This year, Muslims around the world will fast for approximately 12 to 15 hours a day during Ramadan. In the Northern Hemisphere, fasting hours will lengthen as days grow longer, while in the Southern Hemisphere, they are expected to gradually shorten.

As the global Muslim community prepares to begin Ramadan on either Feb. 18 or 19, fasting durations will vary depending on each country’s location.

For the more than 2 billion Muslims worldwide, daily fasting hours during Ramadan depend on geographical location and the time of year, with typical durations ranging from 12 to 15 hours.

In the Northern Hemisphere, fasting periods this year will be slightly shorter than last year and are projected to gradually decrease until 2031. By that year, the shortest fasts will occur in the Northern Hemisphere, while the Southern Hemisphere will experience the longest.

Conversely, the longest fasting hours in the Northern Hemisphere will occur in 2047, with the Southern Hemisphere experiencing the shortest fasts at that time.

Because Ramadan moves 10 to 12 days earlier each year under the 33-year Islamic calendar cycle, the month will be observed twice in 2030, beginning first on Jan. 5 and again on Dec. 26.

This year, Muslims in the Northern Hemisphere, experiencing winter at the start of Ramadan, will fast approximately 12 to 13 hours on the first day, with durations gradually increasing throughout the month.

In Southern Hemisphere countries such as Chile, New Zealand and South Africa, initial fasting periods are expected to last 14 to 15 hours and will shorten as the month progresses.

According to calculations by the Riyadh-based Muslim World League, using capital cities as reference points, first-day fasting durations are estimated as follows: Türkiye, 12 hours 23 minutes; Saudi Arabia, 12 hours 42 minutes; U.S., 12 hours 25 minutes; U.K., 12 hours 8 minutes; Finland, 11 hours 53 minutes; Pakistan, 12 hours 30 minutes; Japan, 12 hours 27 minutes; Spain, 12 hours 23 minutes; Indonesia, 13 hours 28 minutes; Brazil, 13 hours 47 minutes and South Africa, 14 hours 13 minutes.

Longest fasts

Fasting durations on the likely final day of Ramadan, March 19, will differ from the start of the month.

Calculations suggest that Reykjavik, Iceland and Nuuk, Greenland, will see the longest fasts at 15 hours 3 minutes. In contrast, Christchurch, New Zealand, which experienced the longest fast at the start of Ramadan (15 hours 22 minutes), will see fasting duration decrease by nearly two hours to 13 hours 46 minutes.