Tony Abbott inspecting Australias Federation Guard January 2015

Foundation Day is a designated date on which celebrations mark the founding of a nation, state or a creation of a military unit. This day is for countries that came into existence without the of gaining independence. The term overlaps with national days.

Background

Older countries that use some other event of special significance as their national day. This signals the use of a "class" of National Days, that are equally important in the foundation of the nation, and a "class" of less important official public holidays. This holiday can be symbolised by the date of becoming republic or a significant date for a patron saint or a ruler (birthday, accession, removal, etc.) as the starting point of the nation's history. Often the day is not called "Foundation Day" but serves and can be considered as one.

Examples

Asia

Double Ten Day The National Day of the Republic of China, also referred to as Double Ten Day or Double Tenth Day, is a Public holidays in Taiwan, public holiday on 10 October, now held annually as national day in the Taiwan, Republic of China (ROC, commonly ...

: outbreak of the Wuchang Uprising China and founding of the Republic of China (1911) *

Gaecheonjeol Gaecheonjeol () is a public holiday in South Korea on 3 October. Also known by the English name National Foundation Day, this holiday celebrates the legendary formation of the first Korean state of Gojoseon by legendary king Dangun in 2333 ...

: (English- National Foundation Day) public holiday in South Korea Also, celebrating the creation of Modern-day Korea in the year 2333 BCE * Hong Kong Foundation Day on 26 January, the anniversary of the founding of Hong Kong as a British colony (until 1997) *

National Foundation Day National Foundation Day may refer to: * National Foundation Day (Japan) * National Foundation Day (Korea) {{disambiguation ...

, national holiday in Japan, celebrating the founding of the nation and the imperial line by its first emperor *

Republic Day Republic Day is the name of a holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they became republics. List January 1 January in Slovak Republic The day of creation of Slovak republic. A national holiday since 1993. Officially calle ...

in India: becoming the first republic in the British Commonwealth of Nations, 1950 *

Saudi National Day Saudi National Day () is a public holiday in Saudi Arabia celebrated annually on 23 September to commemorate the proclamation that renamed the Kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932 through a royal decree by King Abd ...

: the end of the 30-year campaign to unite the central Arabian lands to found the modern state, 1932 *

Day of the Foundation of the Republic (North Korea) Day of the Foundation of the Republic () is the Republic Day and National day of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, held on 9 September. The Day of the Foundation of the Republic is one of the most important holidays of the country, al ...

: commemorates the foundation of the

DPRK North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, a ...

in 1948

Australasia

* Foundation Day, one of the precursors of

Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet and raising of the Flag of Great Britain, Union Flag of Great Britain by Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove, a ...

, celebrating the day the

First Fleet The First Fleet were eleven British ships which transported a group of settlers to mainland Australia, marking the beginning of the History of Australia (1788–1850), European colonisation of Australia. It consisted of two Royal Navy vessel ...

landed at

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

1788 (also used separately to mark the foundation of two states) * Norfolk Island Foundation Day on

Norfolk Island Norfolk Island ( , ; ) is an States and territories of Australia, external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head, New South Wales, Evans Head and a ...

on March 6, commemorating the First Fleet settlement under Philip Gidley King in 1788 *

Western Australia Day Western Australia Day or simply WA Day (formerly known as Foundation Day)King, Rhianna (2012)– WA Today. Published 10 April 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012. is a public holiday in Western Australia (WA), celebrated on the first Monday in June ea ...

, a public holiday in Western Australia held on the first Monday in June, formerly known as Foundation Day

Europe

German Unity Day German Unity Day (, ) is the national day of Germany, celebrated on 3 October as a public holiday. It commemorates German Reunification in 1990 when the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) joined the Federal Republic of Germany (West Ger ...

: unification of West Germany and East Germany and the foundation of the modern German state, 1990 *

Statehood Day (Lithuania) Statehood Day or Coronation Day is an annual public holiday in Lithuania celebrated on July 6 to commemorate the coronation in 1253 of Mindaugas as the King of Lithuania. The exact day of the event is disputable and was chosen according to the hy ...

: commemorates coronation of the first king, Mindaugas *

Swiss National Day Swiss National Day (; ; ; ) is the national holiday of Switzerland, set on 1 August. Although the founding of the Swiss Confederacy was first celebrated on this date in 1891 and annually since 1899, it has only been an official holiday since ...

: alliance of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden against the Holy Roman Empire and the foundation of the Swiss state, 1291

References