As millions enjoy a three day weekend and an extra day off work for the August Bank Holiday, an interactive map has revealed just how many Britain gets each year compared to the rest of Europe.
Researchers have created a graphic showing the number of public holidays enjoyed by every EU nation, as well as the amount of hours in the average working week.
The results reveal a contrasting picture across the continent – with some workers able to down tools for up to 15 days a year, while other countries only have eight.
And it lays bare just how hardworking each nation really is, with the longest working week hitting 42.1 hours, and the shortest being just 37.8 hours.
Scroll over the map below, and use the plus and minus keys in the top left to zoom in or out. Click on the circles to access the information on each EU country. The larger the circle, the more public holidays, and the darker the green, the longer the working week.
The map was created by mapping and analytics company Esri UK, which found that England and Wales have the least bank holidays in the EU, with just eight a year. Ireland is next with nine, along with Scotland, and Northern Ireland and Belgium have ten.
On the other end of the scale, Cyprus enjoys 15 public holidays ever 12 months, the same as Slovakia, with Greece, Lithuania and Malta all having 14.
It is also a dismal picture for England and Wales on how many hours workers spend at their job. It tops the list of EU countries, with 42.1 hours a week. Cyprus are second with 41.6 hours, Austria third with 41.3hours and Greece and Portugal on 41 hours.
Denmark have the shortest working week at 37.8 hours – 4.3 hours shorter than England and Wales. It means on average, England and Wales work 28.5 days, or 5.5 weeks more than Denmark over a year.
The interactive graphic uses circles to represent the number of bank holidays and working hours. The larger the circle, the more public holidays, and the darker the green, the longer the working week
Britain and Ireland appear very different to mainland Europe, with small dark circles, showing fewer public holidays and longer working weeks
Other countries making up the top five shortest working weeks in the EU include the Netherlands and Italy on 39 hours, and Belgium and France on 39.1 hours.
Jess Houghton, Technical Research Consultant at Esri UK which compiled the statistics, said: ‘Mapping is a powerful way of visualising data as it brings it to life, revealing patterns and trends that would otherwise lay hidden.
‘More than one data source can be analysed on the same map so the relationship between the two can be seen. The map clearly shows England and Wales have the least bank holidays coupled with the longest average working week in Europe.’
There have been numerous calls for more public holidays in Britain, although experts say it can have a huge impact on the economy, potentially costing it billions.
Cypriots parade in Nicosia to mark the 192nd Greek Independence Day parade, which is one of the country’s 15 public holidays
Spain have 10 public holidays a year. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia and Princesses Leonor and Princess Sofia inspecting the troopsSpanish Royals during the army parade on Spain’s National Day on October 12, 2015
Members of the Lithuanian armed forces prepare to take part in a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuanian Independence on February 16 this year. It is one of the Lithuania’s 14 public holidays
Bastille Day is a public holiday in France. (Pictured, soldiers, sailors marines and airmen march down the Champs Elysees on June 14 last year
Earlier this year Labour revealed plans for four extra public holidays on all the patron saint’s days.
It would see March 1, March 17, April 23 and November 30 all declared public holidays. They would be added to the existing eight bank holidays British workers get each year.
Jeremy Corbyn said Labour would give ‘Britain’s workers the break they deserve’ if they got power.
He said: ‘If we win the next election, St George’s Day will become a national holiday for Britain’s workers.
‘It will be a day where we can all show our pride and celebrate our country’s tradition of fairness, inclusivity and social justice.’
Greece has 14 public holidays a year, the second most in the EU. Pictured: A military parade takes place on Independence Day. It is the commemoration of the revolution of Greeks against Ottoman occupation on March 25, 1821
Earlier this year Labour revealed plans for four extra public holidays on all the patron saint’s days which includes St George’s Day (pictured, Trafalgar Square celebrations) marked in England on April 23
It was estimated by the Centre for Economics and Business Research in 2012 that in a normal year, each bank holiday costs £2.3billion. Pictured: St George’s Day celebrations, currently not a public holiday
‘Our values of a fair and inclusive society are our country’s best values, and those shared values will be celebrated by making St George’s Day a national holiday.’
It was estimated by the Centre for Economics and Business Research in 2012 that in a normal year, each bank holiday costs £2.3billion.
However, experts say this figure will have changed in recent years with the growth of flexible working weeks, and people working from home.
In 2012, there was a bank holiday for the Queen’s diamond jubilee, which the government estimated would cost the UK £1.2billion.
The nation also enjoyed an extra day off a year earlier when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got married.