Australia: 4 weeks Beach barbie? No time, mate. Research suggests that Oz is becoming a land of workaholics, with most workers getting four weeks’ annual leave and many putting in the same hours as those in the UK.

America: 2 weeks The US is “the no-vacation nation”. The average private sector worker gets just 15 paid days off a year, nine as vacation and six as public holidays. Many people don’t take their full entitlement.

China: 1 week Some Chinese employers count not only public holidays but weekends as annual leave. At the start of employment, workers can expect just five days off a year. There are 16 public holidays, though.

Finland: 6 weeks Finns have an average 30 days of annual leave, similar to other nations in continental Europe. But with 14 public holidays in Finland, that adds up to a whopping nine weeks off work a year.

France: 5 weeks French workers are guaranteed a generous five weeks off a year, plus public holidays. Those who take their break in July are called juilletistes, while those who holiday in August are aoûtiens.

Germany: 5 weeks Germans have an average 25 days of annual leave, despite a low statutory requirement. More Germans now opt for “staycations” at home, and sick leave levels are one of the world’s highest.

Japan: 2 weeks Workers are guaranteed only ten days’ paid leave a year and no sick leave, so a week’s illness cancels half your holiday. A two- week break is unheard-of and five days off in a row is frowned upon.

Spain: 6 weeks The tradition of taking all of August off is vanishing in major cities, but many people take their quinze dias break then. Children have two months off school, then go without a break until Christmas.

UK: 4 weeks With only 20 days of statutory annual leave and eight public holidays, the UK is the most holiday-deprived nation in Europe, although actual entitlement varies greatly between jobs.