kalenderåret

Kalenderåret, or the calendar year, is the annual period used for civil timekeeping in the Gregorian calendar. It begins on January 1 and ends on December 31. In common years it comprises 365 days, while leap years contain 366 days. Leap years occur according to a rule: every four years is a leap year, except years divisible by 100 are not leap years unless they are also divisible by 400. This rule keeps the calendar year aligned with the astronomical year over long periods.

The calendar year is the standard frame for most civil, administrative, and commercial activities. It is used for naming periods in taxation, budgeting, annual reports, statistics, and general timekeeping. For example, references to “calendar year 2024” denote the period from January 1 to December 31 of that year. The calendar year is distinct from other yearly constructs such as fiscal years, academic years, or ceremonial years, which may begin and end on different dates and follow different rules.

Across different cultures and languages, the term means the same practical concept, though some societies use alternative calendars with different year starts and lengths. The Gregorian calendar, and thus the calendar year as defined above, is the most widely adopted civil calendar today. In contexts outside the Gregorian system, the designation “kalenderåret” may refer to the corresponding year within that specific calendar alongside the year number.