The National Day of Guyana is on the 26th May (Independence day) and on the 23rd February (Republic Day). This commemorates their independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. It is a public holiday in Guyana and you can see the list of public holidays below as well. The history of their national day or independence day is explained below.
National Day of Guyana
The country of Guyana much like the National Day of Suriname got their liberation late unlike many other countries in South America. The country was a British colony since the 1800s, and had been granted self-governance in 1953. That did not last long as the British took back control. The British kept ruling the country until 1961. Guyana finally achieved full independence on May 26th, 1966. The country became a republic in 1970. The day of May 26th is now celebrated as Guyana’s Independence Day. See also the public holidays in Guyana. Note the difference between Republic Day and Independence Day.
Public Holidays in Guyana
Here are the public holidays in Guyana:
- New Year’s Day – January 1st
- Republic Day – February 23rd
- Phagwah – date varies (usually in March)
- Good Friday – date varies (usually in April)
- Easter Monday – date varies (usually in April)
- Labor Day – May 1st
- Independence Day – May 26th
- Eid-ul-Fitr – date varies (usually in May or June)
- Emancipation Day – August 1st
- Eid-ul-Adha – date varies (usually in July or August)
- Caricom Day – July 5th
- Mashramani – February 23rd (not a public holiday, but widely celebrated)
Please note that the dates for Phagwah, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Eid-ul-Fitr, and Eid-ul-Adha vary each year, as they are based on the lunar calendar. Additionally, Mashramani is not an official public holiday, but it is a widely celebrated event in Guyana.
