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Countries With the Most Paid Vacation

Countries With the Most Paid Vacation

Finding a satisfying work-life balance can be extremely important to mental health and happiness. This has become an increasingly relevant topic of discussion since the pandemic led many to reexamine labor norms.

Time away from work can be great for relaxing, disconnecting, and recharging. Some countries give employees significantly more time off than others, and even mandate vacation policies. In 1993, for instance, the European Union passed its Working Time Directive, which guarantees at least 20 days of paid vacation a year for full-time employees.

When it comes to paid vacation days, the United States is tied with the tiny Pacific nation of Nauru as the second worst country in the world, with an average of only 10 days (the worst, also in the Pacific, is the Federated States of Micronesia, with nine days). To make things worse, U.S. workers are guaranteed exactly zero paid leave days a year – and all 10 of the standard paid vacation days are public holidays. (You won’t be surprised to learn that America isn’t even on our list of countries with the best paid leave for new parents.)

Most of the nations of the world are in a considerably better position when it comes to paid time off from work. To compile a list of the countries with the most paid vacation days, 24/7 Tempo reviewed a study by Resume.io, a résumé-building site. The company reviewed data on laws governing annual statutory paid leave and Annual paid public holidays in almost 200 countries, then ranked the countries based on the combined number of statutory Annual paid leave days and Annual paid public holidays per year. (Information on gross domestic product per capita and population comes from the World Bank and is for 2021.) Our list includes all countries with more than 35 paid vacation days a year.

The countries that have the most paid vacation are spread across the globe and function under different forms of government, from democracy to monarchy to theocracy – and their levels of wealth vary drastically: The GDP per capita of seven of these countries is below $1,000, while at the high end, Monaco boasts an equivalent figure of $173,688. (Some of the countries on this list are also home to the cities with the best work-life balance in the world.)

Source: JandaliPhoto / iStock via Getty Images

43. United Arab Emirates
> Total annual paid vacation days: 36
> Annual paid leave days: 26
> Annual paid public holidays: 10
> GDP per capita: $36,285
> Population: 10.0 million

Source: Viacheslav Tykhanskyi / iStock via Getty Images

42. Ukraine
> Total annual paid vacation days: 36
> Annual paid leave days: 24
> Annual paid public holidays: 12
> GDP per capita: $4,836
> Population: 43.8 million

Source: Eloi_Omella / E+ via Getty Images

41. Spain
> Total annual paid vacation days: 36
> Annual paid leave days: 22
> Annual paid public holidays: 14
> GDP per capita: $30,116
> Population: 47.3 million

Source: IgorSPb / iStock via Getty Images

40. Senegal
> Total annual paid vacation days: 36
> Annual paid leave days: 24
> Annual paid public holidays: 12
> GDP per capita: $1,607
> Population: 17.2 million

Source: MarioGuti / E+ via Getty Images

39. France
> Total annual paid vacation days: 36
> Annual paid leave days: 25
> Annual paid public holidays: 11
> GDP per capita: $43,519
> Population: 67.5 million

Source: Kyrylo Neiezhmakov / iStock via Getty Images

38. Kazakhstan
> Total annual paid vacation days: 37
> Annual paid leave days: 18
> Annual paid public holidays: 19
> GDP per capita: $10,042
> Population: 19.0 million

Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images

37. Central African Republic
> Total annual paid vacation days: 37
> Annual paid leave days: 24
> Annual paid public holidays: 13
> GDP per capita: $512
> Population: 4.9 million

Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images

36. Burkina Faso
> Total annual paid vacation days: 37
> Annual paid leave days: 22
> Annual paid public holidays: 15
> GDP per capita: $918
> Population: 21.5 million

Source: derejeb / iStock via Getty Images

35. Benin
> Total annual paid vacation days: 37
> Annual paid leave days: 24
> Annual paid public holidays: 13
> GDP per capita: $1,428
> Population: 12.5 million

Source: 1111IESPDJ / E+ via Getty Images

34. Scotland
> Total annual paid vacation days: 38
> Annual paid leave days: 28
> Annual paid public holidays: 10
> GDP per capita: $37,460
> Population: 5.4 million

Source: KKKvintage / iStock via Getty Images

33. Marshall Islands
> Total annual paid vacation days: 38
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 8
> GDP per capita: $4,171
> Population: 59,620

Source: javarman3 / iStock via Getty Images

32. Malta
> Total annual paid vacation days: 38
> Annual paid leave days: 24
> Annual paid public holidays: 14
> GDP per capita: $33,257
> Population: 516,870

Source: Sean3810 / iStock via Getty Images

31. Iraq
> Total annual paid vacation days: 38
> Annual paid leave days: 20
> Annual paid public holidays: 18
> GDP per capita: $5,048
> Population: 41.2 million

Source: pedrosz / Flickr

30. Austria
> Total annual paid vacation days: 38
> Annual paid leave days: 25
> Annual paid public holidays: 13
> GDP per capita: $53,268
> Population: 9.0 million

Source: PepiteVoyage / Getty Images

29. Oman
> Total annual paid vacation days: 39
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 9
> GDP per capita: $16,439
> Population: 5.2 million

