During Ramadan, more than a billion Muslims fast in the mornings.
Every year, the holy month begins approximately two weeks earlier. For half of the earth, this year marks the transition from longer, hotter summer days to shorter, colder winter days.
Ramadan began on March 11, with fasting hours varied across countries. The fasting hours range from 12 to more than 17 hours.
So, which countries have the shortest and longest Ramadans, particularly in the Muslim world?
Shortest Ramadan fast in 2024:
Muslims in Chile will have the shortest Ramadan, with about 12 hours and 44 minutes of fasting.
New Zealand, Argentina, and South Africa, which are in the Southern Hemisphere, also consider a shorter fasting period of 12 to 13 hours.
Longest Ramadan fast:
Muslims in Finland, Iceland, and Greenland will fast for the longest 17 hours throughout the holy month.
How to observe Ramadan where it never gets dark:
Although no area expects a midnight sun during Ramadan, Muslims in countries where the days are particularly long during the holy month are unable to fast for more than 20 hours.
Fasting lasts longer in places farther from the equator because daylight fluctuates according to season.
So, what are they doing?
Fatwas have been issued in countries where the time difference between sunset and sunrise is less than three hours, allowing citizens to follow other cities’ timetables. For example, in Saudi Arabia, many individuals observe Makkah’s fasting hours.
This year, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and practically the whole Middle East will fast for approximately 13.5 to 14 hours.
Tunisia, an African country, will have the longest Ramadan fasting hours of 14 hours and 29 minutes.
Ramadan fasting durations in the Arab world:
Tunisia: The longest day lasted 14 hours and 29 minutes, and the shortest was 13 hours and 17 minutes.
Algeria: The longest day is 14 hours and 27 minutes, while the shortest is 13 hours and 14 minutes.
Libya: The shortest day is 13 hours and 18 minutes, and the longest is 14 hours and 20 minutes.
Morocco: The longest day is 14 hours and 12 minutes, while the shortest is 13 hours and 12 minutes.
Egypt’s longest day is 14 hours and 34 minutes, while its shortest is 13 hours and 17 minutes.
Iraq: the longest day is 14 hours and 18 minutes, while the shortest is 13 hours and 13 minutes.
Bahrain: The longest day is 14 hours, and the shortest is 13 hours and 13 minutes.
UAE: The shortest day is 13 hours and 12 minutes, while the longest is 13 hours and 57 minutes.
Saudi Arabia: the shortest day is 13 hours and 13 minutes, and the longest is 13 hours and 56 minutes.
Oman’s shortest day is 13 hours and 13 minutes, while the longest is 13 hours and 54 minutes.
Kuwait: The longest day is 14 hours and 8 minutes, and the shortest is 13 hours and 14 minutes.
Lebanon: The shortest day is 13 hours and 12 minutes, and the longest is 14 hours and 17 minutes.
Jordan: The shortest day is 13 hours and 12 minutes, and the longest is 14 hours and 15 minutes.
Palestine: the shortest day is 13 hours and 10 minutes, and the longest is 14 hours and 11 minutes.
