This East African country is still stuck in 2016 following their unique calendar system

While the rest of the world follows the Gregorian calendar, Ethiopians are going at their own pace with a distinct calendar system that currently marks the year as 2016. On September 11, Ethiopians will celebrate their new year, transitioning to 2017. This East African country, the second most populous on the continent, is officially 7 years and 8 months behind the Gregorian calendar, according to CNN.

For those wondering why Ethiopians are following a different time and date than the rest of the world, the answer lies in their unique calendar. People of this country follow the Ge'ez calendar, which consists of 13 months, out of which 12 of their months have 30 days each. Pagumđ, the extra months consist of only five days or six days if it is a leap year, reports UNILAD. Hence, the Ge'ez calendar setting sets Ethiopia apart from those who follow the Gregorian calendar system.

"We are unique," says Eshetu Getachew, CEO of Rotate Ethiopia Tours And Travel, told CNN. "We were never colonized. We have our own calendar. We have our alphabet. We have our own cultural traditions." However, having a unique calendar means that the Ethiopians face different hardships while matching up with the date and time that the rest of the world follows. "It's very difficult," Ethiopian archaeologist Goitom W. Tekle, currently based in Germany, explained to the outlet. "I still can't switch into one. It's quite a challenge. I need to think of the hours, the days. Sometimes the months, and sometimes even the year."

Tekle also added that some institutions in Ethiopia have to keep following both the Western and Ethiopian calendars. Applying for birth certificates can also be an issue for those trying to follow both the calendar systems. "Let's say a baby is three years old, and you file for their birth certificate with the city or with the local government," German historian Verena Krebs, who specializes in medieval European and African history, shared with the outlet. "And then you state according to the Ethiopian system of time, and then you have to trust that the clerk does the conversion well. You just adapt to the system. You switch from one to the other. So you're not even actively aware anymore that this is a thing that people might find striking because it's become so normal."

Ethiopians refer to their calendar calculation method as Bahere Hasab or 'sea of thoughts,' according to Culture Trip. They believe Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden for seven years before being cast out due to their sins. After their repentance, God promised to rescue them after 5,500 years. This concept forms the basis of the Ethiopian calendar calculations. Both Ethiopian and Gregorian calendars start their calculations from the birth of Jesus Christ.

However, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church believes that Jesus was born in 7 BC, which corresponds to 5,500 years following God's promise to Adam and Eve. Thus, Ethiopian calendar counts differ from the Western calendar. Not only their calendar system but their clock runs a tad bit differently as well. There are two ways to tell time in the country, as shared by The World. Since Ethiopia lies closer to the equator, the daylight in the region remains consistent throughout the year. As a result, many Ethiopians rely on the 12-hour clock with one cycle showing time from dawn to dusk and the second one showing time from dusk to dawn.