Qibla · Kolda Region
Qibla direction in Kolda
To face the Kaaba in Kolda, turn to 72.7° measured clockwise from true north, which is east (17.3° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 5,868 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Kolda should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Kolda as a needle at 72.7°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 73°. 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 Kolda
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 17.3° towards north: the result is the bearing of 72.7°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 17° 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 Kolda, 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 Kolda to Mecca points to 80.7° (east), 8.0° away from the correct 72.7°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 21 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 72.7° is the direction in which the shortest route from 12.8939° N, 14.9413° 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 Kolda to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 5,868 km from Kolda as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 5,852 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 7 h 24 min, although most pilgrims from Kolda connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Kolda run 3 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Kolda rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Kolda
On 67 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Kolda while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (27 days); for example, on 1 May 2027 it happens at 12:26 local time.
On 157 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 February 2027 at 17:55.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | — |
| 1 February 2027 | — | — |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 17:55 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 16:53 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 15:52 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 14:39 |
| 15 April 2027 | — | 13:38 |
| 1 May 2027 | 12:26 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 07:20 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | — | — |
| 15 June 2027 | — | — |
| 1 July 2027 | — | — |
| 15 July 2027 | — | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 07:13 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 12:49 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 13:56 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 14:47 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 15:46 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 16:39 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 17:51 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | — |
| 1 December 2027 | — | — |
| 15 December 2027 | — | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Kolda: at 09:18 and 09:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.
Kolda compared with other cities
Compared with Dakar, 336 km away, the Qibla in Kolda is turned 1.2° further anticlockwise (72.7° against 73.9°), and Mecca is 202 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Ziguinchor (149 km), prays towards 72.5°, a difference of 0.2°.
Across the 13 cities in Senegal on this site, the Qibla ranges from 72.5° in Ziguinchor to 74.9° in Saint-Louis, a spread of 2.4°. The difference is small, yet each city should still use its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Senegal.
Qibla in cities near Kolda
- Ziguinchor72.5° · 149 km
- Tambacounda73.4° · 169 km
- Kaolack73.6° · 186 km
- Diourbel74.0° · 240 km
- Touba74.1° · 241 km
- Mbour73.8° · 277 km
Qibla in Kolda: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Kolda?
It is 72.7° from true north, which is east: 17.3° north of east.
How far is Kolda from Mecca?
5,868 km in a straight line over the globe, and 5,852 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Kolda?
On 67 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 Kolda not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 80.7°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Kolda at 72.7°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 72.7° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.