The whole world celebrated the arrival of 2026 based on the Gregorian calendar.
However, we must not forget that calendars are also relative and each has its own reference point. Different calendar systems created by various peoples in different historical periods have existed. Currently, there are many countries in the world that have their own national calendar year.
Modern.az presents the calendar for these countries and the years they are currently observing.
| Country / Region | Calendar system | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | Reiwa calendar | 8 |
| Taiwan | Minguo calendar | 115 |
| North Korea | Juche | 115 |
| Nepal | Nepal Sambat calendar | 1146 |
| Myanmar | Myanmar calendar | 1388 |
| Iran / Afghanistan | Shamsi Hijri | 1404 |
| Bangladesh | Bengali | 1432 |
| Islamic countries | Hijri | 1447 |
| India (national) | Indian National Calendar | 1947 |
| Ethiopia | Ethiopian | 2018 |
| Bhutan | Drukpa | 2482 |
| Thailand | Thai Buddhist calendar | 2569 |
| China | Chinese calendar | 4723 |
| Israel | Jewish calendar | 5786 |
Some unusual calendars:
• The Lunisolar calendar, used by many Asian peoples, including the Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans, and some regions of India and Tibet. A year consists of 12-13 months, each comprising 29-30 days. Years are grouped into 60-year cycles and are designated by combinations of animal and element names.
• The Hawaiian calendar. This Lunisolar calendar is also unique because it consists of only 12 months, each comprising 29-30 days. The beginning of each month was determined by priests based on the phases of the moon. Years were named after significant events such as the "year of great famine", "year of the prince's birth", and "year of volcanic eruption".
• The Balinese calendar. The 210-day year consists of 10 months, each slightly more than 20 days, and 13 months in a leap year. Days of the week are designated not by numbers, but by various symbols and descriptions such as "Buddha Day" and "Vayu Day" (god of wind).
• The Ancient Egyptian Calendar. Ancient Egypt used a 365-day solar calendar, divided into 12 months of 30 days each, with five feast days celebrated at the end of the year. Each year was governed by its own patron god or goddess who presided over various aspects of life.
• The Mayan Calendar. The ancient Mayans created one of the world's most complex and accurate calendar systems. It combined several cycles of different lengths: the 260-day ritual calendar Tzolkin for religious ceremonies, the 365-day solar year Haab for agricultural work, and the colossal cycle consisting of 5126-year periods for historical and cosmological calculations.
