Across the globe, some countries believe life deserves frequent pauses — enough days to celebrate faith, culture, history and togetherness.
Here are eight countries that officially top the list when it comes to maximum number of public holidays.
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1. India
Indian employees put in close to 46 hours every week, placing the country among the most overworked nations globally.
Interestingly, this relentless pace exists alongside an official list of 42 public holidays, the highest number of public holidays.
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2. Nepal
The Himalayan kingdom follows both the Nepal Sambat and Vikram Samvat systems, giving its calendar a distinctive rhythm.
Major celebrations likes Vijaya Dashami and Tihar are marked across the country, contributing to an impressive total of 35 official public holidays each year.
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3. Iran
Twenty-six public holidays are recognised in Iran. A large number of these observances are set according to the lunar or solar Hijri calendars for national events, and Gregorian calendar for international events.
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4. Myanmar
The former Burma matches Iran with 26 official public holidays, many of them rooted in faith and tradition.
The year is punctuated by Buddhist full-moon observances, the lively Thingyan water festival marking the New Year and days that commemorate important moments from the nation’s past, making celebration an integral part of everyday life.
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5. Sri Lanka
With Poya days celebrated every month, Sri Lanka’s calendar is among the most relaxed. Add in religious and national observances, and time off is never far away. In total 25 public holidays are marked.
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6. Malaysia
Malaysia too enjoys 24 public holidays, with the total often increasing thanks to additional state-specific celebrations.
These include royal birthdays, regional festivities and local observances, meaning the exact number of days off can vary depending on which part of the country you live in.
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7. Fiji
Public holidays — 23 of them — are an illustration of its rich cultural mix, with each major faith honoured by an official day off.
In addition, cities and towns host lively annual carnivals, often named after local heritage or industries, like Lautoka’s well-known Sugar Festival.
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8. Bangladesh
Our eastern neighbour celebrates 22 public holidays, centred largely around important Islamic celebrations like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Then there are key national commemorations like Independence Day and Victory Day, along with selected festivals observed by minority communities.
