Ethiopia enters 2019 under its unique 13-month calendar

While much of the world is well into 2026, Ethiopia has just turned the page to 2019.

The East African nation ushered in its New Year today known as Enkutatash, marking the beginning of 2019 under the Ethiopian calendar.

Traditionally, Enkutatash is celebrated on September 11, although it falls on September 12 in the year before a Gregorian leap year.

Unlike the Gregorian calendar used in Kenya and many other countries, the Ethiopian calendar follows a different calculation of the date of Christ's birth. 

As a result, it is approximately seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar.

The Ethiopian calendar has 13 months, instead of the familiar 12. 

Twelve of the months contain exactly 30 days each, while the final month, known as Pagume, has five days. During a leap year, Pagume gains an extra day.

In other words, Ethiopians spend most of their year with months of equal length, avoiding the familiar Gregorian calendar puzzle of remembering whether a month has 28, 29, 30 or 31 days.

The calendar traces its roots to ancient calendar traditions of the region and is closely related to the Coptic calendar used by the Coptic Orthodox church in Egypt. 

It also preserves features inherited from the older Julian calendar.

The Ethiopian New Year begins on Meskerem 1, which generally corresponds to September 11 on the Gregorian calendar.

But Enkutatash timing is closely tied to the changing seasons.

The celebration comes at the end of Ethiopia's main rainy season and coincides with the appearance of Adey Abeba, bright yellow daisies that are associated with the arrival of the new season.

The flowers have become an important part of the symbolism surrounding the New Year, representing renewal, hope and new beginnings.

Ethiopia has been observing the days leading up to the New Year through various activities, with September 11 marking the official start of 2019 in the Ethiopian calendar.

For Ethiopians, Enkutatash is therefore more than a change in the number of the year. It reflects a calendar and cultural tradition that the country has preserved across generations.

The New Year is also marked by family gatherings, festivities, music and traditional celebrations, giving communities an opportunity to welcome a fresh chapter together.

The Ethiopian calendar has consequently become one of the country's most recognisable cultural features, allowing Ethiopia to maintain a distinct way of marking time while remaining connected to the international Gregorian system.