Ethiopia uses a calendar that runs several years behind the one most countries follow.

The longer version

Calendars differ because they count years from different starting points and handle leap years in different ways. One tradition follows a calculation of the date of the annunciation that places it several years later than the common reckoning, producing a gap of roughly seven to eight years.

The year also begins at a different point in the seasons, and daylight is counted from dawn rather than midnight in traditional usage. Months follow their own pattern, giving thirteen in total, with a short extra month at the end. Such differences affect daily life, religious observance and how dates are printed locally alongside the international calendar.

Where this entry sits

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