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.
Arab Public Holidays
Complete Guide to Public Holidays in Arab Countries
Official Calendar
Complete Guide to Islamic Holidays, National Days & Work Schedule in Djibouti
| Holiday | Date | Day | Hijri date | Days off | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Friday | 23 Rajab 1448 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Isra and Mi'raj Expected | Tuesday | 27 Rajab 1448 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Eid al-Fitr Expected | Tuesday | 1 Shawwal 1448 AH | 2 days (9 March – 10 March) | Religious | |
| Labour Day | Saturday | 24 Dhu al-Qadah 1448 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Eid al-Adha Expected | Sunday | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 AH | 2 days (16 May – 17 May) | Religious | |
| Islamic New Year Expected | Sunday | 1 Muharram 1449 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Independence Day | Sunday | 22 Muharram 1449 AH | 2 days (27 June – 28 June) | National | |
| Prophet's Birthday Expected | Saturday | 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1449 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Christmas Day | Saturday | 27 Rajab 1449 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.
Plan your vacations! There are 3 long weekends this year where public holidays connect with regular weekend days.
4 days off 14 May – 17 May
Eid al-Adha
3 days off 4 June – 6 June
Islamic New Year
4 days off 25 June – 28 June
Independence Day
Public holiday Weekend
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — New Year's Day | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 — Isra and Mi'raj | 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 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 — Eid al-Fitr | 10 — Eid al-Fitr | 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 — Labour Day | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 — Eid al-Adha | 17 — Eid al-Adha | 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 — Islamic New Year | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 — Independence Day | 28 — Independence Day | 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 — Prophet's Birthday |
| 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 | 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 |
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.
Official source: Government of Djibouti
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.
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 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 2027 dates for all Arab countries.
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, 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 2027 dates for all Arab countries.
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 celebrates the day Djibouti gained its independence. It is marked with official ceremonies, flag raising, and public celebrations across the country.
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 on 25 December celebrates the birth of Jesus and is an official holiday in Djibouti for all citizens.
Djibouti has 9 public holidays in 2027: 3 national and 6 religious, adding up to about 12 days off.
Eid al-Fitr in Djibouti is expected on Tuesday, 9 March 2027 (1 Shawwal 1448 AH), with 2 days off (9 March to 10 March). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
Eid al-Adha in Djibouti is expected on Sunday, 16 May 2027 (10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1448 AH), with 2 days off (16 May to 17 May). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
The official weekend in Djibouti is Friday and Saturday.
There are 3 long weekends where public holidays connect with the weekend. The longest is 4 days, from 14 May to 17 May.