Source: Calin Stan / Getty Images

28. Moldova
> Total annual paid vacation days: 39
> Annual paid leave days: 28
> Annual paid public holidays: 11
> GDP per capita: $5,315
> Population: 2.6 million

Source: mbrand85 / iStock via Getty Images

27. Comoros
> Total annual paid vacation days: 39
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 9
> GDP per capita: $1,495
> Population: 888,460

Source: cpi / Flickr

26. Cambodia
> Total annual paid vacation days: 39
> Annual paid leave days: 18
> Annual paid public holidays: 21
> GDP per capita: $1,591
> Population: 16.9 million

Source: patpongs / iStock via Getty Images

25. Iceland
> Total annual paid vacation days: 40
> Annual paid leave days: 24
> Annual paid public holidays: 16
> GDP per capita: $68,384
> Population: 372,300

Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images

24. Djibouti
> Total annual paid vacation days: 40
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 10
> GDP per capita: $3,364
> Population: 1.0 million

Source: LisaStrachan / iStock via Getty Images

23. Panama
> Total annual paid vacation days: 41
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 11
> GDP per capita: $14,517
> Population: 4.4 million

Source: Giulio Di Sturco / Getty Images News via Getty Images

22. Maldives
> Total annual paid vacation days: 41
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 11
> GDP per capita: $8,995
> Population: 543,620

Source: Tiago_Fernandez / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

21. Guinea
> Total annual paid vacation days: 41
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 11
> GDP per capita: $1,174
> Population: 13.5 million

Source: vvvita / Getty Images

20. Georgia
> Total annual paid vacation days: 41
> Annual paid leave days: 24
> Annual paid public holidays: 17
> GDP per capita: $5,042
> Population: 3.7 million

Source: vestica / iStock via Getty Images

19. Equatorial Guinea
> Total annual paid vacation days: 41
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 11
> GDP per capita: $8,462
> Population: 1.4 million

Source: miniloc / Getty Images

18. Ivory Coast
> Total annual paid vacation days: 41
> Annual paid leave days: 26
> Annual paid public holidays: 15
> GDP per capita: $2,579
> Population: 27.1 million

Source: Leonid Andronov / iStock via Getty Images

17. Algeria
> Total annual paid vacation days: 41
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 11
> GDP per capita: $3,765
> Population: 44.6 million

Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images

16. Turkmenistan
> Total annual paid vacation days: 42
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 12
> GDP per capita: $7,612
> Population: 6.1 million

Source: Mlenny / E+ via Getty Images

15. Russia
> Total annual paid vacation days: 42
> Annual paid leave days: 28
> Annual paid public holidays: 14
> GDP per capita: $12,173
> Population: 143.4 million

Source: Christian Vinces / iStock via Getty Images

14. Peru
> Total annual paid vacation days: 42
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 12
> GDP per capita: $6,692
> Population: 33.4 million

Source: Garsya / iStock via Getty Images

13. Monaco
> Total annual paid vacation days: 42
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 12
> GDP per capita: $173,688
> Population: 39,520

Source: dutourdumonde / iStock via Getty Images

12. Mali
> Total annual paid vacation days: 42
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 12
> GDP per capita: $918
> Population: 20.9 million

Source: Lukas Bischoff / iStock via Getty Images

11. Kuwait
> Total annual paid vacation days: 42
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 12
> GDP per capita: $24,812
> Population: 4.3 million

Source: saiko3p / iStock via Getty Images

10. Azerbaijan
> Total annual paid vacation days: 42
> Annual paid leave days: 21
> Annual paid public holidays: 21
> GDP per capita: $5,384
> Population: 10.1 million

Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images

9. Togo
> Total annual paid vacation days: 43
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 13
> GDP per capita: $992
> Population: 8.5 million

Source: HomoCosmicos / iStock via Getty Images

8. Niger
> Total annual paid vacation days: 43
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 13
> GDP per capita: $595
> Population: 25.1 million

Source: dennisvdw / iStock via Getty Images

7. Madagascar
> Total annual paid vacation days: 43
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 13
> GDP per capita: $515
> Population: 28.4 million

Source: Kardd / Getty Images

6. Bhutan
> Total annual paid vacation days: 44
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 14
> GDP per capita: $3,001
> Population: 779,900

Source: Leonid Andronov / iStock via Getty Images

5. Bahrain
> Total annual paid vacation days: 44
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 14
> GDP per capita: $22,232
> Population: 1.7 million

Source: gbarm / iStock via Getty Images

4. Andorra
> Total annual paid vacation days: 44
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 14
> GDP per capita: $43,048
> Population: 77,350

Source: Kilinson / iStock via Getty Images

3. Yemen
> Total annual paid vacation days: 45
> Annual paid leave days: 30
> Annual paid public holidays: 15
> GDP per capita: $691
> Population: 30.5 million

Source: taratata / iStock via Getty Images

2. San Marino
> Total annual paid vacation days: 46
> Annual paid leave days: 26
> Annual paid public holidays: 20
> GDP per capita: $45,516
> Population: 34,010

Source: Lukas Bischoff / iStock via Getty Images

1. Iran
> Total annual paid vacation days: 53
> Annual paid leave days: 26
> Annual paid public holidays: 27
> GDP per capita: $2,757
> Population: 85.0 million

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