Countries with the Most Holidays 2025

Most every culture and country in the world celebrates holidays. Holidays take many forms. Some are near-global public holidays such as New Year’s Eve, and some are celebrated by only a few countries, such as Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick’s Day. Some are strictly religious, such as Ramadan, some are strictly secular, such as Thanksgiving, and some have both spiritual and secular elements, such as the fall and winter holidays (Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, Christmas, Hanukkah, Krampus, and related holidays). But which country celebrates the most holidays of all?

Top 10 Countries with the Most Holidays

Which Countries Have the Fewest Number of Public Holidays?

Some countries do not have a lot of public holidays at all. For example, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Ecuador have some of the fewest holidays of any major countries by recognizing eight, ten, and eleven public holidays every year, respectively. The country with the fewest public holidays is Vietnam, at only six. The Netherlands and Serbia each have only nine public holidays per year. The most common number of public holidays per country is eleven - with 16 countries around the world having this many.

Are Public Holidays and Religious Holidays the Same?

Many people believe that public and religious holidays are the same. That is not necessarily the case. Public holidays are holidays declared by the government, while religious holidays are holidays commonly celebrated by a specific religion. It is possible that there could be some overlap between religious holidays and public holidays, but that is not necessarily required. If a large chunk of the population celebrates a major religious holiday, then the government may declare that holiday to be a public holiday as well; however, in some situations a religious holiday may not have been declared a public holiday. Individuals who observe that specific religious holiday may need to request a day off from the company (unless the company gives it to them freely).

How Many Public Holidays Does the United States Have?

The United States is somewhere in the middle of the pack when it comes to public holidays. Typically, the United States recognizes 11 public holidays every year. In January, New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King Day are recognized as public holidays. Then, the United States recognizes President’s Day in February, which honors George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In May, the United States recognizes Memorial Day, which honors people who have given their lives in the service of the country. The United States recently added Juneteenth, which has long been a major holiday in the African American Community.

The United States recognizes its independence day on July 4th. In September, the United States has Labor Day. In October, the United States honors Christopher Columbus, widely believed to have been the first European to discover the new world. In November, the United States recognizes Veterans Day, which honors people who served in the military. Finally, the United States also recognizes Thanksgiving in November, followed by Christmas in December. If the exact date falls on a weekend, then the holiday may be observed at another time during the week.