Differences between the Ethiopian & Gregorian calendars

Although it shares some similarities with the Gregorian calendar, it has distinct features that set it apart.

The Ethiopian calendar is based on the ancient Coptic calendar, which has its roots in the ancient Egyptian calendar.

It is used predominantly in Ethiopia and Eritrea and is a solar calendar, like the Gregorian calendar, but with notable differences.

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Structure:

Months: The Ethiopian calendar consists of 13 months. Twelve months are each 30 days long, and the remaining month, Pagumē, has 5 days in a common year and 6 days in a leap year.
Year length: The total length of the Ethiopian year is approximately 365 or 366 days, which is almost the same as the Gregorian year.
New year: The Ethiopian New Year, known as Enkutatash, falls on Meskerem 1, which corresponds to September 11 or 12 in the Gregorian calendar, depending on whether it is a leap year.

Ethiopian Calendar: The Ethiopian year starts on Meskerem 1, which is September 11 or 12. Leap years occur every four years, adding an extra day to Pagumē.
Gregorian Calendar: The Gregorian year begins on January 1. Leap years are also every four years but follow a different calculation method, adding an extra day to February.

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2. Month names and days:

Ethiopian calendar: The months are uniquely named in Ge'ez, the liturgical language of Ethiopia. Each month has 30 days except for Pagumē.
Gregorian calendar: The Gregorian calendar has 12 months with varying lengths, ranging from 28 to 31 days.

3. Calendar calculation:

Ethiopian calendar: The Ethiopian calendar is approximately 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar. For instance, the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar corresponds to 2016-2017 in the Ethiopian calendar.
Gregorian calendar: The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used worldwide, accounting for the time elapsed since the birth of Jesus Christ.

4. Cultural and religious significance:

Ethiopian calendar: The Ethiopian calendar is deeply entwined with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s liturgical calendar, including festivals and religious observances that may differ from those in the Gregorian calendar.

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Gregorian calendar: While it is the standard calendar used globally, its religious and cultural significance is primarily Western, with major celebrations like Christmas and Easter observed on fixed dates.