Public holidays in Mauritania in 2026 include fixed national holidays, Islamic religious holidays determined through lunar observation, and several additional paid holidays declared by the Presidency. The dates of Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, the Islamic New Year and Mawlid were officially established during 2026 by Mauritania's National Crescent Observation Commission.
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Also Explore: Public Holiday in Mauritius
Next Public Holiday in Mauritania
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 28, 2026 | Saturday | Independence Day | Confirmed |
Public Holidays in Mauritania 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | New Year's Day | Confirmed |
| January 2, 2026 | Friday | Special Public Holiday following New Year's Day | Confirmed |
| March 20, 2026 | Friday | Eid al-Fitr | Confirmed |
| May 1, 2026 | Friday | Labour Day | Confirmed |
| May 25, 2026 | Monday | Africa Day | Confirmed |
| May 27, 2026 | Wednesday | Eid al-Adha | Confirmed |
| May 28, 2026 | Thursday | Public Holiday following Eid al-Adha | Confirmed |
| May 29, 2026 | Friday | Public Holiday following Eid al-Adha | Confirmed |
| June 17, 2026 | Wednesday | Islamic New Year (1 Muharram) | Confirmed |
| August 26, 2026 | Wednesday | Mawlid al-Nabawi | Confirmed |
| November 28, 2026 | Saturday | Independence Day | Confirmed |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Confirmed |
Mauritania's public holiday framework includes New Year's Day, Labour Day, Africa Day, Independence Day and Christmas, together with major Islamic holidays including Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Mawlid al-Nabawi and the first day of Muharram.
Islamic Public Holidays in Mauritania
Several Mauritanian public holidays follow the Islamic lunar calendar rather than fixed Gregorian dates. Their dates can therefore change from one year to another and should be based on official lunar-observation announcements rather than advance calendar calculations.
Eid al-Fitr 2026
Mauritania's National Crescent Observation Commission confirmed the sighting of the Shawwal crescent on 19 March 2026 and announced that Eid al-Fitr would begin on Friday, 20 March 2026.
Eid al-Adha 2026
The National Crescent Observation Commission announced that 1 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 would fall on 18 May 2026. Its announcement fixed Eid al-Adha for Wednesday, 27 May 2026.
The Presidency subsequently declared Thursday, 28 May and Friday, 29 May 2026 to be paid public holidays throughout the national territory following Eid al-Adha.
Islamic New Year 2026
The National Crescent Observation Commission announced that the first day of Muharram 1448 would be Wednesday, 17 June 2026. The first day of Muharram is included among the public holidays recognised in Mauritania's labour framework.
Mawlid al-Nabawi 2026
Mawlid al-Nabawi falls on Wednesday, 26 August 2026 in Mauritania. The National Crescent Observation Commission established 15 August as the first day of Rabi al-Awwal 1448 and formally fixed the Mawlid celebration for 26 August, corresponding to 12 Rabi al-Awwal.
Special Public Holidays Declared in 2026
In addition to the regularly recognised holidays, Mauritania's Presidency declared several additional nationwide paid holidays during 2026.
2 January 2026
The Presidency declared Friday, 2 January 2026, the day following New Year's Day, to be a paid public holiday throughout Mauritania.
28 and 29 May 2026
The Presidency declared Thursday, 28 May and Friday, 29 May 2026 to be paid public holidays throughout the country following Eid al-Adha. These additional dates were separate from Eid al-Adha itself on 27 May.
National and Fixed-Date Holidays in Mauritania
Mauritania also recognises several holidays whose Gregorian dates are fixed. These include New Year's Day on 1 January, Labour Day on 1 May, Africa Day on 25 May, Independence Day on 28 November and Christmas Day on 25 December.
The official labour framework identifies these dates alongside the country's principal Islamic holidays.
How Are Islamic Holiday Dates Confirmed in Mauritania?
Islamic holiday dates in Mauritania are established through lunar observation. The National Crescent Observation Commission, linked to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Original Education, meets to determine whether a new lunar month has begun and publishes the result after obtaining observations and information from across the country's wilayas.
This process means dates published well in advance by international holiday calendars may be estimates. For database purposes, the official Mauritanian announcement should be used once the lunar date has been determined.
What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on Sunday?
Mauritania's collective labour framework states that the listed public holidays are normally non-working days unless they fall on a Sunday. It contains specific provisions concerning 1 January, 1 Muharram and 28 November when those dates fall on a Sunday.
This rule should not be interpreted as creating an automatic substitute holiday on another date unless the Mauritanian authorities issue a separate declaration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holiday entries are listed for Mauritania in 2026?
The verified 2026 dataset contains 12 public holiday dates. This includes the country's regularly recognised holidays as well as the additional nationwide public holidays declared for 2 January and 28–29 May 2026.
What is the next public holiday in Mauritania?
The next public holiday changes during the year. The live VisaBoards section above uses the current holiday database to display the next applicable holiday without hardcoding a date into this article.
When was Eid al-Fitr in Mauritania in 2026?
Eid al-Fitr was officially confirmed for Friday, 20 March 2026 after Mauritania's National Crescent Observation Commission confirmed the sighting of the Shawwal crescent.
When was Eid al-Adha in Mauritania in 2026?
Eid al-Adha was observed on Wednesday, 27 May 2026. The Presidency also declared 28 and 29 May to be paid public holidays throughout Mauritania.
When is Mawlid al-Nabawi in Mauritania in 2026?
Mawlid al-Nabawi was officially fixed for Wednesday, 26 August 2026. The date was established by the National Crescent Observation Commission after determining the beginning of Rabi al-Awwal 1448.
Is Africa Day a public holiday in Mauritania?
Yes. Africa Day on 25 May is included among the public holidays identified in Mauritania's official labour framework.
Is Christmas Day a public holiday in Mauritania?
Yes. Christmas Day on 25 December is included in the list of public holidays contained in Mauritania's collective labour framework.
Can Mauritania declare additional public holidays?
Yes. Additional holidays can be declared by the authorities. In 2026, the Presidency declared 2 January and the two days following Eid al-Adha, 28 and 29 May, as paid public holidays throughout the country.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Mauritania
- Mauritania Ministry of Finance – Collective Labour Convention: identifies the principal public holidays recognised under the labour framework.
- Mauritanian News Agency – Eid al-Fitr 2026 announcement: confirms 20 March 2026 as the first day of Eid al-Fitr.
- Mauritanian News Agency – Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 announcement: establishes the lunar calendar date used for Eid al-Adha on 27 May 2026.
- Mauritanian News Agency – Muharram 1448 announcement: confirms 17 June 2026 as the first day of Muharram.
- Mauritanian News Agency – Mawlid 2026 announcement: fixes Mawlid al-Nabawi for 26 August 2026.
- Mauritanian News Agency – Presidency announcement for 2 January 2026: confirms the additional nationwide paid public holiday following New Year's Day.
- Mauritanian News Agency – Presidency announcement for 28 and 29 May 2026: confirms the two additional nationwide paid public holidays following Eid al-Adha.
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