Qibla · Ecuador
Qibla direction in Esmeraldas
To face the Kaaba in Esmeraldas, turn to 65.3° measured clockwise from true north, which is north-east (24.7° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 12,995 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Esmeraldas should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Esmeraldas as a needle at 65.3°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 65°. A traditional magnetic compass also works, provided you allow for the local difference between magnetic and true north.
Find the Qibla with your phone
How to face the Qibla in Esmeraldas
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 24.7° towards north: the result is the bearing of 65.3°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 25° off.
The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Esmeraldas, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.
Why a flat map shows a different direction
A straight line drawn on a flat (Mercator) map from Esmeraldas to Mecca points to 80.0° (east), 14.7° away from the correct 65.3°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 161 km longer than the true shortest route. The Qibla follows the great circle, the shortest path on the curved Earth, which is why the bearing differs.
The value of 65.3° is the direction in which the shortest route from 0.9592° N, 79.6540° W sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.
Distance from Esmeraldas to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 12,995 km from Esmeraldas as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 12,896 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 15 h 47 min, although most pilgrims from Esmeraldas connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Esmeraldas run 8 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Esmeraldas rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Esmeraldas
On 180 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Esmeraldas while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (31 days); for example, on 1 April 2027 it happens at 11:50 local time.
On 183 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in January (31 days), for instance on 1 January 2027 at 16:58.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | 16:58 |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 16:23 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 15:27 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 14:37 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 13:45 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 12:53 |
| 1 April 2027 | 11:50 | — |
| 15 April 2027 | 10:58 | — |
| 1 May 2027 | 10:00 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 09:11 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 08:18 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 07:50 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 07:59 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 08:38 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 09:34 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 10:21 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | 11:14 | — |
| 15 September 2027 | 11:57 | — |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 12:45 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 13:30 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 14:28 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 15:19 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 16:18 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | 16:59 |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Esmeraldas (04:18 and 04:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 16:29 and 28 November 2027 at 16:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Esmeraldas points straight to Mecca.
Esmeraldas compared with other cities
Compared with Quito, 182 km away, the Qibla in Esmeraldas is turned 0.8° further anticlockwise (65.3° against 66.1°), and Mecca is 60 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Santo Domingo de los Colorados (145 km), prays towards 66.0°, a difference of 0.7°.
Among the 16 cities in Ecuador on this site, Esmeraldas has the smallest Qibla bearing; the largest is 67.8° in Loja. Across the country the direction varies by 2.5°.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Ecuador.
Qibla in cities near Esmeraldas
- Santo Domingo de los Colorados66.0° · 145 km
- Quito66.1° · 182 km
- Ibarra65.9° · 183 km
- Quevedo66.3° · 222 km
- Latacunga66.4° · 240 km
- Portoviejo66.1° · 241 km
Qibla in Esmeraldas: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Esmeraldas?
It is 65.3° from true north, which is north-east: 24.7° north of east.
How far is Esmeraldas from Mecca?
12,995 km in a straight line over the globe, and 12,896 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Esmeraldas?
On 180 days of 2027 the sun stands in the Qibla direction; the table on this page gives the exact time for the 1st and 15th of each month.
Why is the Qibla in Esmeraldas not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 80.0°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Esmeraldas at 65.3°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 65.3° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.