Qibla Direction in Washington DC

In Washington DC, United States, the qibla is 56.6° clockwise from true north — roughly northeast. Face that bearing and you are facing the Kaaba in Makkah.

Washington DC is about 10,632 km (6,607 mi) from the Kaaba in Makkah, measured along the great-circle route — the shortest path over the Earth's surface, which is the path the qibla follows.

Yes — but phone compasses point to magnetic north, which can differ from true north by several degrees depending on where you are, and they are easily disturbed by metal and electronics. For an accurate reading, use our interactive Qibla finder, which uses your exact location, or align the bearing of 56.6° with a map instead of a magnetic compass.

The bearing is computed with the standard great-circle formula from the centre of Washington DC to the Kaaba (21.4225°N, 39.8262°E), so it is exact for that point. Within the city it varies by a fraction of a degree — far less than the accepted margin when facing the qibla.