Happy Birthday to Panama!

Beninese students. *Photo from Wikipedia August 1 is National Day, celebrates the independence of Benin from France in 1960. From the 17th to the 19th century, the main political entities in the area were the Kingdom of Dahomey. This region was referred to as the Slave Coast from as early as the 17th century due to the large number of slaves shipped to the New World during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. After slavery was abolished, France took over the country and renamed it French Dahomey. In 1960, Dahomey gained full independence from France and On November 30, 1975, Lt. Col.

Women in Bulgarian traditional costumes. *Photo from Wikipedia September 22 is Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. The emergence of a unified Bulgarian state dates back to the establishment of the First Bulgarian Empire in 681 AD, which dominated most of the Balkans and functioned as a cultural hub for Slavs during the Middle Ages. With the downfall of the Second Bulgarian Empire in 1396, its territories came under Ottoman rule for nearly five centuries. The Russo-Turkish War (1877–78) led to the formation of the Third Bulgarian State. The Treaty of San Stefano

Children in Namibia. *Photo from Wikipedia March 21 is Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Namibia from South African mandate in 1990. In the late 19th century during European colonization, the German Empire established rule over most of the territory as a protectorate in 1884. It began to develop infrastructure and farming, and maintained this German colony until 1915, when South African forces defeated its military. After the end of World War I, in 1920 the League of Nations mandated the country to the United Kingdom, under administration by South Africa. It imposed its laws, including racial classifications and rules.