The U.S. Is Amongst the Countries With Fewest Vacation Days

Some countries don’t value work-life balance. The United States is one of them.

Burnout and stress are modern maladies that affect people around the world. And while personal circumstances play a major role in these health issues, culture and official policies are also to blame.

The global disparity in work-life balance is stark. Workers in some countries enjoy up to 53 days of paid time off. Others have to make do with vacation time that doesn’t even reach the double digits.

Here are the ten countries with the least amount of paid time off — you might be surprised at where the U.S. lands.

8. Lebanon (Tie)

People enjoying a sunny day in Beirut, Lebanon

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Population: 5.4 million

Average vacation days: 17

Bottom line: Lebanon is the only majority Muslim country in the world with a terrible vacation policy. There are only two paid public holidays, and workers get an average of 15 paid leave days. Compare that to Iran’s 27 public holidays.

Part of the reason for Lebanon’s limited number of rest days could be its ongoing political and economic instability. Civil war and conflict in the region have led to a high unemployment rate, constant energy blackouts and other issues that make it difficult for the population to worry about taking time off.

*Rankings and paid vacation days data are based on a Resume.io study. Population numbers come from World Population Review.

8. Nigeria (Tie)

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Population: 220.8 million

Average vacation days: 17

Bottom line: Nigeria has one of the largest economies in the world, with a gross domestic product of $440.8 billion, according to the World Bank. But this hasn’t translated to better work conditions, probably because the wealth generated is unevenly distributed.

While the country’s elite can enjoy lavish vacations, the average person doesn’t even get 20 days off a year.

8. Philippines (Tie)

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Population: 116.3 million

Average vacation days: 17

Bottom line: The Philippines is a famed vacation destination, but its own citizens only have about 17 days to rest. Twelve of those days are public holidays, with employees providing workers five days off of work.

Factories don’t follow strict labor laws, which has increased manufacturing within the country at the expense of decent work conditions.

8. Taiwan (Tie)

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Population: 23.9 million

Average vacation days: 17

Bottom line: Taiwan is one of Asia’s economic success stories, going from poverty to a strong economy in just a few decades following World War II (or, more precisely, the fall of the Japanese empire).

Despite being advanced in healthcare and technology, the nation ties as the eighth worst when it comes to letting people catch their breath for a moment.

7. China

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Population: 1.43 billion

Average vacation days: 16

Bottom line: China has famously brutal labor laws that fail to protect workers. With horror stories from the conditions of factories and one of the highest income inequalities in the world, the country was bound to be on this list.

A traditional culture that emphasizes not questioning authority and working hard without making any demands doesn’t make things better. This problem is seen in other East Asian countries like South Korea and Japan, with workers sometimes getting sick or even suffering brain hemorrhages from overworking.

6. Mexico

Pedestrians walking in the historic center of Mexico City, Mexico

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Population: 128 million

Average vacation days: 14

Bottom line: Mexico is notorious for having a fun-loving culture. But the law only guarantees six vacation days and eight public holidays per year.

A significant part of the Mexican workforce is involved in the informal economy. This keeps people living day-to-day without benefits, so the country’s vacation policy only protects around 40 percent of workers.

5. Kiribati

Erin Magee/DFAT / Wikimedia Commons

Population: 132,338

Average vacation days: 13

Bottom line: A small island nation in the Pacific, Kiribati struggles from having few economic prospects. Mining for phosphate was once profitable, but the resource was quickly overexploited and exhausted.

Though the country is rich in natural beauty, its almost 132,400 residents largely live in poverty and lack job opportunities. Of course, this translates into employees having few benefits.

In the struggle to survive, workers are not going to demand vacation time.

4. Palau

Koror City, Palau, and islands in the cove

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Population: 18,055

Average vacation days: 12

Bottom line: Like Kiribati, Palau is a small island nation with a limited economy. The country does have a more robust tourism industry, as it attracts diving and snorkeling enthusiasts with its reefs and World War II wrecks.

Most people work in either agriculture or tourism — both industries notorious for their intense work hours and lack of rest days.

2. Nauru (Tie)

Vladimir Lysenko (I.) / Wikimedia Commons

Population: 12,826

Average vacation days: 10

Bottom line: Nauru is another Pacific island that exhausted its phosphate resources and suffers a lack of economic opportunity.

The government is Nauru’s biggest employer, which is ironic since it means the country’s leaders refuse to ensure any paid time off to their workers.

Unless they are lucky to work for a generous company, employees can expect to take a break only on the 10 public holidays celebrated throughout the year.

2. United States (Tie)

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Population: 339 million

Average vacation days: 10

Bottom line: Despite having the largest GDP in the world, the United States is notorious for its lack of worker benefit protection. It’s the only developed country that does not have a required amount of paid leave, meaning that vacation is entirely up to employers. And it’s one of four countries in the world with no parental leave policy.

Sure, you may get lucky and find a company with generous vacation benefits. But this is a privilege largely reserved for full-time white-collar workers.

As in Nauru, the 10 days workers have off are public holidays. And, in many industries, even these aren’t observed.

1. Federated States of Micronesia

Kolonia town aerial view in Pohnpei, Micronesia

KKKvintage / Getty Images

Population: 114,480

Average vacation days: 9

Bottom line: No one rests less than people in Micronesia. As with its sister Pacific island countries, limited land and few resources make it difficult for the nation to develop its economy.

This has translated to the fewest number of vacation days. Many people engage in informal activities, as well as subsistence farming and fishing, which makes taking a day off economically difficult, if not impossible.