The Ethiopian Calendar

Ethiopia follows a unique calendar that is 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar, with 13 months of sunshine.

13 Months of Sunshine

The Ethiopian calendar (Ye'Ityop'iya Zemen) has 12 months of 30 days each, plus a 13th month called Pagume with 5 or 6 days. This is why Ethiopia's tourism slogan is '13 Months of Sunshine.' The calendar is based on the Coptic calendar and is approximately 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar.

New Year: Enkutatash

Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash) falls on September 11th (or 12th in a leap year) in the Gregorian calendar. The word 'Enkutatash' means 'gift of jewels.' Children go door to door singing songs and giving bouquets of flowers, receiving small gifts in return. It marks the end of the rainy season when the countryside blooms with yellow daisies (Adey Abeba).

Telling Time

Ethiopians count time differently too. The day starts at sunrise (6 AM Gregorian), so 7 AM is '1 o'clock' (and se'at) in Ethiopian time. Noon is 6 o'clock, and 6 PM is 12 o'clock. When someone gives you a time in Ethiopia, always clarify whether they mean Ethiopian or 'faranji' (foreign) time!

Words to know