New Year's Day National
New Year's Day on 1 January marks the start of the Gregorian calendar year. It is an official day off in Djibouti, reflecting the Gregorian calendar's role in government and business.
Djibouti Public Holidays 2026
Official Calendar
Complete Guide to Islamic Holidays, National Days & Work Schedule in Djibouti
Djibouti Public Holidays List 2026
| Holiday | Date | Day | Hijri date | Days off | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday | 12 Rajab 1447 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Isra and Mi'raj | Friday | 27 Rajab 1447 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Eid al-Fitr | Friday | 1 Shawwal 1447 AH | 2 days (20 March – 21 March) | Religious | |
| Labour Day | Friday | 14 Dhu al-Qadah 1447 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Eid al-Adha | Wednesday | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 AH | 2 days (27 May – 28 May) | Religious | |
| Islamic New Year | Tuesday | 1 Muharram 1448 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Independence Day | Saturday | 12 Muharram 1448 AH | 2 days (27 June – 28 June) | National | |
| Prophet's Birthday | Tuesday | 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1448 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Christmas Day | Friday | 16 Rajab 1448 AH | 1 day | Religious |
Weekend days: Friday and Saturday
Note: Religious holiday dates may vary based on moon sighting and could change by one day. Please check official sources for confirmation.
Long Weekends 2026
Plan your vacations! There are 3 long weekends this year where public holidays connect with regular weekend days.
-
3 days off 1 January – 3 January
New Year's Day
-
4 days off 27 May – 30 May
Eid al-Adha
-
3 days off 26 June – 28 June
Independence Day
Djibouti Calendar 2026
Public holiday Weekend
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — New Year's Day | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 — Isra and Mi'raj | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
- 1 January New Year's Day
- 16 January Isra and Mi'raj
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 — Eid al-Fitr | 21 — Eid al-Fitr |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 |
- 20 March Eid al-Fitr
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Labour Day | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 — Eid al-Adha | 28 — Eid al-Adha | 29 | 30 |
| 31 |
- 1 May Labour Day
- 27 May Eid al-Adha
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 — Islamic New Year | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 — Independence Day |
| 28 — Independence Day | 29 | 30 |
- 16 June Islamic New Year
- 27 June Independence Day
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 — Prophet's Birthday | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 |
- 25 August Prophet's Birthday
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 — Christmas Day | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
- 25 December Christmas Day
Religious Holidays
- Based on Islamic (Hijri) calendar
- May vary based on moon sighting
- Move about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year
National Holidays
- Fixed dates every year
- Celebrate historical events
- Usually single-day observances
2026 Holiday Summary
- Total public holidays
- 9
- National holidays
- 3
- Religious holidays
- 6
- Total days off
- 12
- Long weekends
- 3
- Weekend days
- Friday and Saturday
About Public Holidays in Djibouti
Djibouti's public holiday calendar reflects its unique identity at the crossroads of Arab and African culture. Independence Day on 27 June is the foremost national holiday, marking Djibouti's independence from France in 1977. Islamic religious holidays follow the Hijri calendar and include Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, the Prophet's Birthday, and the Islamic New Year. Djibouti's strategic position at the Bab-el-Mandeb strait makes it a significant commercial hub, and its official holiday calendar is relatively compact, supporting a business-friendly environment for the many international organisations and military bases hosted in the country. Djibouti's economy is anchored by its strategic location at the Bab el-Mandeb strait, with port services, maritime logistics, and foreign military bases as major revenue sources alongside services and trade. The standard work week runs Sunday through Thursday with the weekend on Friday and Saturday. Islamic holidays such as Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha shift dates each year according to the lunar Hijri calendar.
Practical Information for Residents and Visitors
- Government offices close on all officially declared public holidays.
- Djiboutian Labour Law entitles private sector employees to paid leave on public holidays.
- Independence Day is celebrated nationally with official and public events.
- Islamic holiday dates are determined by official moon sighting and may shift by one day.
Official source: Government of Djibouti
Public Holiday Details 2026
Isra and Mi'raj Religious
Isra and Mi'raj, on 27 Rajab, commemorates the Prophet Muhammad's night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascension to the heavens. In Djibouti it is an official day off, sometimes moved to the start or end of the working week.
Eid al-Fitr Religious
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and falls on 1 Shawwal in the Hijri calendar. Families attend the Eid prayer in the morning, visit relatives and exchange gifts, and children traditionally receive Eidiya money. The exact start is confirmed by moon sighting, so the date can move by one day. See Eid 2026 dates for all Arab countries.
Labour Day National
Labour Day on 1 May honours workers and the labour movement. In Djibouti government offices, banks and most businesses close for the day.
Eid al-Adha Religious
Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, begins on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, the day after pilgrims stand at Mount Arafat during the Hajj. Muslims perform the Eid prayer and many sacrifice a sheep or other livestock, sharing the meat with family, neighbours and those in need. It is the longest public holiday of the year in most Arab countries. See Eid 2026 dates for all Arab countries.
Islamic New Year Religious
The Islamic New Year (Ras al-Sana al-Hijriya) falls on 1 Muharram and marks the start of a new Hijri year, commemorating the Prophet Muhammad's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. It is a quiet, reflective holiday rather than a festive one.
Independence Day National
Independence Day celebrates the day Djibouti gained its independence. It is marked with official ceremonies, flag raising, and public celebrations across the country.
Prophet's Birthday Religious
Al-Mawlid al-Nabawi commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad on 12 Rabi al-Awwal. In Djibouti it is an official holiday, often marked with religious lectures, poetry recitals in praise of the Prophet and traditional sweets.
Christmas Day Religious
Christmas Day on 25 December celebrates the birth of Jesus and is an official holiday in Djibouti for all citizens.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays does Djibouti have in 2026?
Djibouti has 9 public holidays in 2026: 3 national and 6 religious, adding up to about 12 days off.
When is Eid al-Fitr 2026 in Djibouti?
Eid al-Fitr in Djibouti falls on Friday, 20 March 2026 (1 Shawwal 1447 AH), with 2 days off (20 March to 21 March).
When is Eid al-Adha 2026 in Djibouti?
Eid al-Adha in Djibouti falls on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 (10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 AH), with 2 days off (27 May to 28 May).
What are the weekend days in Djibouti?
The official weekend in Djibouti is Friday and Saturday.
How many long weekends are there in Djibouti in 2026?
There are 3 long weekends where public holidays connect with the weekend. The longest is 4 days, from 27 May to 30 May.