These countries have the most vacation days worldwide

Vacation is important, no doubt. However, the number of days off is usually regulated by law, and not everyone in every country has the same number of vacation days available. Germany only manages to be in the middle of the pack in the rankings.

While some countries offer generous vacation policies, employees in other countries have to make do with significantly less time off. The differences can be substantial, often depending on cultural, economic, and legal factors.

In addition to statutory minimum vacation days, many countries have additional paid holidays, further increasing the total number of days off. Especially in European countries, generous vacation entitlements are widespread. However, this is quite different in some Asian or North American countries.

But which countries offer their residents the most vacation days? And where do workers have to manage with particularly few days off? A look at global vacation regulations shows astonishing differences and reveals in which countries employees have the most time to relax.

The website 'resume.io' analyzed the laws for paid annual leave and paid public holidays in 197 countries worldwide. The result: there are significant differences on a global scale. Germany is only in the middle of the ranking.

Unchallenged in first place among the 197 analyzed countries is Iran. Employees there have 26 paid vacation days. Adding 27 paid holidays gives Iran a total of 53 vacation days, an absolute record in the ranking. San Marino follows in second place with a total of 46 vacation days. Yemen takes the third spot with 45 days off.

The numerous paid holidays in Iran are partly due to religious festivals and days off commemorating the 'Islamic Revolution,' which in 1979 led to the end of the monarchy in the country. In comparison, Germany has significantly fewer days off. Twenty legally mandated vacation days plus nine paid holidays place Germans at 109th.

The USA clearly comes last in the ranking. The number of legally regulated vacation days here is zero. Thus, the United States is the only industrialized nation in the world without a legally mandated paid vacation. Only the Pacific island nations of Nauru, Micronesia, and Kiribati have the same regulation.

However, this does not mean that Americans can never take a vacation. The number of days off is often at the discretion of employers. On average, workers are granted 14 vacation days after their first year with a company. Fifteen percent of employees in the US receive no paid days off at all. They only have ten paid US holidays.

When it comes to distributing valuable vacation days, a few important rules apply. A single long vacation a year usually does not provide a good work-life balance. Instead, employees should consistently ensure they have regular breaks and interruptions outside of work.

Experts emphasize that a balanced distribution of vacation days throughout the year is important for promoting mental health and maintaining long-term productivity. Those who take shorter breaks more frequently therefore have more energy, creativity, and joy in everyday life.

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