Public holidays in Azerbaijan


Holidays in Azerbaijan were regulated in the Constitution of Azerbaijan SSR for the first time on 19 May 1921 by the Azeri leader Nariman Narimanov. Through the history non-working days have changed.

Holidays

Non-working days

Non-working days in Azerbaijan include the following:
DateEnglish nameLocal nameRemarks
January 1–2New Year's DayYeni il2 days
January 20Martyrs' DayQara YanvarCommemorates Black January when Soviet troops entered Baku and killed more than 130 civilians. Also victims of the Nagorno-Karabakh War are remembered.
March 8International Women's DayQadınlar günü1 day
March 20–24Spring FestivalNovruz5 days
May 9Victory Day over FascismFaşizm üzərində qələbə günüIn honor of victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany during World War II.
May 28Republic DayRespublika günüFounding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan.
June 15National Salvation DayAzərbaycan xalqının Milli Qurtuluş günüParliament invited Heydar Aliyev to Baku to lead the country.
June 26Azerbaijan Armed Forces DayAzərbaycan Respublikasının Silahlı Qüvvələri günü
November 9Flag DayDövlet Bayragi günüCommemorates the adoption of the Flag of Azerbaijan on November 9, 1918, which was officially established on November 9, 2009, as the State Flag Day.
December 31International Solidarity Day of AzerbaijanisDünya Azerbaycanlilarin Hemreyliyi günüInspired by the fall of the Berlin Wall, the nationalist Popular Front of Azerbaijan called for and lead the removal of borders between Soviet Azerbaijan and Iran on December 31, 1989. This has since been celebrated by Azeris around the world as the International Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis.
Changes due to the Islamic lunar calendarEid al-FitrRamazan Bayrami2 days
Changes due to the Islamic lunar calendarEid al-AdhaQurban Bayrami2 days

Other observances

National days in Azerbaijan that are working days follows:
Only the holidays of Ramadan and Qurban remain as non-working religious days in Azerbaijan as the country is highly secular and irreligious. The religious population of the country, mainly in Nardaran and a number of other villages and regions celebrate the Day of Ashura, a Shia mourning day in the Islamic calendar. Religious minorities of the country – mainly Orthodox Christians and Jews - also celebrate notable religious days of their faith. Despite the fact that the holiday Novruz takes its roots from the religion of Zoroastranism, almost all Azerbaijanis celebrates it as a holiday of spring.