Qibla · Sucre
Qibla direction in Carúpano
To face the Kaaba in Carúpano, turn to 66.3° measured clockwise from true north, which is north-east (23.7° north of east). The Sacred Mosque in Mecca lies 10,899 km away along the shortest path over the globe, and this is the direction the mihrabs of the mosques in Carúpano should follow.
The compass rose shows the Qibla of Carúpano as a needle at 66.3°. With a phone app set to true north, simply turn until it reads 66°. 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 Carúpano
Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 23.7° towards north: the result is the bearing of 66.3°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 24° 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 Carúpano, 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
This is a place where maps mislead badly: a straight line on a flat map from Carúpano to Mecca points to 83.8° (east), a full 17.5° away from the true Qibla of 66.3° (north-east). The map line keeps one compass heading and is 163 km longer than the great-circle route. Because the Earth is a sphere, the shortest way to Mecca from Carúpano first heads north-east, and that is the direction to face.
The value of 66.3° is the direction in which the shortest route from 10.6652° N, 63.2539° 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 Carúpano to Mecca and Medina
Mecca is 10,899 km from Carúpano as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 10,790 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 13 h 19 min, although most pilgrims from Carúpano connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.
Clocks in Carúpano 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 Carúpano rather than those of Mecca.
Finding the Qibla with the sun in Carúpano
On 129 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Carúpano 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 May 2027 it happens at 11:26 local time.
On 206 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 17:24.
| Date | Sun in the Qibla direction (face the sun) | Sun opposite (shadows point to the Qibla) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2027 | — | — |
| 15 January 2027 | — | 17:24 |
| 1 February 2027 | — | 16:34 |
| 15 February 2027 | — | 15:48 |
| 1 March 2027 | — | 14:59 |
| 15 March 2027 | — | 14:10 |
| 1 April 2027 | — | 13:10 |
| 15 April 2027 | — | 12:21 |
| 1 May 2027 | 11:26 | — |
| 15 May 2027 | 10:41 | — |
| 1 June 2027 | 09:55 | — |
| 15 June 2027 | 09:34 | — |
| 1 July 2027 | 09:42 | — |
| 15 July 2027 | 10:13 | — |
| 1 August 2027 | 11:03 | — |
| 15 August 2027 | 11:45 | — |
| 1 September 2027 | — | 12:35 |
| 15 September 2027 | — | 13:16 |
| 1 October 2027 | — | 14:01 |
| 15 October 2027 | — | 14:43 |
| 1 November 2027 | — | 15:37 |
| 15 November 2027 | — | 16:25 |
| 1 December 2027 | — | 17:17 |
| 15 December 2027 | — | — |
Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both happen at night in Carúpano (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 Carúpano points straight to Mecca.
Carúpano compared with other cities
Compared with Caracas, 397 km away, the Qibla in Carúpano is turned 0.9° further clockwise (66.3° against 65.4°), and Mecca is 370 km closer. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Porlamar (75 km), prays towards 66.1°, a difference of 0.2°.
Across the 47 cities in Venezuela on this site, the Qibla ranges from 63.9° in Machiques to 66.8° in Upata, a spread of 2.9°. The difference is small, yet each city should still use its own bearing.
See all cities on the Qibla page for Venezuela.
Qibla in cities near Carúpano
Qibla in Carúpano: questions and answers
What is the Qibla direction in Carúpano?
It is 66.3° from true north, which is north-east: 23.7° north of east.
How far is Carúpano from Mecca?
10,899 km in a straight line over the globe, and 10,790 km to Medina.
When does the sun show the Qibla in Carúpano?
On 129 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 Carúpano not the direction shown on a map?
Flat maps distort directions. The line on a map points to 83.8°, but the shortest route on the globe leaves Carúpano at 66.3°, and that is the Qibla.
Does the Qibla change during the year?
No. The direction of 66.3° is fixed; only the times when the sun lines up with it change from day to day.