National Days

National days: are annual holidays celebrated by a country to commemorate:

* a country’s independency day;

* a significant day in the country’s history;

* the birth of a national hero or the country’s monarch.

Many embassies and consulates will hold receptions and other special events to mark the occasion. It is appropriate for government officials and individuals, who work closely with a country celebrating its national day, to send a congratulatory letter.

Note: The national days of some countries vary from year to year. We have tried to indicate these with an asterisk. Consult that country’s embassy or consulate for the most current listing.

For a list of international days observed by the United Nations click here.

JANUARY

1 – Slovakia
1 – Haiti
1 – Sudan
4 – Burma
26 – Australia (Australia Day)
26 – India (Republic Day)

FEBRUARY

4 – Sri Lanka
6 – New Zealand (Waitangi Day)
7 – Grenada
15 – Serbia
16 – Lithuania
17 – Kosovo
18 – Gambia
22 – Saint Lucia
23 – Brunei
23 – Guyana (Republic Day)
24 – Estonia
25 – Kuwait
27 – Dominican Republic

MARCH

3 – Bulgaria
6 – Ghana
12 – Mauritius
13 – Holy See (Election Day of Pope Francis)
17 – Ireland (St. Patrick’s Day)
20 – Tunisia
21 – Namibia
23 – Pakistan (Republic Day)
25 – Greece
26 – Bangladesh

APRIL

4 – Senegal
16 – Denmark (Birthday of H.M. Queen Margrethe II)
17 – Syria
18 – Zimbabwe
26 – Tanzania (Union Day)
27 – Netherlands (King’s Day)
27 – Sierra Leone
27 – South Africa (Freedom Day)
27 – Togo

MAY

1 – Marshall Islands
3 – Poland (Constitution Day)
9 – European Union
9 – Israel* (Marks the date of formal establishment of Israel)
14 – Paraguay
17 – Norway (Constitution Day)
20 – Cameroon (Republic Day)
22 – Yemen (Unification Day)
24 – Eritrea
25 – Argentina (Revolution Day)
25 – Jordan
26 – Georgia
26 – Guyana
28 – Azerbaijan
28 – Ethiopia (Derg Downfall Day)

JUNE

1 – Samoa
2 – Italy (Republic Day)
4 – Tonga
5 – Denmark (Constitution Day)
6 – Sweden (Flag Day)
10 – Portugal (Portugal Day)
12 – Philippines
12 – Russia
17 – Iceland
18 – Seychelles
23 – Luxembourg (Birthday* of Grand Duke Henri)
25 – Croatia (Statehood Day)
25 – Mozambique
25 – Slovenia (Statehood Day)
26 – Madagascar
27 – Djibouti
30 – Democratic Republic of the Congo

JULY

1 – Burundi
1 – Canada (Canada Day)
1 – Rwanda
3 – Belarus
4 – United States of America
5 – Cabo Verde
5 – Venezuela
5 – Slovakia
6 – Comoros
6 – Malawi
7 – Nepal
7 – Solomon Islands
10 – Bahamas
11 – Mongolia (Revolution Day)
13 – Montenegro
14 – France
20 – Colombia
21 – Belgium (Ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I)
23 – Egypt (Revolution Day)
26 – Liberia
28 – Peru
30 – Morocco (Throne Day, Ascension of King Mohammed VI)

AUGUST

1 – Benin
1 – Switzerland (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)
2 – Macedonia
6 – Bolivia
6 – Jamaica
7 – Côte d’Ivoire
9 – Singapore
10 – Ecuador
11 – Chad
15 – Republic of the Congo
15 – India
15 – Liechtenstein
15 – South Korea (Liberation Day)
17 – Gabon
17 – Indonesia
19 – Afghanistan
20 – Hungary (St. Stephen’s Day)
24 – Ukraine
25 – Uruguay
27 – Moldova
31 – Kyrgyzstan
31 – Malaysia (Malaysia Day)
31 – Trinidad and Tobago

SEPTEMBER

1 – Libya
1 – Slovakia (Constitution Day)
1 – Uzbekistan
2 – Vietnam
6 – Swaziland
7 – Brazil
8 – Macedonia
15 – Costa Rica
15 – El Salvador
15 – Guatemala
15 – Honduras
15 – Nicaragua
16 – Mexico
16 – Papua New Guinea
18 – Chile
19 – Saint Kitts and Nevis
21 – Armenia
21 – Belize
21 – Malta
22 – Mali
23 – Saudi Arabia (Unification of the Kingdom)
24 – Guinea-Bissau
30 – Botswana (Botswana Day)

OCTOBER

1 – People’s Republic of China (Anniversary of the Founding)
1 – Cyprus
1 – Nigeria
1 – Palau
2 – Guinea
3 – Germany (Unity Day)
4 – Lesotho
8 – Croatia
9 – Uganda
11 – Fiji*
12 – Equatorial Guinea
12 – Spain (Hispanic Day: marks arrival of Columbus in the Americas)
18 – Azerbaijan
24 – Zambia
26 – Austria (Marks the passage of the law on permanent neutrality)
27 – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
27 – Turkmenistan
28 – Czechia
29 – Turkey (Republic Day)

NOVEMBER

1 – Algeria
1 – Antigua and Barbuda
1 – Slovakia (Constitution Day)
3 – Dominica
3 – Panama
9 – Cambodia
9 – Nepal
11 – Angola
18 – Latvia
18 – Oman (Birthday of Sultan Qaboos)
19 – Monaco
22 – Lebanon
25 – Suriname
28 – Albania
28 – Mauritania
30 – Barbados

DECEMBER

1 – Central African Republic
1 – Romania (Unification Day)
2 – Laos
2 – United Arab Emirates
5 – Thailand (Birthday of King Vajiralongkorn)
6 – Finland
11 – Burkina Faso
12 – Kenya
16 – Bahrain
16 – Kazakhstan
18 – Niger
18 – Qatar
23 – Japan (Birthday of Emperor Akihito)

* Israel: Independence Day, Yom Ha’atzmaut, commemorates the 5th day of the month of Iyar, the date of the formal establishment of the State of Israel. The date varies according to the Hebrew calendar. This is the 2019 date.

* UK: The UK has no official national day, although the Queen’s official birthday is often celebrated as such by embassies, consulates, and communities abroad. The date changes each year, and each commonwealth country may choose to celebrate it on a different day. Usually it occurs in late May or early June. In the UK it occurs on the first, second, or third Saturday in June.

* This date of birth is not the actual date of birth of the Grand Duke. As is often the case for ruling Royals, dates are changed to allow national festivities at a more favorable time of the year.

* Fiji: Per the CIA World Factbook, Fiji celebrates its 1970 independence from Britain on the second Monday of October, and the U.S. State Department notes the date as October 11. However, October 10 (the actual date of independence) seems to have been adopted as the official date in recent years, and it will be October 10, 2015 per the government of Fiji website.

Source: Unless otherwise noted, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic List, October 30, 2014.