Think of all the different “years” we use to help us mark time. For Western countries, there is the Gregorian calendar, which begins on January 1. Then there’s the school year, which runs only nine months for most countries. Many Asian countries follow a lunar calendar, resulting in shorter months. Our Jewish brothers and sisters celebrate their own new year during the feast of Rosh Hashanah in the fall. Then there are businesses. They have their own fiscal years, which can begin with any month, to help them keep track of their finances. And like businesses, countries have fiscal years as well. For the United States and Canada, the fiscal year begins on April 1, while in Great Britain it’s July 1.