Arab Public Holidays
Complete Guide to Public Holidays in Arab Countries
Official Calendar
Complete Guide to Islamic Holidays, National Days & Work Schedule in Yemen
| Holiday | Date | Day | Hijri date | Days off | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eid al-Fitr Expected | Saturday | 1 Shawwal 1449 AH | 4 days (26 February – 29 February) | Religious | |
| Labour Day | Monday | 6 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Eid al-Adha Expected | Friday | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH | 4 days (5 May – 8 May) | Religious | |
| Unity Day | Monday | 27 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Islamic New Year Expected | Thursday | 1 Muharram 1450 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Prophet's Birthday Expected | Thursday | 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1450 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Revolution Day (26 September) | Tuesday | 7 Jumada al-Ula 1450 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Revolution Day (14 October) | Saturday | 25 Jumada al-Ula 1450 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Independence Day | Thursday | 13 Rajab 1450 AH | 1 day | National |
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 5 long weekends this year where public holidays connect with regular weekend days.
5 days off 25 February – 29 February
Eid al-Fitr
4 days off 5 May – 8 May
Eid al-Adha
3 days off 25 May – 27 May
Islamic New Year
3 days off 3 August – 5 August
Prophet's Birthday
3 days off 30 November – 2 December
Independence Day
Public holiday Weekend
| 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 — Eid al-Fitr |
| 27 — Eid al-Fitr | 28 — Eid al-Fitr | 29 — 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 | 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 — Eid al-Adha | 6 — Eid al-Adha | |
| 7 — Eid al-Adha | 8 — Eid al-Adha | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 — Unity Day | 23 | 24 | 25 — Islamic New Year | 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 — Prophet's Birthday | 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 — Revolution Day (26 September) | 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 — Revolution Day (14 October) |
| 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 — 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 |
Yemen's public holiday calendar includes both national commemorations and Islamic religious observances. Unity Day on 22 May is the most significant national holiday, marking the reunification of North and South Yemen in 1990, while 26 September Revolution Day commemorates the 1962 revolution. Islamic holidays follow the Hijri lunar calendar and include Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, the Prophet's Birthday, and Islamic New Year. The ongoing conflict since 2015 has significantly affected the uniform observance of public holidays across different regions of the country. Yemen's economy depends on agriculture, oil, remittances from expatriates, and fishing, with the standard work week running Sunday through Thursday and the weekend on Friday and Saturday. Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, and the Prophet's Birthday shift dates each year according to the lunar Hijri calendar, with religious authorities announcing official dates based on moon sighting.
Official source: Government of Yemen
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 2028 dates for all Arab countries.
Labour Day on 1 May honours workers and the labour movement. In Yemen 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 2028 dates for all Arab countries.
Unity Day on 22 May marks the unification of North and South Yemen in 1990.
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.
Al-Mawlid al-Nabawi commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad on 12 Rabi al-Awwal. In Yemen it is an official holiday, often marked with religious lectures, poetry recitals in praise of the Prophet and traditional sweets.
26 September commemorates the 1962 revolution that established the Yemen Arab Republic in the north.
14 October commemorates the 1963 uprising against British rule in South Yemen.
Independence Day celebrates the day Yemen gained its independence. It is marked with official ceremonies, flag raising, and public celebrations across the country.
Yemen has 9 public holidays in 2028: 5 national and 4 religious, adding up to about 15 days off.
Eid al-Fitr in Yemen is expected on Saturday, 26 February 2028 (1 Shawwal 1449 AH), with 4 days off (26 February to 29 February). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
Eid al-Adha in Yemen is expected on Friday, 5 May 2028 (10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH), with 4 days off (5 May to 8 May). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
The official weekend in Yemen is Friday and Saturday.
There are 5 long weekends where public holidays connect with the weekend. The longest is 5 days, from 25 February to 29 February.