What is Founding Day?
Founding Day is a Saudi national occasion on 22 February every year, commemorating the founding of the first Saudi state by Imam Muhammad bin Saud in mid-1139 AH (1727), with Diriyah as its capital. It was established by a royal order on 27 January 2022 and is a public holiday.
A fixed Gregorian date
Founding Day follows a fixed Gregorian date, so it never moves, unlike Ramadan and the two Eids. Its Hijri equivalent, however, shifts by about 11 days each year. In 2027, 22 February corresponds to 15 Ramadan 1448 AH on the Umm al-Qura calendar, so it falls during Ramadan.
Founding Day and National Day
| Occasion | Date | Commemorates |
|---|---|---|
| Founding Day | 22 February | The founding of the first Saudi state in 1727 |
| National Day | 23 September | The unification of the Kingdom in 1932 |
For National Day, see the National Day countdown.
How the countdown works
We count the time left until midnight at the start of the next 22 February, Riyadh time, in days, hours, minutes and seconds. Once the day has passed, the countdown moves to the next year automatically. To count office days around the holiday, use the Working Days Calculator.
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