Stories
Ethiopia: The Only Country in the World with 13 Months
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News18•11-10-2026, 12:59
Ethiopia: The Only Country in the World with 13 Months
- •Ethiopia follows a unique calendar system where a year consists of 13 months instead of the standard 12.
- •The Ethiopian calendar is roughly seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar used by the rest of the world.
- •The first twelve months have exactly 30 days each, followed by a special 13th month called 'Pagume' with five or six days.
- •Ethiopian New Year, known as 'Enkutatash', typically falls on September 11 or 12 in the Gregorian calendar.
Key Questions Answered
Ethiopia is the only country on Earth that officially follows a unique calendar system consisting of 13 months in a year.
The special 13th month is called 'Pagume', which has five days in a normal year and six days during a leap year to adjust for extra solar days.
The Ethiopian calendar is about seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar due to historical calculation differences regarding the birth date of Jesus Christ.
