
Independence Day is a countrywide public holiday in Lesotho, held on October 4 every year. As with national days elsewhere, the occasion is generally marked with official commemorations and the national flag, and many people take the day away from work. Because it always falls on the same calendar date, the day of the week changes from year to year.
Why It Matters
For decades before 1966, the territory was known as Basutoland and was under British protection. Independence on October 4 of that year ended colonial administration and created a sovereign state under a new name, Lesotho, with a constitutional monarchy led by King Moshoeshoe II. The date therefore stands for self-government and the country's emergence as an independent member of the international community, an enclave nation entirely surrounded by South Africa that now marks its sovereignty each year.
Countries Celebrating
1 country
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