Time Now in All Time Zones
52 time zones sorted by UTC offset. 19 currently observing DST.
| Abbreviation | Name | UTC Offset | DST | Current Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HST | Hawaii Standard Time | UTC-10:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| AKST | Alaska Standard Time | UTC-09:00 | --:--:-- | |
| PST | Pacific Standard Time | UTC-08:00 | --:--:-- | |
| MST | Mountain Standard Time | UTC-07:00 | --:--:-- | |
| PDT | Pacific Daylight Time | UTC-07:00 | --:--:-- | |
| CST | Central Standard Time | UTC-06:00 | --:--:-- | |
| MDT | Mountain Daylight Time | UTC-06:00 | --:--:-- | |
| EST | Eastern Standard Time | UTC-05:00 | --:--:-- | |
| CDT | Central Daylight Time | UTC-05:00 | --:--:-- | |
| COT | Colombia Time | UTC-05:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| PET | Peru Time | UTC-05:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| EDT | Eastern Daylight Time | UTC-04:00 | --:--:-- | |
| AST | Atlantic Standard Time | UTC-04:00 | --:--:-- | |
| NST | Newfoundland Standard Time | UTC-03:30 | --:--:-- | |
| BRT | Brasília Time | UTC-03:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| ART | Argentina Time | UTC-03:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| UTC | Coordinated Universal Time | UTC+00:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| GMT | Greenwich Mean Time | UTC+00:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| WET | Western European Time | UTC+00:00 | --:--:-- | |
| WEST | Western European Summer Time | UTC+01:00 | --:--:-- | |
| CET | Central European Time | UTC+01:00 | --:--:-- | |
| BST | British Summer Time | UTC+01:00 | --:--:-- | |
| WAT | West Africa Time | UTC+01:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| CEST | Central European Summer Time | UTC+02:00 | --:--:-- | |
| EET | Eastern European Time | UTC+02:00 | --:--:-- | |
| CAT | Central Africa Time | UTC+02:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| EET | Egypt Standard Time | UTC+02:00 | --:--:-- | |
| EEST | Eastern European Summer Time | UTC+03:00 | --:--:-- | |
| MSK | Moscow Standard Time | UTC+03:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| TRT | Turkey Time | UTC+03:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| AST | Arabia Standard Time | UTC+03:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| EAT | East Africa Time | UTC+03:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| IRST | Iran Standard Time | UTC+03:30 | — | --:--:-- |
| GST | Gulf Standard Time | UTC+04:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| PKT | Pakistan Standard Time | UTC+05:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| IST | India Standard Time | UTC+05:30 | — | --:--:-- |
| BST | Bangladesh Standard Time | UTC+06:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| ICT | Indochina Time | UTC+07:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| WIB | Western Indonesia Time | UTC+07:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| CST | China Standard Time | UTC+08:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| HKT | Hong Kong Time | UTC+08:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| SGT | Singapore Time | UTC+08:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| MYT | Malaysia Time | UTC+08:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| PHT | Philippine Time | UTC+08:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| AWST | Australian Western Standard Time | UTC+08:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| KST | Korea Standard Time | UTC+09:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| JST | Japan Standard Time | UTC+09:00 | — | --:--:-- |
| ACST | Australian Central Standard Time | UTC+09:30 | --:--:-- | |
| AEST | Australian Eastern Standard Time | UTC+10:00 | --:--:-- | |
| AEDT | Australian Eastern Daylight Time | UTC+11:00 | --:--:-- | |
| NZST | New Zealand Standard Time | UTC+12:00 | --:--:-- | |
| NZDT | New Zealand Daylight Time | UTC+13:00 | --:--:-- |
Understanding World Time Zones
The world is divided into time zones based on longitude, each roughly 15 degrees apart and offset by one hour from its neighbors. The system was standardized in 1884 at the International Meridian Conference, with Greenwich, England chosen as the prime meridian (0° longitude). All time zones are defined as offsets from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the successor to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
While the 24 standard hourly zones form the theoretical framework, over 38 distinct UTC offsets are in practical use today. Several countries use half-hour or quarter-hour offsets — India operates on UTC+05:30, Iran on UTC+03:30, Nepal on the world's only UTC+05:45, and Australia's Northern Territory on UTC+09:30. Political boundaries further complicate the map: China uses a single time zone (UTC+08:00) across its entire landmass, while Russia spans 11 contiguous zones.
Daylight saving time adds another layer of complexity. Over 70 countries shift their clocks forward by one hour during warmer months, changing their effective UTC offset twice a year. This means the time difference between two locations can vary depending on the season — for example, the gap between New York and London is normally 5 hours but briefly becomes 4 hours during the weeks when only one of them has transitioned.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many time zones are there in the world?
There are 24 standard hourly time zones, but 38 unique UTC offsets are in practical use — ranging from UTC-12:00 (Baker Island) to UTC+14:00 (Line Islands, Kiribati). The extra offsets come from countries using half-hour and quarter-hour increments, such as India (UTC+05:30), Nepal (UTC+05:45), and the Chatham Islands (UTC+12:45).
What is the difference between UTC and GMT?
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) and GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) both represent the time at 0° longitude and are identical for everyday purposes. The difference is technical: UTC is maintained by a network of atomic clocks and is the modern international standard used in aviation, computing, and science. GMT is the historical time standard tied to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London.
What is daylight saving time (DST)?
DST advances clocks by one hour during warmer months to extend evening daylight. Over 70 countries observe it, typically shifting in March/April (spring forward) and October/November (fall back). Countries near the equator generally do not observe DST because their daylight hours remain relatively constant year-round. When DST is active, the timezone abbreviation changes (e.g., EST becomes EDT, CET becomes CEST).
Why do some time zones have 30 or 45 minute offsets?
Some countries chose UTC offsets that better match their geographic midpoint rather than rounding to the nearest whole hour. India's UTC+05:30 was adopted in 1947 as a compromise for a country spanning nearly 30° of longitude. Iran's UTC+03:30 and Afghanistan's UTC+04:30 similarly reflect geographic considerations. Nepal's UTC+05:45 is unique — it was chosen to be exactly 15 minutes ahead of India.
Which time zone enters each new day first?
UTC+14:00 (Line Islands, Kiribati) is the first time zone to enter each new calendar day. At the other extreme, UTC-12:00 (Baker Island, uninhabited US territory) is the last place on Earth where each day ends. This creates a 26-hour spread across all time zones — meaning it is possible for three different calendar dates to exist simultaneously somewhere on Earth.