Are we in 2025? It depends…

Although the Gregorian calendar is the most used around the world, there are countries that have their own calendars and that are not in 2025.

In Portugal, like 167 other countries that exclusively use the Gregorian calendar, we are already in 2025. But, despite being the most used globally, the Gregorian calendar is not the only recognized way of counting the passage of time and there are several countries that have alternative calendars.

One of the most notorious cases is the Indiathe most populous country in the world. In addition to the Gregorian calendar, Indians also have a national calendar called Shaka Samvat, where 2025 corresponds to the year 1946, and several regional calendars.

O Hijri Islamic calendarwhich is used to define the dates of Muslim religious rituals such as Ramadan, is also officially in force for civil purposes in some countries. This calendar has two versions: the solar one — which follows the Earth’s rotation around the Sun and also has 365 days — and the lunar one, which is based on the phases of the Moon and has 354 days, just like the lunar year.

A Saudi Arabia uses the solar Hijri calendar, which he calls Umm al-Qura, currently in the year 1446. Iran and no Afghanistan Lunar Hijri is used, with 1403 being the current year.

And when asked whether they want a lunar or solar calendar, Nepalis say “both.” The country is bounded by Bikram Sambat, a lunisolar calendar that mixes elements from both cycles and follows Hindu traditions. Node Nepal2025 corresponds to 2081.

In the same wave of religious calendars, Israel is also oriented according to the Hebrew calendar, currently being in the year 5785, and the Thailand It follows the Buddhist calendar, and will enter 2568 in April.

No Japanwe are in year 7. This is because the country follows the traditional nengō system, with the counting of years being restarted with the reign of each new emperor. Currently, the country is in the Reiwa era, which began on May 1, 2019, with the rise of Emperor Naruhito.

Already in Taiwan by you North Korea2025 corresponds to the year 114 — but for different reasons. In Taiwan, the year is calculated based on the Minguo calendar, which begins with the creation of the Republic of China in 1912 — not to be confused with the current People’s Republic of China, which was founded in 1949.

In turn, North Koreans orient themselves according to the Juche calendar, which is also based on 1912, to mark the year in which Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea, was born.

Already Ethiopiawe take a trip back in time to 2017. This is due to the African country’s own calendar, which has roots in the ancient Coptic Christian calendar and estimates that the birth of Jesus Christ took place 8 years later than what was stipulated in the Gregorian calendar.