Iraq · Middle East

Longest and shortest day in Erbil

In Erbil, Iraq, the longest day of 2026 is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 14h 38m of daylight, and the shortest is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 9h 42m.

Erbil sunrise, sunset and day length on the 2026 solstices and equinoxes, in local time
Turning pointDateSunriseSunsetDay length
March equinoxFriday, 20 March 202606:0718:1512h 8m
June solsticeSunday, 21 June 202604:4619:2414h 38m
September equinoxTuesday, 22 September 202605:5118:0112h 10m
December solsticeMonday, 21 December 202607:1116:529h 42m
Erbil day length month by month (around the 15th)
MonthSunriseSunsetDay length
January07:1417:129h 58m
February06:5217:4410h 53m
March06:1518:1111h 55m
April05:3118:3713h 6m
May04:5819:0214h 5m
June04:4619:2214h 37m
July04:5819:2114h 23m
August05:2118:5413h 33m
September05:4618:1112h 25m
October06:1017:2811h 18m
November06:4016:5610h 16m
December07:0716:509h 43m

Why the day gets longer and shorter in Erbil

Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, Erbil leans toward the Sun for part of the year and away for the rest. When it leans toward the Sun the days lengthen and the Sun climbs higher; half a year later the opposite happens. The size of the swing depends on how far Erbil sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.

Frequently asked questions about day length in Erbil

When is the longest day in Erbil?

The longest day in Erbil falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 14h 38m of daylight, sunrise at 04:46 and sunset at 19:24.

When is the shortest day in Erbil?

The shortest day in Erbil falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 9h 42m of daylight, sunrise at 07:11 and sunset at 16:52.

How much does day length change through the year in Erbil?

Between the longest and shortest day, Erbil gains and loses about 4h 56m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.

Every figure is computed from Erbil's coordinates with SunCalc, not looked up from a table.

Day length in nearby cities

More light in Erbil