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.
Arab Public Holidays
Complete Guide to Public Holidays in Arab Countries
Official Calendar
Complete Guide to Islamic Holidays, National Days & Work Schedule in Iraq
| Holiday | Date | Day | Hijri date | Days off | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Tuesday | 26 Shaban 1451 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Army Day | Sunday | 2 Ramadan 1451 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Eid al-Fitr Expected | Monday | 1 Shawwal 1451 AH | 3 days (4 February – 6 February) | Religious | |
| Nowruz | Thursday | 16 Dhu al-Qadah 1451 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Arafat Day Expected | Friday | 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1451 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Eid al-Adha Expected | Saturday | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1451 AH | 3 days (13 April – 15 April) | Religious | |
| Eid al-Ghadir Expected | Sunday | 18 Dhu al-Hijjah 1451 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Labour Day | Wednesday | 28 Dhu al-Hijjah 1451 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Islamic New Year Expected | Saturday | 1 Muharram 1452 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Ashura Expected | Monday | 10 Muharram 1452 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Prophet's Birthday Expected | Saturday | 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1452 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| 14 July Revolution Day | Sunday | 13 Rabi al-Awwal 1452 AH | 1 day | National | |
| National Day | Thursday | 5 Jumada al-Akhirah 1452 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Victory Day | Tuesday | 14 Shaban 1452 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Christmas Day | Wednesday | 29 Shaban 1452 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 6 long weekends this year where public holidays connect with regular weekend days.
3 days off 4 January – 6 January
Army Day
3 days off 21 March – 23 March
Nowruz
4 days off 12 April – 15 April
Arafat Day + Eid al-Adha
3 days off 19 April – 21 April
Eid al-Ghadir
3 days off 12 July – 14 July
Prophet's Birthday + 14 July Revolution Day
3 days off 3 October – 5 October
National Day
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 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 — Eid al-Fitr | 5 — Eid al-Fitr | 6 — Eid al-Fitr | 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 | 21 — Nowruz | 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 — Arafat Day | 13 — Eid al-Adha |
| 14 — Eid al-Adha | 15 — Eid al-Adha | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 — Eid al-Ghadir | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Labour Day | 2 | 3 | 4 — Islamic New Year | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 — Ashura | 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 — Prophet's Birthday |
| 14 — 14 July Revolution Day | 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 | 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 — 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 |
| 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 |
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.
Official source: Government of Iraq
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.
Iraqi Army Day on 6 January marks the founding of the Iraqi Army in 1921.
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 2030 dates for all Arab countries.
Nowruz, the Kurdish and Persian New Year, is celebrated at the spring equinox on 21 March and is an official holiday in Iraq.
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, 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 2030 dates for all Arab countries.
Eid al-Ghadir, on 18 Dhu al-Hijjah, is a Shia religious festival that became an official holiday in Iraq in 2024.
Labour Day on 1 May honours workers and the labour movement. In Iraq government offices, banks and most businesses close for the day.
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 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.
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.
14 July marks the 1958 revolution that ended the monarchy in Iraq and established the republic.
3 October is Iraq's National Day, marking its admission to the League of Nations and formal independence in 1932.
10 December marks Iraq's declaration of victory over ISIS in 2017.
Christmas Day on 25 December celebrates the birth of Jesus and is an official holiday in Iraq for all citizens.
Iraq has 15 public holidays in 2030: 7 national and 8 religious, adding up to about 19 days off.
Eid al-Fitr in Iraq is expected on Monday, 4 February 2030 (1 Shawwal 1451 AH), with 3 days off (4 February to 6 February). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
Eid al-Adha in Iraq is expected on Saturday, 13 April 2030 (10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1451 AH), with 3 days off (13 April to 15 April). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
The official weekend in Iraq is Friday and Saturday.
There are 6 long weekends where public holidays connect with the weekend. The longest is 4 days, from 12 April to 15 April.