While much of the world follows the Gregorian calendar, Ethiopia continues to live by a system that is centuries old. The Ethiopian calendar is based on ancient Coptic traditions and is currently about 7 to 8 years behind the global calendar. That’s why when the world is in 2026, Ethiopia is officially in 2018.
One of the most fascinating parts of this calendar is that Ethiopia has 13 months. Twelve months have exactly 30 days each, and the final month—called Pagume—has only five days, or six during a leap year. This extra month is often seen as a time for reflection and renewal.
The Ethiopian New Year, known as Enkutatash, is celebrated in September, not January. It coincides with the end of the rainy season, when the countryside blooms with yellow flowers, symbolizing fresh beginnings.
Ethiopia even measures time differently during the day. The day starts at sunrise, around 6 a.m. in global time, which Ethiopians call 12 o’clock. This makes local timekeeping perfectly aligned with daylight rather than the clock.
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