Now the internet may be expecting great things from 2021, but guess what’s it’s not really 2021 everywhere! Wait, what? Relax, all we mean is that not all countries run on the same calendar as we do. There are some countries where the Gregorian Calendar isn’t important and they will enter into a different year instead of the year 2021. Scroll down to see countries where the next year is not 2021.
Thailand will enter into the year 2564 BE
In Thailand, 2021 will be the year 2564. Thailand mainly uses the Buddhist calendar which is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar. The year 2020 CE is indicated as 2563 BE in Thailand. The Songkran Festival is a national holiday in Thailand and it marks the beginning of the Thai New Year.
Ethiopia will enter into the year 2014
In Ethiopia, 2021 will be the year 2014. An Ethiopian year is comprised of 13 months and is seven years behind the Gregorian calendar. In fact, Ethiopians celebrated the new millennium on September 11, 2007; this is because the Ethiopians continued with the same calendar that the Roman church amended in 525 AD. While the first 12 months have 30 days, the last month, called Pagume, has five days and six days in a leap year.
Israel will enter into the year 5782
Israelis follow the Hebrew calendar along with the Georgian calendar. According to classical Jewish sources, the ‘deadline’ by which the Messiah must appear is 6,000 years from creation. According to tradition, the Hebrew calendar started at the time of Creation, placed at 3761 BCE. The current (2020/2021) Hebrew year is 5781.
Iran will enter into the year 1400
The Persian calendar, or the Solar Hijri calendar, is the official calendar in Iran and Afghanistan. Unlike many countries, whose calendars are based entirely upon religious tradition, Iran’s calendar has more to do with astronomy. The calendar measures time based on Earth’s movement around the sun, and unlike the Gregorian calendar, it is dictated by astronomical observations. Because the Solar Hijri calendar is tied to astronomical seasons, it’s actually more accurate than the Gregorian calendar. This year Iran will ring in the year 1400, and it will be joined by Afghanistan, which abides by the same system.
Japan will enter into the year Reiwa 3
Japan might be the youngest county in the world right now. Japan measures its years by the length of its emperors’ reigns, with each period in Japanese history designated by a word that represents that emperor’s time in power. The previous era under Emperor Akihito was called the “Heisei” era, which means “peace everywhere.” It lasted from 1989 to 2019 when his son Naruhito took the throne. Now Japan is in the Reiwa era, which translates to “beautiful harmony.” When Emperor Naruhito ascended to power, Japan’s calendar was reset. Coming January 1, Japan isn’t just rewinding to the Roaring Twenties, it’s going all the way back to the year 3 (or “Reiwa 3”).
China will enter into the year 4719
Chinese New Year will begin on 12-Feb-2021. The reason the new year falls at this time is because it marks the start of the lunar new year, which is when there is the start of a new moon.
The Chinese calendar is used in Cambodia, Mongolia, Vietnam, and other Asian countries. The chronology starts from the date Emperor Huangdi started his reign in 2637 BC. The calendar is cyclic and is based on the astronomical cycles of Jupiter. Within 60 years, Jupiter goes around the Sun 5 times, and those are the 5 elements of the Chinese calendar. One circle of Jupiter around the Sun takes 12 years, and these years received their names from animals. 2021 (Gregorian) will be the Year of the Ox.
Saudi Arabia will enter into the year 1443
Like many Islamic countries, Saudi Arabia has a dual calendar system, using the standard Gregorian calendar as well as the Islamic calendar, and providing two dates for many events. This new year will be 1443, but it won’t be starting on January 1. One of the most unique things about the Saudi Arabian New Year is that it falls on a different day each year. Next year people will mark the starting of the new year from August 9, 2021.
North Korea will enter into the year 110
People in North Korea follow Juche Calendar. The birth year of Kim Il-sung, 1912 in the Gregorian calendar, became “Juche 1” in the North Korean calendar. Thus, the current year, 2020, is “Juche 109“, the next year, 2021, will be “Juche 110“, and so on.
Also Read: 20 Incredible Things That Happened In 2020 That Prove It Was A Year Full Of Goodness