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Public holidays in Turkmenistan

16 days in 2026 · 11 in 2027

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Next public holiday

Day of Remembrance

After it: Day of Neutrality, Saturday 12 December

Tuesday, 6 October 2026

Turkmenistan has 16 days off on the calendar for 2026. The law names nine holidays: New Year, International Women's Day, two days of Nowruz, the Day of the Constitution and the State Flag, Independence Day, the Day of Remembrance, the Day of Neutrality, and the two Islamic festivals, whose dates the president fixes by decree each year. In 2026 the calendar adds substitute and extra days to them: Monday 9 March beside Women's Day, which falls on a Sunday, a third day of Nowruz on Monday 23 March, three days of Kurban Bayram from Wednesday 27 May, and three days for Independence from Sunday 27 September.

Two of the days off belong to the neutral state itself. The Day of Neutrality on 12 December marks the UN General Assembly resolution of 1995, and Independence Day on 27 September replaced the October date on which independence was declared in 1991. Beside the days off, the government lists twenty days that are celebrated without a holiday, several of them in honour of the country's own symbols: the Turkmen horse in April, the carpet in May, the alabay dog in October.

For 2027 the calendar on file has 11 days off. The dates of Oraza Bayram, Wednesday 10 March, and of Kurban Bayram, from Sunday 16 May, are provisional until the presidential decree, and Kurban Bayram's third day falls on Tuesday 18 May, the same day as the Day of the Constitution and the State Flag.

Days off in 2026
16Nationwide public holidays
On a weekday
11Monday to Friday
On a weekend
5Saturday or Sunday
Long weekends
5and 2 with one day of leave

2026

Public holidays in Turkmenistan in 2026

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayThe first of January, a day off in the government's list of public holidays.Thursday
  2. 8 March: International Women's Day8 March, kept as a day off. In 2026 it falls on a Sunday and timeanddate lists Monday 9 March as a day off as well.SundayDate moves
  3. 9 March: International Women's Day8 March, kept as a day off. In 2026 it falls on a Sunday and timeanddate lists Monday 9 March as a day off as well.MondayDate moves
  4. 20 March: Oraza BayramThe festival at the end of Ramadan, on the first of Shawwal. The president sets its date by decree each year: Friday 20 March in 2026, and provisionally Wednesday 10 March in 2027.FridayDate moves
  5. 21 March: NowruzThe spring new year, the National Spring Holiday of the government's list, on 21 and 22 March. UNESCO inscribed Nowruz, with other countries, in 2024. In 2026 timeanddate adds Monday 23 March.SaturdayDate moves
  6. 22 March: NowruzThe spring new year, the National Spring Holiday of the government's list, on 21 and 22 March. UNESCO inscribed Nowruz, with other countries, in 2024. In 2026 timeanddate adds Monday 23 March.SundayDate moves
  7. 23 March: NowruzThe spring new year, the National Spring Holiday of the government's list, on 21 and 22 March. UNESCO inscribed Nowruz, with other countries, in 2024. In 2026 timeanddate adds Monday 23 March.MondayDate moves
  8. 18 May: Constitution and State Flag Day18 May marks the constitution of 18 May 1992 and the state flag. An earlier National Flag Day, first held on 19 February 1997, fell on the birthday of President Niyazov.Monday
  9. 27 May: Kurban BayramThe feast of sacrifice, Gurban Bayram in the government's list, on the tenth of Dhu al-Hijja, its date set by decree. Three days off in each year on file: from Wednesday 27 May 2026, and provisionally from Sunday 16 May 2027.WednesdayDate moves
  10. 28 May: Kurban BayramThe feast of sacrifice, Gurban Bayram in the government's list, on the tenth of Dhu al-Hijja, its date set by decree. Three days off in each year on file: from Wednesday 27 May 2026, and provisionally from Sunday 16 May 2027.ThursdayDate moves
  11. 29 May: Kurban BayramThe feast of sacrifice, Gurban Bayram in the government's list, on the tenth of Dhu al-Hijja, its date set by decree. Three days off in each year on file: from Wednesday 27 May 2026, and provisionally from Sunday 16 May 2027.FridayDate moves
  12. 27 September: Independence DayIndependence was declared on 27 October 1991, and the holiday is now kept on 27 September. Timeanddate lists three days off in 2026, from Sunday 27 to Tuesday 29 September, and the day alone so far for 2027.SundayDate moves
  13. 28 September: Independence DayIndependence was declared on 27 October 1991, and the holiday is now kept on 27 September. Timeanddate lists three days off in 2026, from Sunday 27 to Tuesday 29 September, and the day alone so far for 2027.MondayDate moves
  14. 29 September: Independence DayIndependence was declared on 27 October 1991, and the holiday is now kept on 27 September. Timeanddate lists three days off in 2026, from Sunday 27 to Tuesday 29 September, and the day alone so far for 2027.TuesdayDate moves
  15. 6 October: Day of Remembrance6 October, a memorial day and a day off. The government's list calls it Memorial Day and gives no further description.Tuesday
  16. 12 December: Day of Neutrality12 December, the anniversary of the UN General Assembly resolution of 1995 recognising Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality, which 185 countries supported according to the government.Saturday

Long weekends

Long weekends in Turkmenistan in 2026

Runs of three days or more off, with weekends counted, and the working days that join a holiday to a weekend when taken as leave.

