When is the next leap year? How many days in a leap year, when was the last one, meaning and why we have them

A leap year happens once every four years to keep the calendar year synchronised with the astronomical year.

They have to exist because it takes 365.25 days for the Earth to orbit the sun.

This number is rounded down to 365 days and an extra day is added to the calendar year to make up for the time.

If there was no such thing as a leap year then seasons would slowly shift and eventually it could be snowing in July or 30 degrees in December.

When is the next leap year?

The next leap year will not be for two more years - it lands on 29 February 2024.

The last leap year was 2020.

Leap years only occur on years that are divisible by four so that they can be evenly divided by 400.

Recent leap years have included: 2020, 2016, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1996, 1992.

The upcoming leap years will be: 2024, 2028, 2032, 2036, 2040, 2044.

Myths and fun facts about leap years

People born on 29 February are known as ‘leaplings’ or ‘leapers’ and only get to celebrate a true birthday once every four years.

There are approximately four million ‘leaplings’ in the world - there is only a 1,461 chance that a baby will be born on 29 February.

Famous ‘leaplings’ include: Ja Rule, Tony Robbins, Khaled, Lena Gercke, Dinah Shore and Gerard Darmon.

Leaplings often celebrate their birthdays the day before or after their true birth date.

There is a special festival in America for Leaplings - it is held in New Mexico and anyone born on 29 February gets free entry.

In south Germany there is an annual tradition where boys leave decorated ribbons on the doorsteps of their crush - during a leap year this is flipped and the girls get to leave ribbons for the boys of their dreams instead.

Leap years were first invented by the Romans as a way to keep their seasons on track.

Why do women propose on leap years?

The Irish tradition stems from a fifth century legend in which St Patrick allowed women to propose to their romantic partners after St Brigid complained that men were taking too long to pop the question.

If a man refused the proposal then he had to buy the woman a new silk gown.

It is not just an Irish tradition as it also travelled to Scotland in 1288 where Queen Margaret decreed that women could also propose on a leap year if they wore a red petticoat.

In modern times there are of course no laws about proposing but it is still considered a fun tradition and is sometimes known as Bachelor’s Day or Ladies Privilege.

The 2010 film Leap Year, starring Amy Adams, tells the tale of a woman who is desperate to use the tradition of leap year proposals but instead falls for an Irish man she meets on her travels.

It is not a tradition that is carried out worldwide in fact in Greece it is deemed unlucky to get married on a leap year.

It is often said that those who do marry on leap years have a higher chance of divorce than those who do not.

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