Discover How Many Hours of Fasting Await You According to Your Country This Ramadan
The month of Ramadan 2026 will be marked by a significant geographical disparity in the daily duration of fasting around the world, ranging from 11 to over 16 hours depending on the region. Countries located in the far north of the globe will record the longest fasting periods, while Muslims in the southern hemisphere will benefit from the shortest durations.
In countries like Norway, Iceland, and Greenland, the duration of fasting will exceed 16 hours a day due to the length of the day at this time of year. In contrast, Muslims living in New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, or Chile will observe a relatively short fast, ranging from 11 to 12 hours, which are the lowest durations globally.
Moderately Long Fasting Hours in the Arab World
In the Arab region, fasting hours are expected to remain relatively moderate compared to global averages and previous years. The duration of fasting in most Arab capitals is estimated to be between 12 and 14 hours. Comoros and Somalia will record the shortest durations in the Arab world, around 12 hours, thanks to their geographical position close to the equator.
This situation is explained by the coincidence of Ramadan 2026 with a transition period between the end of winter and the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. This configuration avoids extremely long days associated with summer seasons in previous years, making fasting more bearable in terms of both climate and time.
From an astronomical point of view, the sacred month will experience a gradual lengthening of the day, estimated at between one and two minutes per day. Between the first and last day of Ramadan, the total increase will reach approximately 30 minutes, gradually adding to the fasting hours in countries affected by this seasonal change.
