Ramadan 2025: The countries with the longest and shortest fasting hours

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As Muslims around the world prepare for Ramadan, fasting hours will vary greatly depending on geographical location, with significant differences in the duration of fasting in different parts of the world.

In the Arab world, Algeria will have the longest fasting duration, with Muslims fasting for 16 hours and 44 minutes.

In contrast, Somalia will experience the shortest fasting period at just 13 hours. Across most Arab nations, fasting hours this year are expected to range between 16 and 17 hours, depending on the location.

However, in regions closer to the Arctic Circle, such as Scandinavia, fasting hours will be significantly longer. In countries like Sweden, Norway, and Finland, some areas will see fasting durations exceeding 20 hours.

For instance, in Kiruna, Sweden, the sun only dips below the horizon for a few minutes, and in some northern locations, it does not set at all.

Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, will also see fasting for up to 20 hours due to the "midnight sun" phenomenon, which results in prolonged daylight in regions near the Arctic Circle.

Iceland will experience fasting for around 19 hours and 59 minutes, while Finland will have fasting hours of about 19 hours and 9 minutes.

The same pattern follows across other northern regions like Canada and Alaska, where high latitudes lead to extended daylight, resulting in some of the longest fasting durations worldwide.

On the other hand, countries in the Southern Hemisphere, where daylight hours are shorter during this time of the year, will experience much shorter fasting periods.

In cities like Brasilia, Brazil, and Harare, Zimbabwe, Islamabad, Pakistan, fasting will last between 12 to 13 hours.

Other cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, along with Ciudad del Este in Paraguay and Montevideo in Uruguay, will observe fasting durations of around 11 to 12 hours.

Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Christchurch, New Zealand, will have fasting for about 12 hours, while King Scott in Chile will experience one of the shortest fasting durations, lasting between 11 and 12 hours.

These variations in fasting hours are due to the positioning of these locations relative to the equator and the poles, and the longer daylight hours in certain regions during this time of the year.

Longest Fasting Hours:

1. Sweden (Kiruna): 20 hours 30 minutes
2. Norway: 20 hours 30 minutes
3. Finland (Helsinki): 19 hours 9 minutes
4. Iceland (Reykjavik): 19 hours 59 minutes
5. Greenland (Nuuk): 20 hours
6. Canada (Ottawa): 16.5 hours
7. Algeria: 16 hours 44 minutes
8. Scotland (Glasgow): 16.5 hours
9. Switzerland (Zurich): 16.5 hours
10. Italy (Rome): 16.5 hours
11. Spain (Madrid): 16 hours
12. United Kingdom (London): 16 hours
13. France (Paris): 15.5 hours

Shortest Fasting Hours:

1. Brasilia, Brazil: 12-13 hours
2. Harare, Zimbabwe: 12-13 hours
3. Islamabad, Pakistan: 12-13 hours
4. Johannesburg, South Africa: 11-12 hours
5. Montevideo, Uruguay: 11-12 hours
6. Buenos Aires, Argentina: 12 hours
7. Christchurch, New Zealand: 12 hours
8. Dubai, UAE: 13 hours
9. New Delhi, India: 12.5 hours
10. Jakarta, Indonesia: 12.5 hours
11. Madina, Saudi Arabia: 13 hours
12. New York, USA: 13 hours (approx)
13. Istanbul, Turkey: 13 hours (approx)