Countries that use different calendars & the years they are currently in

The Gregorian calendar is the internationally accepted civil standard, but it is not universal.

On 17 February 2026, millions will celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Several countries use different systems for official, religious or administrative purposes.

These calendars often place these nations in different years and months compared to the standard 2026.

The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar system, meaning it tracks both the phases of the moon and the solar year.

In this system, months begin with the new moon.

Because 12 lunar months are approximately 11 days shorter than a solar year, the Chinese calendar adds a 'leap month' roughly every three years to stay in sync with the seasons.

On 17 February 2026, the calendar transitions into the Year of the Fire Horse.

This 60-year cycle combines 12 zodiac animals with five elements.

The Fire Horse is rare, appearing only once every six decades, and is traditionally associated with high energy and decisive action.

While China uses the Gregorian calendar for official government business, the traditional calendar dictates all major holidays and cultural milestones.

Kenya’s northern neighbour, Ethiopia, follows a system based on the ancient Coptic calendar.

As of February 2026, Ethiopia is in the year 2018.

This seven to eight-year difference exists because the Ethiopian Orthodox Church uses a different calculation for the birth of Jesus Christ compared to the Roman Catholic Church, which revised the Gregorian calendar in 1582.

The Ethiopian calendar consists of 12 months of 30 days each, followed by a 13th month called Pagume, which has five days (or six in a leap year).

Unlike other nations where traditional calendars are secondary, the Ethiopian calendar is the official system for the government, schools and the national airline.

The Solar Hijri calendar is the official civil calendar in Iran and Afghanistan.

It is one of the most accurate systems in existence because it is based on astronomical observations rather than mathematical rules.

The year begins at the precise moment of the vernal equinox - the start of spring in the northern hemisphere.

In February 2026, these countries are in the year 1404.

Their next year, 1405, will begin on 21 March 2026.

Although the calendar starts its count from the Hijrah (the migration of Prophet Muhammad in 622 AD), it follows the sun.

This makes it different from the purely lunar Islamic calendar used for religious dates like Ramadan.

Nepal uses the Vikram Samvat as its official calendar.

It is a lunisolar system that is approximately 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar.

Consequently, in February 2026, Nepal is in the year 2082.

The Nepali New Year typically falls in mid-April.

This calendar is the primary system for government administration, legal documents and official holidays.

It uses lunar months but is anchored to the solar sidereal year to ensure the months remain aligned with the seasons over time.

Thailand uses the Thai solar calendar for official purposes.

This system is based on the Buddhist Era, which begins with the year of the Buddha's passing.

To find the Thai year, one adds 543 to the Gregorian year.

Therefore, 2026 in Kenya is the year 2569 in Thailand.

Although the year numbering is different, the months and days align with the Gregorian system to simplify international trade and travel.