Longest Fast: The holy month of Ramadan has started all over the world. In this holy month, the Muslim community observes fast from morning Sehri till evening Iftar. But are the hours of fasting equal in every country? The answer is no. The duration of fasting during Ramadan completely depends on the geographical location of that country and the time of sunrise and sunset. In the countries which are situated in the northern latitudes, the days are longer around summer, hence the duration of fasting is also longer there. Let us know about those 5 countries where the fasting time is kept the longest.
Why do fasting times vary?
The duration of the fast completely depends on which part of the world you are living in. In the countries located in the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth, the days are longer, hence the fast is also longer there. At the same time, in the countries of the Southern Hemisphere, due to shorter days, fasting lasts for fewer hours.
The longest fast takes place in these 5 countries (data for 2025-26)
greenland
Greenland is one of those areas of the world where the days are very long. In the capital Nuuk, fasting during Ramadan lasts for about 16 hours 31 minutes. Being a northern region, the sun sets late here.
iceland
In Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, Muslims have to fast for about 16 hours and 29 minutes. Here also the days are quite long due to the northern latitude.
finland
In Helsinki, the capital of Finland, the duration of fasting can reach approximately 15 hours 36 minutes to 17.5 hours. This time increases even more in the northern parts of the country.
norway
In Norway’s capital Oslo, fasting lasts for about 15 hours 40 minutes. Whereas in northern areas this time can be more than 17 hours.
Scotland / United Kingdom
In the city of Glasgow, Scotland, the duration of fasting is approximately between 15 hours 05 minutes to 16.5 hours. In the northern parts of the UK, fasting becomes longer as the days become longer.
Is India also included in this list?
Often this question arises in the minds of people whether the fast is very long in India also? The answer is no. India is not among the top countries in the world where fasting lasts for the longest time. According to the geographical location of India, the average fasting duration here is between 13.5 to 14.5 hours. However, a slight time difference (15-30 minutes) is also seen in the cities of North and South India, but it is not as long as in European countries.
Also read: The world’s three largest religions, Christianity, Islam and Sanatan, fast together, know what is the coincidence.