Daylight Saving Time Worldwide – Countries, Rules & Clock Changes

Everything about daylight saving time worldwide: Which countries observe DST, when does it start and end?

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a seasonal time change where clocks are set forward by one hour in spring and back by one hour in autumn. The goal is to make better use of daylight during evening hours.

DST in Europe

In the EU, DST begins on the last Sunday in March at 2:00 AM (clocks move to 3:00 AM) and ends on the last Sunday in October at 3:00 AM (clocks move back to 2:00 AM).

DST in the United States

In the US, DST begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. Exceptions: Arizona (except Navajo Nation) and Hawaii do not observe DST.

Countries Without DST

Many countries do not observe DST, including: Japan, China, India, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, most African countries, Iceland, Russia (permanent standard time since 2014), and Turkey (permanent summer time since 2016).

History of Daylight Saving Time

The idea was first proposed in 1895 by New Zealand entomologist George Vernon Hudson. Germany was the first country to implement DST in 1916, followed by the UK and the US.

Effects of Clock Changes

Studies show health effects: increased heart attack risk, sleep disturbances, and a slight increase in traffic accidents after the switch. Energy savings are minimal to unproven.

Overview: DST by Region

Region	DST	Period
Europe (EU)	✅	Last Sun March – Last Sun October
USA & Canada	✅	2nd Sun March – 1st Sun November
Japan	❌	—
China	❌	—
India	❌	—
Russia	❌	Permanent standard time since 2014
Turkey	❌	Permanent summer time since 2016
Australia	⚠️	Partial (by state)
Brazil	❌	Abolished 2019

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most important questions about world time, time zones, calendars and astrology

What time is it right now?+

The current time is displayed in real-time at the top of this page – based on your local time zone.

How does the time zone converter work?+

Select two cities and the converter instantly shows the current time in both cities and the time difference.

Is daylight saving time automatically considered?+

Yes. All times are based on the IANA time zone database, which automatically handles DST changes worldwide.

Which time zones are displayed?+

World Clock shows times of major cities worldwide, including New York, London, Tokyo, Sydney, Dubai and more.

Can I use the world clock for free?+

Yes, World Clock is completely free – no registration or restrictions.

What zodiac sign is today?+

The current zodiac sign is automatically calculated based on today's date and displayed in the Today section.

What is the Islamic calendar (Hijri)?+

The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar with 12 months and about 354 days per year.

What is the Chinese zodiac animal?+

The Chinese zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle, with each year assigned an animal.

What is the Julian Day Number?+

The Julian Day is a continuous count of days since January 1, 4713 BC, used in astronomy.

What is a Unix timestamp?+

A Unix timestamp counts the seconds since January 1, 1970 00:00:00 UTC.

What moon phase is today?+

The current moon phase is displayed based on astronomical calculations. The lunar cycle lasts about 29.5 days.

What is the Hebrew calendar?+

The Hebrew calendar is a lunisolar calendar that considers both lunar and solar cycles.

How many time zones are there?+

There are officially 24 main time zones, but in practice over 38 different UTC offsets exist.

What is UTC and how does it differ from GMT?+

UTC is the worldwide time standard based on atomic clocks. GMT is the mean solar time at the Prime Meridian. They are practically identical.