What year is it? If you’re in Iran, Happy 1393!
Iraqi Kurds carry fire torches up a mountain where a giant flag of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region is laid, as they celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year festival, near Dahuk, March 20, 2014. Nowruz is also celebrated in other countries, including Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
Think this year is 2014. Guess again.
Sure, most people follow the Gregorian calendar, where the year starts on January 1 and ends on December 31. For them, the year is 2014. But that's not the only calendar people go by.
Today is also Nowruz — the Persian New Year, celebrated across several central and western Asian countries — and the new year is 1393.
The vernal equinox in the Northern hemisphere marks the first day of the new year for Iran. The calendar, known as a Solar Hirji calendar, is the official calendar for both Iran and Afghanistan. But that's not the only place where 2014 isn't happening.
According to the Muslim Lunar Hirji calendar, the year is currently 1435.
If we're looking at the Buddhist Nirvana calendar, it's year 2558.
You want even older? How about year 5116, in the Hindu calendar according to Kali Yuga, which is just one period of human history. If Hindu scholars agree that we've moved into a different era of humanity, this number could be reset.
Older still? The Hebrew calendar has been counting the years to 5774.
And if you are wondering about the youngest calendar year, it is in Taiwan, where it's currently the 103rd year of the Republic of China. It also happens to be year 103 in North Korea, but that's because of the date of Kim Il-sung's birth.
What New Year do you celebrate? Let us know in the comments.
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