Ethiopian time and date

Ethiopia keeps its own clock and its own calendar. The clock starts at sunrise, so 7 am is 1 o'clock, and the calendar has 13 months and runs 7 or 8 years behind the Gregorian one. More on Wikipedia.

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  Ethiopian Calendar

  Today's Ethiopian date, a date converter, Ethiopian time, and every public holiday, fast and feast.

New Year11 Sep 2026 · 12 Sep 2027EnkutatashEthiopian New Year, at the end of the rainy season. Hills turn yellow with adey abeba flowers and girls go door to door singing.Nati Tad · CC BY-SA 4.0

Christian27 Sep 2026MeskelThe Finding of the True Cross. A colourful procession fills Meskel Square, then the huge demera bonfire is lit. UNESCO-listed.EsubalewA · CC BY-SA 4.0

Christian7 Jan 2027GennaEthiopian Christmas. People attend all-night church services dressed in white; Lalibela draws pilgrims from across the country.Tanjagari · CC BY-SA 4.0

Christian19 Jan 2027TimkatEpiphany, the biggest festival of the year. Priests carry the tabot (Ark replica) to water, with singing and dancing in the streets. UNESCO-listed.Jean Rebiffé · CC BY 4.0

National2 Mar 2027Adwa Victory DayCelebrates the 1896 victory over Italy at Adwa that kept Ethiopia independent. Crowds gather at Menelik II's statue and the Adwa Victory Memorial.Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

IslamicAbout 10 Mar 2027Eid al-FitrThe end of Ramadan. Huge open-air prayers fill Addis Stadium and the streets around the big mosques, followed by family feasts.Gangaddis · CC BY-SA 4.0

Christian30 Apr 2027Good FridayA solemn day of fasting, prayer and prostration in Orthodox churches, two days before Easter.A.Savin · FAL

National1 May 2027Labour DayInternational Workers' Day, a public holiday across Ethiopia.Nesnad · CC BY-SA 4.0

Christian2 May 2027FasikaOrthodox Easter ends the 55-day Lenten fast. After a midnight service, families break the fast with doro wat and meat dishes.A. Davey · CC BY 2.0

National5 May 2027Patriots' Victory DayMarks the liberation of Addis Ababa in 1941 and honours the patriots who resisted the Italian occupation. Ceremonies are held at the Miyazia 27 monument in Arat Kilo.O.Mustafin · CC0

IslamicAbout 16 May 2027Eid al-AdhaThe Feast of Sacrifice (Arafa). Morning prayers are followed by a shared meal with family and neighbours.Evan Williams · CC BY-SA 4.0

IslamicAbout 14 Aug 2027MawlidThe Prophet Muhammad's birthday, celebrated with prayers and gatherings, especially in Harar and at the big mosques.Sailko · CC BY 3.0

Good to know

• Ethiopian time counts 12 hours from 6 am and another 12 from 6 pm, so 7 am is 1 o'clock in the morning, noon is 6, and 7 pm is 1 o'clock in the evening. Add or subtract 6 hours to switch between the two, or use the converter above.
• When people tell you a time in everyday life, they usually mean Ethiopian time. Airlines, hotels, banks and formal business use international time. If in doubt, ask: "Ethiopian time or international time?"
• Addis Ababa is on East Africa Time, UTC+3, all year. There's no daylight saving.
• The calendar has 12 months of 30 days and a short 13th month, Pagume, of 5 days (6 in a leap year). It runs 7 years behind the Gregorian calendar from 11 September to 31 December, and 8 years behind from 1 January to 10 September.
• New Year (Enkutatash) falls on 11 September, or 12 September in the year before a Gregorian leap year. Christmas (Genna) is on 7 January and Timkat (Epiphany) on 19 January.
• Receipts, tickets and government forms often use the Ethiopian date. Check the year before you panic about an expired document.
• Fridays: many government offices close at about 11:45 am for Jumu'ah (Friday prayer) and reopen in the afternoon. Plan visits to offices for the morning, or another day.