World’s quirkiest calendars unveiled: why it’s 4723 in China, 2018 in an African nation, and just 115 in two Asian states

The good news? Across the entire American continent, all of Europe, the former Soviet regions of Asia, Australia, and much of Africa, it’s 2026, just like here. But why is it 4723 in China, a mere 2018 in Ethiopia, 1447 in North Africa, and only 8 in Japan? We’ve set off on a thrilling chase through the world’s quirkiest calendars.

The World of Maps Facebook page delighted followers with a mind-bending post on 31 December. It revealed what year it’ll be elsewhere when our calendars flip to 1 January.

Time travel to the future: Israel, China, Thailand, and Bhutan

When it comes to ancient roots, Israel’s Hebrew calendar takes the crown: they’re already in 5786. Tradition dates this back to the Bible’s account of Creation: specifically, the sixth day when God made Adam and Eve. Their New Year kicked off last year on 22 September, closing out 5785.

China’s calendar trails just behind, though this eastern superpower is still at a “modest” 4723. It starts with the Yellow Emperor, Huangdi, around 2637 BCE: right about when Egypt’s Giza pyramids were rising from the sands. This year marks the Year of the Snake in China; next up is the Horse. Chinese New Year shifts between 21 January and 20 February, so 4724 begins on 6 February 2027.

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Thailand’s at 2569, counting from Buddha’s death in 543 BCE: simply add 543 years to our Gregorian date for their traditional one. Bhutan follows suit with its own Buddhist calendar, currently at 2482.

More quirky calendars: stuck in the past

Top of this list is Ethiopia, where the Coptic calendar lags seven years behind the Gregorian. Luckily, they stick to the global standard for international dealings, reserving it for private life. India boasts at least 30 regional twists on the Hindu calendar, per the post, with Nepal mirroring this—sometimes tied to specific ethnic groups.

The next big faith, Islam, skips the Gregorian for religious matters, opting for a lunar calendar starting with Muhammad’s migration to Medina in 622 CE. Shorter by 11-12 days each year (just 354-355 days), it’s “lost” decades over centuries. Most Muslim countries are thus at 1447, but Iran and Afghanistan linger at 1404 due to a variant Persian lunar system. Post-Taliban takeover, Afghanistan even uses it for civil life.

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The Bengali calendar sits at 1432, kicking off in 593/594 CE with King Shashanka’s reign. Myanmar (formerly Burma) is at 1388, also pegged to Buddha’s parinirvana but piled high with historical tweaks that widen the gap.

Far East oddities

It’s bizarre that North Korea and Taiwan both claim 115—yet for wildly different reasons. Taiwan counts from the Republic of China’s founding in 1912, while North Korea ties it to “eternal leader” Kim Il-sung’s mythical 1912 birth.

Finally, Japan’s traditional calendar reads just 8, spot on if you guess it’s linked to the emperor’s reign. Emperor Naruhito ascended on 1 May 2019, launching the Reiwa era—which we’re now in its eighth year.