Public holidays offer a unique window into a country's culture, religion, and values. While most nations designate a handful of such days each year, some countries stand out for offering an exceptionally high number of public holidays.
These days off can range from religious celebrations to national observances and regional festivals.
In this article, we explore the countries with the most public holidays, examining how each nation's calendar reflects its diverse heritage and offers frequent breaks from the working year.
1. India
In terms of sheer volume of public holidays, India stands out globally. World Population Review reports that India offers around 42 public holidays each year, making it the highest total currently known.
The reasons are manifold: India is remarkably diverse in terms of religion, culture, and region, and this diversity is reflected in its holiday calendar.
Hindu festivals such as Diwali and Holi are celebrated alongside Islamic holidays like Eid, Christian observances, and national commemorations such as Independence Day.
Additionally, each state in India often observes its own regional holidays, which further inflate the total number of official days off.
For many workers, this means they effectively receive far more days off than the national average might suggest. The implication is that the Indian holiday calendar is not just a matter of national holidays, but a mosaic of local, state‐level and religious observances intertwined.
2. Nepal
Next on the list is Nepal, with around 35 public holidays reported for 2025 by several sources such as World Population Review.
Nepal’s calendar of holidays reflects its great cultural and religious mixture: it houses significant Hindu and Buddhist populations, and its festivals include events like Dashain and Tihar as well as Buddhist observances such as Buddha Jayanti.
Interestingly, one caveat is that Nepal commonly operates a six‐day work week rather than five days, which means that the relative time off may be shaped differently compared to a typical five‐day working week.
Moreover, the presence of many holidays tied to lunar or solar calendars means dates shift, but the volume remains high. For Nepali citizens, these holidays offer many opportunities for celebration, rest, and cultural observance throughout the year.
3. Iran
The Islamic Republic of Iran is another country with a large number of public holidays—about 26. Iran’s public holidays are deeply rooted in both religious and national history.
Major Islamic observances such as Eid al‑Fitr and Eid al‑Adha are included, along with secular or national holidays such as Nowruz (the Persian New Year), anniversaries of the Islamic Revolution, and national days of remembrance.
This mix means that many days in the Iranian calendar are reserved for formal state or religious commemoration, which gives the population many occasions to pause work and join public life.
4. Myanmar
In Southeast Asia, Myanmar has the most public holidays with 26. The country’s pattern of holidays reflects its multi‐ethnic composition, strong Buddhist traditions, and national observances.
For instance, the famous Thingyan Water Festival marking the Burmese New Year is a major holiday period, and many Buddhist Lent observances or full moon days are public holidays.
When taken together, the number of days off adds up significantly, and many citizens benefit from a wide array of cultural and religious breaks across the year.
5. Sri Lanka
Finally, Sri Lanka offers a somewhat slightly smaller but still high number of public holidays—roughly 25, according to World Population Review.
The island nation’s calendar reflects its plural society: Sinhalese Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians all observe major religious festivals, and national commemorations are likewise represented.
The holiday structure is therefore quite rich, and citizens may see a broad variety of occasions when normal work ceases and cultural or religious observance takes precedence.
