Another difference is that Ethiopians celebrate the New Year on September 11th.
Ethiopia, First Published Apr 8, 2022, 3:13 PM IST
It is a well known fact that there are only 12 months in a year. But there is one country that thinks differently: Ethiopia. Yes, this African country has 13 months in a year. You may be wondering how? Tiktoker @ The1Kevine recently posted a video explaining this. In that viral video, she says Ethiopia is seven years behind other countries. She says they have their own calendar and they have their own dates.
The Ethiopian calendar also uses the date of birth of Jesus Christ as the basis for the calculation. But the Ethiopian Orthodox Church believes that Jesus Christ was born in 7 BC. The Ethiopian calendar has 13 months in a year, of which 12 have 30 days. The last month, called Paguma, has five days and six leap years. In that sense, they are seven to eight years behind us.
Another difference is that Ethiopians celebrate the New Year on September 11th. If it is a leap year, September 12 will be the New Year. Therefore, for the people of Ethiopia, September 11, 2007 is the beginning of the millennium. Due to this calendar, public holidays in the country come on different dates compared to other countries around the world. Modern Ethiopia still follows its ancient calendar. However, most Ethiopians are familiar with the Gregorian calendar. Some people use both calendars alternately. It may sound confusing to us, but it’s not a big deal to Ethiopians.
Last Updated Apr 8, 2022, 3:13 PM IST
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