  • 4daysThu 1 Jan to Sun 4 JanWith Fri 2 Jan taken as leave · New Year's Day
  • 3daysSat 7 Mar to Mon 9 MarInternational Women's Day, International Women's Day
  • 4daysFri 20 Mar to Mon 23 MarOraza Bayram, Nowruz, Nowruz, Nowruz
  • 3daysSat 16 May to Mon 18 MayConstitution and State Flag Day
  • 5daysWed 27 May to Sun 31 MayKurban Bayram, Kurban Bayram, Kurban Bayram
  • 4daysSat 26 Sept to Tue 29 SeptIndependence Day, Independence Day, Independence Day
  • 4daysSat 3 Oct to Tue 6 OctWith Mon 5 Oct taken as leave · Day of Remembrance

2027

Public holidays in Turkmenistan in 2027

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayFriday
  2. 8 March: International Women's DayMondayDate moves
  3. 10 March: Oraza BayramWednesdayDate moves
  4. 21 March: NowruzSundayDate moves
  5. 22 March: NowruzMondayDate moves
  6. 16 May: Kurban BayramSundayDate moves
  7. 17 May: Kurban BayramMondayDate moves
  8. 18 May: Kurban BayramTuesdayDate moves
  9. 27 September: Independence DayMondayDate moves
  10. 6 October: Day of RemembranceWednesday
  11. 12 December: Day of NeutralitySunday

Observances

Days marked in Turkmenistan that are not days off

  1. 26 April: Day of the Turkmen HorseThe last Sunday of April, for the Akhal-Teke breed. Marked without a day off.SundayDate moves
  2. 9 May: Victory Day9 May, the day of victory in the war of 1941 to 1945. Marked without a day off.Saturday
  3. 25 May: Day of the City of Ashgabat25 May, the capital's day. Marked without a day off.Monday
  4. 31 May: Turkmen Carpet DayThe last Sunday of May, a public celebration since 1992. Timeanddate gives an earlier Sunday, 24 May 2026 and 23 May 2027; the dates here follow the government's rule.SundayDate moves
  5. 27 June: Day of Culture, Art and Poetry of Magtymguly27 June, for Magtymguly Pyragy, the poet Turkmenistan honours as the father of its literature, whose 300th birth anniversary was marked in 2024. A Week of Culture is held around it each year. Marked without a day off.Saturday
  6. 25 October: Turkmen Alabay DayThe last Sunday of October, for the dog breed whose breeding UNESCO inscribed in 2025. Timeanddate gives Sunday 1 November for 2026; the date here follows the government's rule.SundayDate moves
  7. 8 November: Harvest DayThe second Sunday of November. Marked without a day off.SundayDate moves
  8. 21 December: Memorial Day of the First President21 December, the anniversary of the death of Saparmurat Niyazov in 2006. Marked without a day off.Monday

The two Islamic festivals have no fixed date in law. The government's list says that the dates of Gurban Bayram and of the Ramadan holiday are set each year by decree of the president, so the 2027 dates shown here, taken from timeanddate, are provisional.

The extra days in 2026, Monday 9 March, Monday 23 March and the third days of Kurban Bayram and Independence, appear in timeanddate's calendar and not in the government's list of holidays, which names the days themselves. The calendar for 2027 has none yet, and the count of days off for that year may rise when the decrees are published.

Days marked without a holiday are, in the government's words, celebrated without a day off when they fall on a working day. Several fall on Sundays by rule, the horse, the carpet, the alabay and the harvest among them.

Common questions

Questions about public holidays in Turkmenistan

How many public holidays does Turkmenistan have in 2026?

Sixteen days off: 1 January, 8 and 9 March, Oraza Bayram on 20 March, Nowruz from 21 to 23 March, 18 May, three days of Kurban Bayram from 27 May, Independence from 27 to 29 September, 6 October and 12 December. The law itself names nine holidays; the rest are extra and substitute days listed by timeanddate.

Why is Independence Day in September when independence came in October?

Turkmenistan declared independence on 27 October 1991, and that is the date of the constitutional law that named the state. The government's current list puts Independence Day on 27 September, and Caravanistan notes that the day used to fall in October. The sources on file do not give the reason for the move.

What is the Day of Neutrality?

A public holiday on 12 December, the anniversary of the UN General Assembly resolution of 12 December 1995 that recognised Turkmenistan as a permanently neutral state. Neutrality is written into Article 2 of the constitution as the basis of national and foreign policy.

Are Kurban Bayram and Oraza Bayram days off?

Yes, both. The president sets their dates by decree each year. In 2026 Oraza Bayram falls on Friday 20 March and Kurban Bayram runs for three days from Wednesday 27 May. For 2027 timeanddate gives Wednesday 10 March and three days from Sunday 16 May, both provisional.

Is Nowruz a holiday in Turkmenistan?

Yes. The government's list calls it the National Spring Holiday and gives it two days, 21 and 22 March; in 2026 timeanddate adds a third day, Monday 23 March. It was on this day in 1992 that the new national flag was first raised.

Which holidays honour animals and crafts?

Four days in the official list: the Day of the Turkmen Horse on the last Sunday of April, Turkmen Carpet Day on the last Sunday of May, Turkmen Alabay Day on the last Sunday of October and Harvest Day on the second Sunday of November. None of them is a day off, and all fall on Sundays.

Is the anniversary of Niyazov's death still marked?

Yes. The government lists 21 December as the Memorial Day of the first president, Saparmurat Niyazov, who died on that day in 2006. It is celebrated without a day off when it falls on a working day, as on Monday 21 December 2026.

Dates from Written from the sources, read 2026-10-02. The page counts from Saturday, 3 October 2026, the day it was built.