Observance guideSource-backed

Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day)2026 · Date · History

Current UAE government material lists National Day on 2 December and the official holiday period on 2–3 December for public and private sectors. Current official celebration material uses the name Eid Al Etihad for the national celebration on 2 December and ties the date to the 1971 founding of the federation.

Annual dateReviewed 2026-10-04Sensitive topic

About Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day)

Eid Al Etihad is the United Arab Emirates’ national celebration on December 2, marking the founding of the federation in 1971. The occasion is also widely described in government material as UAE National Day.

The UAE Government’s current public-holidays page lists National Day on December 2 and 3 as official holidays applying to both public and private sectors.

Why Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day) matters

The observance centers on the Union: the agreement through which the emirates formed the United Arab Emirates in 1971. Current official celebration material uses the name Eid Al Etihad, meaning a celebration of the Union.

Holiday rules and celebration branding are related but not identical. The official celebration is centered on December 2, while the current government holiday listing provides a two-day National Day holiday period on December 2 and 3.

History of Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day)

On December 2, 1971, six emirates joined the new federation; Ras Al Khaimah joined in 1972. UAE government material treats December 2 as the founding date of the Union.

Current official celebration material uses Eid Al Etihad as the national celebration name. Government public-holiday material continues to use National Day in its holiday listing, so this guide preserves both terms rather than treating one as erased.

The UAE Government currently lists December 2 and 3 as National Day public holidays for both public and private sectors.

Institutional timeline

How the observance developed

This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.

EstablishmentDecision date not established
UAE Government / Council of Ministers for the current public-holiday framework
Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 regarding official holidays in the UAE (current holiday framework)
Renaming2024
Official celebration material adopted Eid Al Etihad as the name for the national celebration while government public-holiday material continues to use National Day.
Official Eid Al Etihad organizing framework · Official Eid Al Etihad communication/celebration naming
Current stewardshipCurrent
UAE Government and the official Eid Al Etihad organizing framework
Current government and official celebration sites actively publish the holiday and national celebration.

Origins & establishment

What the evidence establishes

Evidence & sources ↓

Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.

Proclaiming / establishing bodyUAE Government / Council of Ministers for the current public-holiday frameworkThe UAE official portal says the listed public holidays are approved by the UAE Government and references Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024.

Original establishing instrument / decisionCabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 regarding official holidays in the UAE (current holiday framework)The Arabic UAE Government public-holidays page cites Article 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 in connection with the official-holiday framework.

Current facilitator / coordinatorUAE Government and the official Eid Al Etihad organizing frameworkCurrent government and official celebration sites actively publish the holiday and national celebration.

Why this exact date?December 2 marks the founding of the United Arab Emirates in 1971.Official UAE sources tie the national celebration directly to the Union’s founding on 2 December 1971.

5 fields not established in reviewed sources

Originator / proposerThe reviewed sources establish the national occasion and the 1971 Union but do not identify one person as originator of the recurring modern observance.

Original instrument adoption / decision dateThe reviewed official page identifies the resolution by number and year but this bounded review does not assert an exact adoption date.

First observanceThe reviewed sources establish the founding event on 2 December 1971 but do not independently establish the first recurring annual celebration date.

Former nameCurrent official sources use both Eid Al Etihad and National Day. The evidence supports a current naming/branding transition, not a cleanly superseded former statutory holiday name.

Former dateNo former recurring national-day date is established in the reviewed sources.

Later institutional actions

Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.

RenamingOfficial celebration material adopted Eid Al Etihad as the name for the national celebration while government public-holiday material continues to use National Day.Official Eid Al Etihad organizing framework · Official Eid Al Etihad communication/celebration naming · 2024Official Eid Al Etihad communication material describes Eid Al Etihad as the official celebration name; this is not modeled as proof that the statutory holiday listing itself was wholly renamed.

Source qualityHigh confidence

2 Primary institutional / legal1 Official organizer

View all sources ↓

Names

Also known as

UAE National Day, Eid Al Etihad

How to Observe Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day)

Watch or attend official Eid Al Etihad ceremonies and cultural programs from government or recognized local organizers.

Learn about the formation of the federation and the roles of the founding leaders using UAE government and museum sources.

If planning work or travel, use the current UAE government holiday calendar because operational arrangements can change by year or sector.

Celebrate national symbols respectfully and follow local rules for public events, traffic and fireworks.

Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day) Facts

Fact 01

Eid Al Etihad is celebrated on December 2.

Fact 02

The date marks the founding of the UAE federation in 1971.

Fact 03

Current UAE government public-holiday material lists December 2 and 3 as National Day holidays for public and private sectors.

Fact 04

Current official celebration material uses the name Eid Al Etihad.

Fact 05

Government material also continues to use UAE National Day, so both names remain useful for readers and search.

Classification

Topic and context

Civic, Remembrance & History →

Civic, Remembrance & History Civic Public Life

Accuracy notes

What this page does not assume

Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Remembrance Civic Context Care.

Evidence

Evidence & sources

Source policy →

Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.

Source 01u.ae

UAE Government — Public holidays (opens in a new tab)

Observance recordPrimary institutional / legalGuide sources

Government First Party

Source 02www.nmo.gov.ae

UAE National Media Authority — Eid Al Etihad (opens in a new tab)

Observance recordPrimary institutional / legalGuide sources

Federal Government

Source 03www.eidaletihad.ae

Eid Al Etihad — About the national celebration (opens in a new tab)

Observance recordOfficial organizerGuide sources

Official National Celebration

Questions & connections

Understand it, compare it, then explore further

Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.

Reader questions

Frequently asked questions

When is Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day)?

2 December The documented recurrence rule is: 2 December.

Does Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day) fall on the same date every year?

Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.

Is Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day) an official public holiday?

Within the reviewed scope, it is identified as United Arab Emirates / national celebration and official public holiday framework. That status is not automatically extended to other countries or jurisdictions.

Who established or recognizes Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day)?

The reviewed sources identify UAE Government / Council of Ministers for the current public-holiday framework as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as UAE Government and the official Eid Al Etihad organizing framework.

Is Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day) international or country-specific?

This observance is specific to United Arab Emirates. Its fuller verified scope is: United Arab Emirates / national celebration and official public holiday framework.

How is this page verified?

The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-10-04.

When is Eid Al Etihad / UAE National Day?

The national celebration is on December 2. Current UAE government holiday material lists December 2 and 3 as the National Day holiday period.

What does Eid Al Etihad commemorate?

It marks the founding of the United Arab Emirates in 1971 and celebrates the Union.

Is it an official public holiday?

Yes. The UAE Government currently lists the National Day holiday for both public and private sectors.

Is Eid Al Etihad the same as UAE National Day?

Current official celebration material uses Eid Al Etihad for the national celebration, while government holiday material also continues to use National Day. This guide treats them as the same national occasion rather than separate days.

Same date