COUNTRYSpec

Public holidays in Western Sahara

18 days in 2026 · 18 in 2027

Back to Western SaharaMaghreb

Next public holiday

Unity Day

Eid Al Wahda

After it: Green March, Friday 6 November

Saturday, 31 October 2026

Western Sahara has 18 public holidays in 2026 and 18 in 2027 in the part Morocco administers, about 80% of the territory and almost all of its coast. Morocco calls that area its Southern Provinces and keeps its national calendar there, so the days off in Laayoune, Smara and Dakhla are Morocco's. Seven of them follow the Islamic calendar and move about eleven days earlier each year.

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, proclaimed by the Polisario Front in 1976, has a calendar of its own. Its seven national days are listed here as marked days, since none of them is a day off where Morocco governs. They are kept by the Republic's institutions, which sit in the refugee camps around Tindouf in Algeria, and in the strip east of the berm that the Polisario Front holds.

Three of Morocco's days concern the territory itself. The Green March on 6 November recalls the march of 1975 into what was then Spanish Sahara, Oued Ed-Dahab Day on 14 August the takeover of the south in 1979, and Unity Day on 31 October a Security Council resolution on the territory. The Republic's Day of National Unity falls on 12 October.

Days off in 2026
18Nationwide public holidays
On a weekday
14Monday to Friday
On a weekend
4Saturday or Sunday
Long weekends
4and 4 with one day of leave

2026

Public holidays in Western Sahara in 2026

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayRas l' âmNew Year's Day on 1 January.Thursday
  2. 11 January: Proclamation of IndependenceTakdim watikat al-istiqlalIndependence Manifesto Day, for the Istiqlal Party's demand for Moroccan independence in 1944.Sunday
  3. 14 January: Amazigh New YearId YennayerYennayer, the Amazigh New Year on 14 January, a Moroccan public holiday since 2023.Wednesday
  4. 21 March: Eid al-FitrEid SghirEid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, with two days off: Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March 2026, Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 March 2027.SaturdayDate moves
  5. 22 March: Eid al-Fitr, second dayEid SghirEid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, with two days off: Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March 2026, Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 March 2027.SundayDate moves
  6. 1 May: Labour DayEid Ash-ShughlLabour Day on 1 May.Friday
  7. 27 May: Eid al-AdhaEid KbirEid al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice, with two days off: 27 and 28 May 2026, 17 and 18 May 2027.WednesdayDate moves
  8. 28 May: Eid al-Adha, second dayEid KbirEid al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice, with two days off: 27 and 28 May 2026, 17 and 18 May 2027.ThursdayDate moves
  9. 17 June: Islamic New YearFatih MuharramThe Islamic New Year, on 17 June 2026 and 6 June 2027.WednesdayDate moves
  10. 30 July: EnthronementEid Al-ÂrchThrone Day on 30 July, the accession of the Moroccan king.Thursday
  11. 14 August: Oued Ed-Dahab DayZikra Oued Ed-DahabMorocco's anniversary of the recovery of Oued Ed-Dahab. Mauritania gave up its claim to the south of the territory in 1979, and Morocco extended its control over that part.Friday
  12. 20 August: Revolution of the King and the PeopleThawrat al malik wa shâabThe Revolution of the King and the People, for the exile of Sultan Mohammed V in 1953.Thursday
  13. 21 August: Youth DayEid Al ChababYouth Day on 21 August, kept for the Moroccan monarch.Friday
  14. 26 August: Prophet's BirthdayEid Al MawlidThe Prophet's Birthday, with two days off: 26 and 27 August 2026, 15 and 16 August 2027.WednesdayDate moves
  15. 27 August: Prophet's Birthday, second dayEid Al MawlidThe Prophet's Birthday, with two days off: 26 and 27 August 2026, 15 and 16 August 2027.ThursdayDate moves
  16. 31 October: Unity DayEid Al WahdaMorocco's Unity Day, the anniversary of Security Council Resolution 2797 on Western Sahara. It falls on a Saturday in 2026 and a Sunday in 2027.Saturday
  17. 6 November: Green MarchEid Al Massira Al KhadraThe Green March. On 6 November 1975 about 350,000 unarmed Moroccans gathered at Tarfaya and crossed into Spanish Sahara at King Hassan II's signal.Friday
  18. 18 November: Independence DayEid Al IstiqlalMoroccan Independence Day on 18 November.Wednesday

Long weekends

Long weekends in Western Sahara 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
  • 3daysFri 1 May to Sun 3 MayLabour Day
  • 5daysWed 27 May to Sun 31 MayWith Fri 29 May taken as leave · Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Adha, second day
  • 4daysThu 30 Jul to Sun 2 AugWith Fri 31 Jul taken as leave · Enthronement
  • 3daysFri 14 Aug to Sun 16 AugOued Ed-Dahab Day
  • 4daysThu 20 Aug to Sun 23 AugRevolution of the King and the People, Youth Day
  • 5daysWed 26 Aug to Sun 30 AugWith Fri 28 Aug taken as leave · Prophet's Birthday, Prophet's Birthday, second day
  • 3daysFri 6 Nov to Sun 8 NovGreen March

