Europe · Southern Europe · Sovereign state
Current time in Cyprus
A single time zone at UTC+03:00. Currently observing daylight saving time.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
About Cyprus's time
A single time zone.
Cyprus operates across two time zones—Asia/Nicosia and Asia/Famagusta—but both share the same UTC+03:00 offset and observe daylight saving time, so the split is more political than practical.
Next clock change
2026 Sunday · clocks fall back
Clocks fall back by one hour · in 5 months.
Daylight saving schedule
Major cities
Cities of Cyprus.
History
How Cyprus keeps time.
## A Divided Island's Time Zones
Cyprus's two time zones are a direct consequence of the island's political division in 1974. Turkey's military intervention and the subsequent declaration of independence by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey) led to the creation of separate administrative zones.
In 2017, Northern Cyprus unilaterally delayed its clocks by one hour in October to permanently adopt UTC+03:00, aligning with Turkey's time. The Republic of Cyprus followed suit in 2022 after a public referendum, adjusting for consistency. The IANA Time Zone Database now distinguishes the two zones—Asia/Nicosia (south) and Asia/Famagusta (north)—reflecting the administrative split, despite identical current offsets.
Historically, Cyprus followed British colonial time during its administration as a Crown Colony (1925–1960), adopting UTC+02:00. After independence in 1960, it continued with European norms, synchronizing DST transitions with the broader Eastern European Time zone.
Did you know?
Things about Cyprus's time.
## Political Over Practical
While both Cypriot time zones currently share UTC+03:00, their distinction echoes the island's unresolved status. Interestingly, before 2017, Northern Cyprus would revert to UTC+02:00 in summer while Turkey used UTC+03:00—briefly creating a mismatch.
The dual zones also affect travelers visiting the UN Buffer Zone crossing points. Although no time change occurs at the border, formal zones differ administratively. For most visitors, the split is invisible, but it symbolizes the enduring division of Europe's last divided capital.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Cyprus's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- Does the green line crossing affect time zones in Cyprus?
- No, crossing the UN Buffer Zone does not change the local time—both sides currently observe UTC+03:00 year-round.
- Are there any differences in DST between north and south Cyprus?
- No, both regions synchronized their clocks to follow the same DST schedule (from March to October) until 2017. Since then, they have remained on UTC+03:00 year-round, effectively ending seasonal clock changes.
- What time zone is Famagusta?
- Famagusta, located in the northern part of Cyprus, is in the Asia/Famagusta time zone, which matches Nicosia's offset of UTC+03:00.
- Is Cyprus's time the same as Istanbul?
- Yes—both Cyprus and Istanbul are on UTC+03:00 year-round, though they are in different time zones formally (Cyprus in Asia/Nicosia, Turkey in Europe/Istanbul).
- Why are there two time zones in Cyprus?
- The two zones reflect the island’s political division. The IANA database lists Asia/Nicosia for the Republic-controlled south and Asia/Famagusta for the Turkish-occupied north, even though their offsets are identical.
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