List of Countries with Highest Number of Public Holidays

List of Countries with Highest Number of Public Holidays

  • Nigeria missed out on the list of countries with the highest number of public holidays in the world
  • Asian countries top the list with Cambodia, Sri Lanka and India, Kazakhstan in the top three countries with the highest public holidays
  • Cambodia holds the record with 28 days closely followed by Sri Lanka with 25 days while India and Kazakhstan observed 21 public holidays annually

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro and government policy.

Countries around the world set aside days backed up by law as public holidays, also known as national holidays for non-working purposes.

These days commemorate significant historical events, and religious observances, or adhere to a particular calendar system to mark significant events such as New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Christmas, and Eid al-Fitr, among others.

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These countries have the highest number of public holidays in a calendar year
Cambodia and India among countries with highest number of public holidays. Photo credit: TANG CHHIN SOTHY/AFP
Source: Getty Images

As reported by The Punch, Nigeria with around 11 public holidays observed annually is not among the top 10 countries with the highest number of public holidays

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Countries with the highest number of public holidays

According to World Atlas, the following are the countries with the highest number of public holidays.

  • Cambodia – 28 public holidays

Cambodia holds the record for the highest number of public holidays, boasting a total of 28 observed annually.

  • Sri Lanka – 25 public holidays

Cambodia is closely followed by Sri Lanka with 25 public holidays

  • India, Kazakhstan – 21 public holidays

These two countries occupied the third position with 21 days declared as a public holiday

  • Colombia, Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago – 18 public holidays

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List of countries that don’t declare Eid-el-fitr as public holiday

The fourth spot is occupied by three countries - Colombia, Philippines and Trinidad and Tobago. 18 days are set aside by the law of the countries to celebrate various cultural, religious, and historical events.

  • China, Hong Kong – 17 public holidays

With its massive population and rich culture, China could only secure the fifth position alongside Hong Kong with 17 public holidays annually

  • Thailand, Turkey, Pakistan – 16 public holidays

16 days are declared as public holidays by Thailand, Turkey and Pakistan every year, making them the sixth countries with the highest number of public holidays

  • Japan, Malaysia, Argentina, Lithuania, Sweden – 15 public holidays

The seventh countries with the highest number of public holidays are Japan, Malaysia, Argentina, Lithuania and Sweden

  • Indonesia, Chile, Slovakia – 14 public holidays

With 14 public holidays annually, Indonesia, Chile and Slovakia were ranked the eighth countries with the highest number of public holidays

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  • South Korea, Austria, Belgium, Norway, Taiwan, Nepal – 13 public holidays

The government of six countries - South Korea, Austria, Belgium, Norway, Taiwan and Nepal declared 13 days as public holidays every year

  • Finland, Russia – 12 public holidays

Finland and Russia make up the top ten countries with the highest number of public holidays with 12 public holidays

Countries that don’t declare Eid-el-Fitr holiday

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Eid-el-Fitr, an auspicious occasion that signifies the end of the holy month of Ramadan, is not celebrated by every country, despite the widespread acknowledgement.

In many countries, the government declares the day a public holiday to allow the Muslim faithful to celebrate and offer prayers to Allah for the conclusion of the Ramadan fast.

However, there are certain countries where Eid-el-Fitr is not recognised as a public holiday but Muslims are allowed to celebrate in private gatherings.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Adekunle Dada avatar

Adekunle Dada (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Adekunle Dada is a trained journalist with over 7 years of working experience. He is also a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a B.Sc. in Mass Communication From Lagos State University, Ojo. Adekunle previously worked at PM News, The Sun, and Within Nigeria where he expressed his journalistic skills with well-researched articles and features. In 2024, Adekunle obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. He can be reached via adekunle.dada@corp.legit.ng.