2027

Public holidays in Western Sahara in 2027

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayRas l' âmFriday
  2. 11 January: Proclamation of IndependenceTakdim watikat al-istiqlalMonday
  3. 14 January: Amazigh New YearId YennayerThursday
  4. 10 March: Eid al-FitrEid SghirWednesdayDate moves
  5. 11 March: Eid al-Fitr, second dayEid SghirThursdayDate moves
  6. 1 May: Labour DayEid Ash-ShughlSaturday
  7. 17 May: Eid al-AdhaEid KbirMondayDate moves
  8. 18 May: Eid al-Adha, second dayEid KbirTuesdayDate moves
  9. 6 June: Islamic New YearFatih MuharramSundayDate moves
  10. 30 July: EnthronementEid Al-ÂrchFriday
  11. 14 August: Oued Ed-Dahab DayZikra Oued Ed-DahabSaturday
  12. 15 August: Prophet's BirthdayEid Al MawlidSundayDate moves
  13. 16 August: Prophet's Birthday, second dayEid Al MawlidMondayDate moves
  14. 20 August: Revolution of the King and the PeopleThawrat al malik wa shâabFriday
  15. 21 August: Youth DayEid Al ChababSaturday
  16. 31 October: Unity DayEid Al WahdaSunday
  17. 6 November: Green MarchEid Al Massira Al KhadraSaturday
  18. 18 November: Independence DayEid Al IstiqlalThursday

Observances

Days marked in Western Sahara that are not days off

  1. 27 February: SADR Independence DayThe proclamation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic at Bir Lehlou on 27 February 1976, the Republic's independence day.Friday
  2. 8 March: First MartyrA national day of the Sahrawi Republic on 8 March.Sunday
  3. 10 May: Foundation of the Polisario FrontThe founding of the Polisario Front on 10 May 1973.Sunday
  4. 20 May: 20 May RevolutionThe start of the armed struggle against Spain on 20 May 1973.Wednesday
  5. 9 June: Day of the MartyrsThe Republic's day of the martyrs, on the date El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed died in 1976.Tuesday
  6. 17 June: Zemla IntifadaThe Zemla Intifada of 17 June 1970, when the Harakat Tahrir movement's protest in El-Aaiun ended in riots. The Islamic New Year shares the date in 2026.Wednesday
  7. 12 October: Day of National UnityThe anniversary of the Ain Ben Tili Conference of 12 October 1975, kept by the Republic as its Day of National Unity.Monday

The lunar dates are confirmed only once the new crescent is sighted, and Morocco's LegalPro guide warns that a lunar holiday can move by one or two days. The dates for 2026 and 2027 here are the ones on Morocco's calendar. The Sahrawi Republic also keeps the Islamic New Year, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and the Prophet's Birthday by the lunar calendar, and its sources on file give no Gregorian dates for them.

Timeanddate, the usual reference for national calendars, has no page for Western Sahara, and the Nager.Date service has no data for it. Every day here is written from the two governments' own lists.

Common questions

Questions about public holidays in Western Sahara

How many public holidays does Western Sahara have in 2026?

In the part Morocco administers, 18 days off in 2026 and 18 again in 2027, the same as in Morocco. Eleven fall on fixed dates and seven follow the Islamic calendar: two days each for Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and the Prophet's Birthday, and one for the Islamic New Year. The Sahrawi Republic's seven national days are not days off in that area.

Why does Western Sahara have two holiday calendars?

Because the territory is disputed. Morocco occupies about 80% of it, Laayoune and almost all of the coast included, and keeps its national holidays there. The Polisario Front holds the strip east of the berm, a wall about 2,700 km long that Morocco built during the war, and proclaimed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in 1976. The Republic's government is headquartered at Camp Rabouni, south of Tindouf in Algeria, and it keeps seven national days of its own, from its independence day on 27 February to the Day of National Unity on 12 October. None of them closes offices on the Moroccan side.

What is the Green March holiday on 6 November?

A Moroccan public holiday for the march of 1975, when about 350,000 unarmed Moroccans converged on Tarfaya and crossed into Spanish Sahara at King Hassan II's signal. The Security Council condemned the march in Resolution 380. Friday 6 November 2026 gives a long weekend.

When is Sahrawi independence day?

On 27 February, a Friday in 2026. The Polisario Front proclaimed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic at Bir Lehlou on that day in 1976. Where Morocco governs, in Laayoune or Dakhla, it is no day off, and the calendar above lists it as a marked day.

What does Oued Ed-Dahab Day on 14 August mark?

Morocco calls it the anniversary of the recovery of Oued Ed-Dahab, the southern part of the territory. Mauritania claimed that area after Spain left, then gave up its claim in 1979 and recognised the Sahrawi Republic, and Morocco extended its control over it. The holiday is on Friday 14 August in 2026.

When is Eid al-Fitr in Western Sahara in 2027?

On Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 March 2027 in the Moroccan calendar, which gives two days off. Like every lunar holiday, the date is confirmed only when the new crescent is sighted and can move by a day or two. In 2026 Eid al-Fitr fell on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March, about eleven days later in the Gregorian year.

Is 31 October a holiday in Western Sahara?

Yes, in the Moroccan calendar. Morocco keeps 31 October as Unity Day, the anniversary of Security Council Resolution 2797 on Western Sahara. The date is a Saturday in 2026 and a Sunday in 2027, so neither year gives a weekday off. The Sahrawi Republic's own Day of National Unity is 12 October, for the Ain Ben Tili Conference of 1975.

Dates from Written from the sources, read 2026-10-25. The page counts from Sunday, 25 October 2026, the day it was built.