In short
On July 1, 1962, Algerian voters overwhelmingly approved independence from France in a referendum, with 99.72% voting in favor. The result formalized the end of 132 years of colonial rule and came after a brutal eight-year war that killed an estimated 1 million people.
How it unfolded.
The five-minute version
What actually happened.
An independence referendum was held in French Algeria on 1 July 1962. It followed French approval of the Évian Accords in an April referendum. Voters were asked whether Algeria should become an independent state, co-operating with France; 99.72% voted in favour with a voter turnout of 91.88%.
Day by day.
Across 8 years, 5 pivotal moments.
Timeline
How it actually unfolded.
Algerian War Begins
Armed conflict erupts as the National Liberation Front (FLN) launches attacks against French colonial administration and military installations.
Évian Accords Signed
France and the FLN sign a ceasefire agreement in Évian-les-Bains, establishing terms for Algerian independence and halting active hostilities.
France Approves Independence
French voters approve the Évian Accords in a referendum, giving the French government mandate to proceed with Algerian independence.
Algerian Independence Referendum
Algerian voters overwhelmingly approve independence with 99.72% voting in favor and 91.88% turnout, formally ending French colonial rule.
Algeria Declared Independent
Algeria is officially declared an independent nation following the referendum results.
The numbers.
4 numbers that anchor the scale.
By the numbers
The countable parts.
Voter Turnout
0.00%
Years of Colonial Rule
0
Duration of Algerian War
0 years (1954–1962)
The chain begins -
The chain of consequence.
Impact
What followed.
Algeria's independence in 1962 redrew the map of North Africa and set a precedent for decolonization across Africa and beyond. The referendum's near-unanimous result gave the new nation strong legitimacy, though the transition came after France had already accepted the inevitable through the Évian Accords in April.
Captured in time.
Captured before it changed
The web as it looked, the day it happened.
Wayback Machine snapshots of the pages people actually loaded that day. Click any card to open the archive at full size.
Sources & citations.
Sources
Where this came from.
Every claim on this page traces to a public, license-clean source. We don't asterisk well.
Wikipedia
1 source- 1.Algerian independence
en.wikipedia.org