Number of Federal Holidays by Country 2026

Even though there are plenty of religious holidays, they are not the same as federal holidays. A holiday is only considered a federal holiday if the government is closed on that day. If the government is not closed down that day, then it is not considered a federal holiday. Even though there are plenty of employers that will still give their employees a free day off for a religious holiday, this does not necessarily mean that the company itself, or the government, will close. For example, in the United States, there are plenty of religious holidays that are taking off for Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, but they do not necessarily mean that the government will close.

What Country Has the Most Federal Holidays?

India has the most public holidays of any country in the world. There are 42 public holidays in India every year, about 21 of which are national and federal holidays. Many other countries also have a double-digit number of holidays. For example, countries like the United States, Israel, and Ukraine have 11 federal holidays every year. In the United Kingdom, there are between eight and ten federal holidays every year. The exact number of federal holidays can vary depending on the country. Scotland, Ireland, and England do not necessarily have the same number of federal holidays, although companies may decide to close for certain days if that aligns with the values of the business.

What Are the Federal Holidays in the United States?

There are a total of 11 federal holidays in the United States. They include New Year’s Day, the birthday of Martin Luther King Junior, the birthday of George Washington, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas day. Juneteenth was recently added to the calendar. It is a celebration of the day that slavery ended in the United States. If one of these federal holidays happens to fall on a weekend, it will typically be observed either on the preceding Friday or the following Monday. There are several other days that a lot of people take off, such as Easter Monday. These might be religious holidays, but they are not necessarily federal holidays.

Why Does the United States Not Want To Add More Federal Holidays?

There has been some push to add more federal holidays. Proponents of adding more federal holidays indicate that it could be a way to recognize marginalized groups in the United States. On the other hand, the government is reluctant to add more federal holidays because this means that banks and stock markets need to close. A lot of people are nervous about the impact of too many federal holidays on the economy. Particularly during a time when many people are struggling to make ends meet, adding more federal holidays is not necessarily going to contribute to economic growth. Furthermore, the federal government allows states and companies to decide when they open and when they close.