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Country holiday calendars

Public Holidays and Country Holiday Calendars

Public holidays are official days off or reduced-work days set by national or regional law. They differ from awareness observances, which usually keep offices open. Use country pages to see dated lists, then open a year calendar for planning.

Browse holidays by country

What are public holidays?

A public holiday (or legal holiday) is a day recognized by law when many workers receive time off, and schools, banks, or government offices may close. Rules vary by country and sometimes by region within a country.

  • Dates can be fixed (same calendar day each year) or move with lunar calendars or weekday rules
  • Some holidays are nationwide; others apply only in certain states or provinces
  • Substitute or bridge days may shift the observed date when a holiday falls on a weekend

Popular country holiday calendars

Open a country hub or jump to the 2026 dated list.

Browse holidays by region

Find public holiday calendars grouped by continent.

Europe

Asia

North America

South America

Africa

Browse public holidays by year

Start with a year calendar, then switch country from the directory.

Browse by year

2026 public holidays

Example: United States 2026 calendar. Pick another country from the holiday directory to see additional years.

Open 2026 calendar

Browse by year

2027 public holidays

Example: United States 2027 calendar. Pick another country from the holiday directory to see additional years.

Open 2027 calendar

Public holidays vs observances

Both show up on calendars, but they answer different planning questions.

Public holidays
Observances
Typical effect
Time off or reduced operations in many places
Awareness and commemoration
Office closures
Often closed banks, schools, or government
Usually a normal working day worldwide
On this site
Country listings by year under /holidays
Thematic and international calendars under /observances

International observances guideObservance calendarsReligious calendars

Planning with public holiday calendars

Common reasons teams and families open country year views.

  • Travel and leave

    Check when offices and services close before booking trips or PTO.

  • Payroll and HR

    Align pay rules, overtime, and regional closures with official holiday calendars.

  • Remote and distributed teams

    Compare country calendars when scheduling meetings across time zones.

  • Campaigns and retail

    Time promotions and customer support around local public holidays.

  • School and family planning

    See term breaks and national holidays together on a country year view.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about public holidays and how to use this site.

Related Guides

Learn more about public holidays, moving holiday dates, bank holidays, and how to use country calendars.

Ready to open a country calendar?

Browse the full public holiday directory and pick a country or year calendar.
Browse holidays by country