Qibla direction in Georgetown

How to face the Qibla in Georgetown

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 22.3° towards north: the result is the bearing of 67.7°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 22° 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 Georgetown, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of one of the mosques of Georgetown 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 Georgetown to Mecca points to 81.2° (east), 13.5° away from the correct 67.7°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 108 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 67.7° is the direction in which the shortest route from 6.8045° N, 58.1553° 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 Georgetown to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 10,550 km from Georgetown as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 10,473 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 12 h 55 min, although most pilgrims from Georgetown connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Georgetown run 7 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Georgetown rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Georgetown

On 135 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Georgetown 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 15 April 2027 it happens at 11:22 local time.

On 171 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 March (31 days), for instance on 15 January 2027 at 17:21.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Georgetown (05:18 and 05:27 local time), so they cannot be used here. Instead, on 13 January 2027 at 17:29 and 28 November 2027 at 17:09 the sun is over the point opposite the Kaaba, and every vertical shadow in Georgetown points straight to Mecca.

Georgetown compared with other cities

See all cities on the Qibla page for Guyana.