This might seem odd to most Europeans, but most of the world population considers Sunday as being the first day of the week, mostly due to China, India, Japan, *MOST* of Latin America and the USA, countries and regions with a huge population number.
Apart from that, Portugal, Malta and the UK do also consider it, this happens due to a biblical fundament, in which Sunday is considered a holy day!
🚨: there is some controversy about this topic in the UK. Some consider it as Monday and some as Sunday.
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Sources: Quora, Unicode ORG, Wikipedia and Charts bin
In the UK, the first day of the week is officially Monday (according to the international standard), but many people informally treat Sunday as the start of the week. Here’s why:
ISO Standard vs. Cultural Practice
- The ISO 8601 international standard defines Monday as the first day of the week.
- The UK officially follows ISO 8601 for government and business purposes.
- However, culturally and religiously, many calendars, planners, and people treat Sunday as the first day, especially in older calendars and Christian traditions.
Christian Influence
- In Christianity, Sunday is the Lord’s Day (the day of Christ’s resurrection) and was historically seen as the first day of the week.
- This tradition lingers in many parts of British life, like church calendars or traditional diaries.
Why Do Other Countries Start the Week on Sunday?
Religious and Historical Tradition
- In Judaism, the Sabbath (Saturday) is the 7th day, so Sunday is naturally the first day of the new week.
- This carried into Christian tradition, and by extension, into the calendars of many Western countries.
American Influence
- The United States and some other countries (like Canada, Japan, and parts of Latin America) commonly use calendars that begin with Sunday.
- American-made software, calendars, and planners have reinforced this globally, especially through tech platforms.
Official First Day of the Week by Region
| Region/Country | First Day (Official) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Most of Europe | Monday | Follows ISO 8601 |
| United States | Sunday | Tradition and religious roots |
| Middle East | Saturday/Sunday or Monday | Varies; Sunday often a workday |
| UK | Monday (official) / Sunday (informal) | Mix of ISO standard and tradition |
| Japan | Sunday | Cultural convention |
| Israel | Sunday | Reflects Sabbath (Saturday) as last day |
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