This Country Has More Public Holidays Than Anywhere Else—Can You Guess Which One?

Ever wondered which country has the most public holidays in the world? Discover the surprising answer, how its holiday calendar compares globally, and why its residents get so many days off.

How many holidays in a year?

Employees and students always look forward to government holidays. Every country decides its holiday calendar based on local history, culture, and religious beliefs. India actually holds the record for the highest number of official holidays in the world. We get around 42 holidays a year when you count national events, gazetted days, optional leaves, and regional state festivals. Our massive cultural diversity naturally brings more celebration days. School kids also get their long summer breaks on top of this list.

Nepal ranks second on the list

Asian countries completely dominate the top spots right after India. Our neighbour Nepal takes the second position globally with around 35 holidays every year. The government there declares long breaks for major festivals like Dashain and Tihar. Iran and Myanmar share the third spot with 26 holidays each. Sri Lanka sits comfortably in the fifth position with 25 official days off. The Sri Lankan government gives equal holiday importance to major Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, and Christian festivals.

Countries with the fewest holidays

Several developed nations actually offer very few public holidays to their citizens. Britain gives only 10 government holidays in a single year. European countries like the Netherlands and Serbia drop this number down to 9 days. Mexico offers just 8 official holidays throughout the entire year. Vietnam sits at the absolute bottom of the global list because the country gives only 6 official holidays annually.