Have you heard about a country having 13 months?

News, World

Have you seen a country which is very unique from all other countries? A country which has 13 months? A country which is still in the year 2009 while we are living in 2017? Don't be so shock.. Yes this type of country exists in this world!

The name of that country is Ethiopia. Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north and northeast, Djibouti and Somalia to the east, Sudan and South Sudan to the west, and Kenya to the south.

With over 102 million inhabitants, Ethiopia is the most popular landlocked country in the world, as well as the second-most popular nation on the African continent. Ethiopia was the only territory in Africa to defeat a European colonial power and retain its sovereignty.

The Ethiopian calendar has 13 months: 12 months of 30 days and a short month of 5 or 6 days, depending whether it’s a leap year. Ethiopian New Year is on September 11th, except in leap years, when it is on September 12th. It is on the first of the Ethiopian month of Maskaram.

Thus, Ethiopian year 2006 began on September 11, 2013 “western” time. Ethiopian year 2007 coincides with September 11, 2014 western date. So, except in leap years, between September 11th and January 1st (western calendar), Ethiopia is “seven” years behind (for example, 2006 compared with 2013), whereas from January 1st to September 10th, Ethiopia is “eight” years behind (2006 compared with 2014).

Thus, on January 1st, 2014, Ethiopia will still be in year 2006, whereas the “western” year will move one ahead, from 2013 to 2014, but on September 11, 2014 (western), Ethiopia will “catch up” by a year because it will be 2007 there. But less than 4 months later, on January 1st (western) it will “fall behind” by a year again, when it becomes 2015 in western calendars.