National Holidays Around the World: July

Francophile that I am, it’s going to be an effort not be too France-centered in this blog.  So, oui, July 14 is Bastille Day–France’s Independence Day.  But there are other countries celebrating national holidays besides the American 4th and le quatorze juillet.  I got this list of national holidays in July from the U.S. Department of State website.  I added the languages spoken in each country from infoplease.com.  I pledge to learn a new word or two in honor of some holidays.  Are you in?

 

July 1:  Burundi (Kirundi, French, Swahili)

July 1:  Canada (French, English)

July 1:  Rwanda (Kinyarwanda, French, English, Kiswahili)

July 3:  Belarus (Belorussian/White Russian, Russian)

July 5:  Cape Verde (Portuguese, Criuolo)

July 5:  Venezuela (Spanish, et al)

July 6:  Comoros (Arabic, French, Shikomoro–Swahili/Arabic blend)

July 6:  Malawi (Chichewa, Chinyanja, Chiyao, Chitumbuka, Chisena, Chilomwe, Chitonga)  All new to me!

July 7:  Solomon Islands (1-2% English–official language!?, Melanesian pidgin, 120 indigenous languages)

July 10:  Bahamas (English, Creole)

July 11:  Mongolia (Mongolian, Turkish, Russian)

July 14:  France (French)

July 20:  Colombia (Spanish)

July 21:  Belgium (Dutch/Flemish, French, German less than 1% but still one of official languages)

July 23:  Egypt (Arabic official, French and English widely spoken)

July 26:  Liberia  (20% English–official language, 20 ethnic-group languages)

July 28:  Peru  (Spanish, Quéchua (both official); Aymara; many minor Amazonian languages)

Photo Credit:  Kevin Rosseel  http://morguefile.com/archive/?display=207440&