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 Iraq, reflecting the Gregorian calendar's role in government and business.
Iraq Public Holidays 2026
Official Calendar
Complete Guide to Islamic Holidays, National Days & Work Schedule in Iraq
Iraq Public Holidays List 2026
| Holiday | Date | Day | Hijri date | Days off | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday | 12 Rajab 1447 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Army Day | Tuesday | 17 Rajab 1447 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Eid al-Fitr | Friday | 1 Shawwal 1447 AH | 4 days (20 March – 23 March) | Religious | |
| Nowruz | Saturday | 2 Shawwal 1447 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Labour Day | Friday | 14 Dhu al-Qadah 1447 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Arafat Day | Tuesday | 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Eid al-Adha | Wednesday | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 AH | 5 days (27 May – 31 May) | Religious | |
| Eid al-Ghadir | Thursday | 18 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Islamic New Year | Tuesday | 1 Muharram 1448 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Ashura | Thursday | 10 Muharram 1448 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| 14 July Revolution Day | Tuesday | 29 Muharram 1448 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Prophet's Birthday | Tuesday | 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1448 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| National Day | Saturday | 22 Rabi al-Thani 1448 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Victory Day | Thursday | 1 Rajab 1448 AH | 1 day | National | |
| 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 6 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 20 March – 23 March
Eid al-Fitr + Nowruz
-
6 days off 26 May – 31 May
Arafat Day + Eid al-Adha
-
3 days off 4 June – 6 June
Eid al-Ghadir
-
3 days off 25 June – 27 June
Ashura
-
3 days off 10 December – 12 December
Victory Day
Iraq Calendar 2026
Public holiday Weekend
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — New Year's Day | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 — Army Day | 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 |
- 1 January New Year's Day
- 6 January Army 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 |
| 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، Nowruz |
| 22 — Eid al-Fitr | 23 — Eid al-Fitr | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 |
- 20 March Eid al-Fitr
- 21 March Nowruz
| 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 — Arafat Day | 27 — Eid al-Adha | 28 — Eid al-Adha | 29 — Eid al-Adha | 30 — Eid al-Adha |
| 31 — Eid al-Adha |
- 1 May Labour Day
- 26 May Arafat Day
- 27 May Eid al-Adha
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 — Eid al-Ghadir | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 — Islamic New Year | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 — Ashura | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 |
- 4 June Eid al-Ghadir
- 16 June Islamic New Year
- 25 June Ashura
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 — 14 July Revolution Day | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
- 14 July 14 July Revolution 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 — 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 — National Day | ||||
| 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 |
- 3 October National 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 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 — Victory Day | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 — Christmas Day | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
- 10 December Victory Day
- 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
- 15
- National holidays
- 7
- Religious holidays
- 8
- Total days off
- 22
- Long weekends
- 6
- Weekend days
- Friday and Saturday
About Public Holidays in Iraq
Iraq's public holiday calendar reflects its complex demographic and political makeup, combining national commemorations with both Sunni and Shia Islamic observances. The 14 July Revolution anniversary and Army Day are prominent national holidays. Given Iraq's significant Shia Muslim population, certain Shia religious occasions are included as official public holidays — a distinction not found in most other Arab countries. Islamic religious holidays follow the Hijri calendar, with dates announced by the Interior Ministry and recognised religious authorities. Iraq observes Friday and Saturday as its official weekend, consistent with most Gulf-adjacent Arab states. Iraq's economy relies primarily on the oil sector alongside agriculture and trade, with the standard work week running Sunday through Thursday and the weekend on Friday and Saturday. Islamic holiday dates move annually according to the lunar Hijri calendar, with official dates determined by religious authority announcements.
Practical Information for Residents and Visitors
- Ministries and government bodies close on all officially declared public holidays.
- Iraqi Labour Law entitles private sector employees to paid leave on public holidays.
- Local authorities may occasionally declare additional holidays in exceptional circumstances.
- Religious holiday dates depend on official moon sighting and may shift by one day.
Official source: Government of Iraq
Public Holiday Details 2026
Army Day National
Iraqi Army Day on 6 January marks the founding of the Iraqi Army in 1921.
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.
Nowruz National
Nowruz, the Kurdish and Persian New Year, is celebrated at the spring equinox on 21 March and is an official holiday in Iraq.
Labour Day National
Labour Day on 1 May honours workers and the labour movement. In Iraq government offices, banks and most businesses close for the day.
Arafat Day Religious
Arafat Day falls on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah, when pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for the most important rite of the Hajj. Many Muslims who are not on pilgrimage fast on this day. It immediately precedes Eid al-Adha.
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.
Eid al-Ghadir Religious
Eid al-Ghadir, on 18 Dhu al-Hijjah, is a Shia religious festival that became an official holiday in Iraq in 2024.
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.
Ashura Religious
Ashura falls on 10 Muharram. Many Sunni Muslims fast on this day, and for Shia Muslims it is a major day of mourning commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein at Karbala in 680 CE. In Iraq it is an official day off.
14 July Revolution Day National
14 July marks the 1958 revolution that ended the monarchy in Iraq and established the republic.
Prophet's Birthday Religious
Al-Mawlid al-Nabawi commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad on 12 Rabi al-Awwal. In Iraq it is an official holiday, often marked with religious lectures, poetry recitals in praise of the Prophet and traditional sweets.
National Day National
3 October is Iraq's National Day, marking its admission to the League of Nations and formal independence in 1932.
Victory Day National
10 December marks Iraq's declaration of victory over ISIS in 2017.
Christmas Day Religious
Christmas Day on 25 December celebrates the birth of Jesus and is an official holiday in Iraq for all citizens.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays does Iraq have in 2026?
Iraq has 15 public holidays in 2026: 7 national and 8 religious, adding up to about 22 days off.
When is Eid al-Fitr 2026 in Iraq?
Eid al-Fitr in Iraq falls on Friday, 20 March 2026 (1 Shawwal 1447 AH), with 4 days off (20 March to 23 March).
When is Eid al-Adha 2026 in Iraq?
Eid al-Adha in Iraq falls on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 (10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 AH), with 5 days off (27 May to 31 May).
What are the weekend days in Iraq?
The official weekend in Iraq is Friday and Saturday.
How many long weekends are there in Iraq in 2026?
There are 6 long weekends where public holidays connect with the weekend. The longest is 6 days, from 26 May to 31 May.