Ever had that weird dream where you wake up and it’s suddenly a decade ago? For anyone landing in Addis Ababa today, that’s basically reality. While most of us are stressing over 2026 deadlines and future-tech, Ethiopia is just getting settled into the year 2018.
It isn't a glitch. It isn't a joke. And no, they aren't "behind" in the way people usually mean it. They just have a totally different way of measuring existence.
If you look at your phone in Ethiopia, the date might say one thing, but the wall calendar in a local café says something else entirely. As of right now, in the early months of 2026, Ethiopia is in the year 2018. Specifically, they’ll stay in 2018 until their next New Year hits in September.
The 7-Year Gap: Why the Math is Different
Honestly, it all comes down to a massive historical "whoopsie" regarding when Jesus was actually born. Most of the world uses the Gregorian calendar. Back in the day, around 525 AD, a monk named Dionysius Exiguus did some math to figure out the start of the "Anno Domini" era.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church looked at the same history and said, "Yeah, no, your math is off."
They stuck with the calculations of the Annunciation (the announcement of Jesus' birth) that put the date about seven to eight years later than the Western version. While the Roman Catholic Church tweaked their calendar in 1582 under Pope Gregory XIII to keep the seasons from drifting, Ethiopia just... didn't. They kept the ancient system they'd been using for centuries.
It’s actually kinda cool when you think about it. While the rest of the world synchronized to a European standard for the sake of global trade and telegraphs, Ethiopia maintained a chronological bubble that dates back to the Aksumite Empire.
13 Months of Sunshine
You’ve probably seen the tourism slogan: "Ethiopia: 13 Months of Sunshine." That’s not just catchy marketing. It’s literal.
The Ethiopian calendar, or the Ge’ez calendar, doesn’t do the whole "30 days hath September" rhyme because it doesn't need to. Their system is way more organized, though it feels alien at first:
- 12 months of exactly 30 days each.
- 1 month (the 13th) called Pagume, which is only 5 or 6 days long.
Imagine a month that only lasts a week. That’s Pagume. It’s basically a "bonus" month at the end of the year used to catch up with the solar cycle. If it's a leap year, Pagume gets that 6th day.
This makes their New Year, called Enkutatash, fall on September 11th (or September 12th if it’s a leap year) on our calendar. So, while you’re thinking about back-to-school season or the start of autumn, Ethiopians are literally ringing in a brand new year with yellow daisies and traditional songs.
The Clock Starts at Sunrise
If the year difference doesn't break your brain, the daily time will.
In Ethiopia, the day doesn't start at midnight. Why would it? Most people are asleep at midnight. Instead, the clock starts at dawn.
When a local says "It’s 1 o’clock," they usually mean one hour after sunrise (7:00 AM in Western time). If they say it’s 6 o’clock, they mean midday (12:00 PM). Basically, if you’re looking at a standard watch in Ethiopia, you have to add or subtract six hours to know what time the person you’re talking to actually means.
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It’s surprisingly logical once you get used to it. The sun comes up, the day begins. 1 o'clock. Simple. But if you’re booking a bus ticket or a flight, you better double-check if they’re using "Ethiopian time" or "International time," or you’re going to be sitting at the station for a very, very long time.
How to Handle This if You’re Visiting
Traveling to Ethiopia in 2026 means you are effectively a time traveler. But don't expect the internet to be "slower" just because it's 2018 there. Businesses are modern, and everyone is aware of the Gregorian date—they have to be for international flights and banking.
Here’s the deal on how to navigate it:
- Official Documents: Passports and visas usually stick to the Gregorian (2026) format to avoid international chaos.
- Holidays: Christmas (Genna) isn't December 25th. It’s January 7th.
- The "Age" Joke: People love to joke that you become 7 or 8 years younger the moment you land in Addis Ababa. It’s the cheapest fountain of youth on the planet.
What This Means for 2026
Since we are currently in the Gregorian year 2026, Ethiopia is currently in their year 2018. They entered 2018 on September 11, 2025. They won't hit the year 2019 until September 11, 2026.
It’s a beautiful reminder that time is, quite literally, a social construct. While the West followed the decrees of a Pope in the 1500s, Ethiopia kept a tradition that links them directly to the ancient world.
If you want to keep track of this without losing your mind, you can find conversion apps or websites like EthiopianCalendar.net. But honestly? The best way to experience it is to just go there. Stand in the highlands, look at the 13th month on a paper calendar, and realize that "now" is a very relative term.
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To stay on top of the dates, your best bet is to download a dual-date converter app before you fly. This helps you bridge the gap between your 2026 flight itinerary and the 2018 reality on the ground.