Jakarta. Muslims around the world observe the holy month of Ramadan, abstaining from food and drink from dawn until sunset. However, daily fasting durations vary widely by country, with some regions fasting for as short as 11 hours during this year's Ramadan.

In tropical countries such as Indonesia, fasting typically lasts around 12 to 14 hours. In contrast, countries located farther from the equator may experience significantly shorter or longer fasting hours, depending on the season.

So what causes these differences? The variation is largely driven by geography and astronomical factors.

Geography and the Earth’s Tilt
The primary factor influencing fasting duration is a location’s distance from the equator. The Earth rotates on an axis tilted about 23.4 degrees relative to the sun, causing daylight hours to vary by latitude throughout the year.

Countries near the equator experience relatively stable day and night lengths year-round. As a result, fasting hours in tropical regions remain fairly consistent.

By contrast, countries at higher latitudes — particularly in northern and southern regions — experience large seasonal shifts in daylight. In northern Europe, for example, winter brings much shorter days, resulting in shorter fasting periods, while summer leads to longer daylight hours and extended fasting.

This contrast has drawn attention in places such as Murmansk in Russia, where winter daylight hours can be extremely limited.

The Lunar Calendar and Seasonal Shifts

In addition to geography, the Islamic calendar also plays a key role. The Hijri calendar is lunar-based, causing Ramadan to move about 10 to 12 days earlier each year on the Gregorian calendar.

Over a roughly 33-year cycle, Ramadan passes through all seasons. As a result, fasting durations in the same country change annually, becoming longer when Ramadan falls in summer and shorter during winter.

Ramadan 2026 begins on Thursday, Feb. 19, coinciding with the transition from winter to spring in the northern hemisphere.

Because the holy month falls between seasons, fasting durations worldwide are generally moderate — neither as long as peak summer fasts nor as short as those during deep winter.

Countries With the Shortest Fasting Hours

The following cities are expected to have relatively short fasting durations during Ramadan 2026:

• Paris, France: 11 hours 33 minutes

• Nuuk, Greenland: 11 hours 42 minutes

• Reykjavik, Iceland: 11 hours 42 minutes

• Helsinki, Finland: 11 hours 44 minutes

• Moscow, Russia: 11 hours 44 minutes

• Oslo, Norway: 11 hours 51 minutes

• Stockholm, Sweden: 11 hours 52 minutes

• Ottawa, Canada: 11 hours 58 minutes

• London, United Kingdom: 12 hours 1 minute

• Dublin, Ireland: 12 hours 2 minutes

These locations are in northern latitudes nearing the end of winter, when daylight hours are shorter.

Countries With the Longest Fasting Hours

Cities in the southern hemisphere, which will be nearing the end of summer, are expected to experience longer fasting durations:

• Christchurch, New Zealand: 15 hours 22 minutes

• Puerto Montt, Chile: 15 hours 13 minutes

• Canberra, Australia: 14 hours 48 minutes

• Montevideo, Uruguay: 14 hours 42 minutes

• Buenos Aires, Argentina: 14 hours 42 minutes

• Johannesburg, South Africa: 14 hours 13 minutes

• Ciudad del Este, Paraguay: 14 hours 12 minutes

• Harare, Zimbabwe: 13 hours 53 minutes

• Brasilia, Brazil: 13 hours 47 minutes

• Luanda, Angola: 13 hours 38 minutes

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