Europe · Northern Europe · Dependency
Current time in Faroe Islands
A single time zone at UTC+01:00. Currently observing daylight saving time.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
About Faroe Islands's time
A single time zone.
The Faroe Islands use a single timezone, Atlantic/Faroe, which observes Western European Summer Time (WEST, UTC+1) in summer and keeps UTC+0 in winter—following the same daylight saving rhythm as Portugal and the UK.
Next clock change
2026 Sunday · clocks fall back
Clocks fall back by one hour · in 5 months.
Daylight saving schedule
Major cities
Cities of Faroe Islands.
History
How Faroe Islands keeps time.
The Faroe Islands adopted a standardized timezone in 1908, aligning with Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+0), replacing local mean time observations from Tórshavn. During World War II, the islands (under British occupation) used British Double Summer Time (UTC+2) and later adopted daylight saving time more formally in line with Danish and Western European practice. Since 1981, the islands have consistently followed EU rules for switching between standard time (UTC+0) and summer time (UTC+1), keeping them in sync with neighboring Atlantic and European partners.
Did you know?
Things about Faroe Islands's time.
Despite their northerly latitude, the Faroe Islands use UTC+0 in winter and UTC+1 in summer—similar to Iceland and western Africa—meaning their clocks are often disconnected from solar noon, especially in winter. Daylight hours are extreme: very long summer days and very short, dark winters, making clock time feel particularly abstract. As a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, they follow their own EU-style daylight saving schedule, matching Denmark but standing apart politically and culturally.
The Faroes provide an interesting case study in small nations aligning timezone policy for practical ties—fishing, transport, and media cooperation with Europe—rather than strict solar time. Their single timezone covers all islands, reinforcing a unified national identity despite the scattered geography.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Faroe Islands's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- What timezone are the Faroe Islands in?
- The Faroe Islands use Atlantic/Faroe (UTC+0 in winter, UTC+1 in summer), the same as GMT/Western European Time.
- Do the Faroe Islands observe daylight saving time?
- Yes, they observe daylight saving time (WEST, UTC+1) from late March to late October, switching with EU countries.
- What time is it in the Faroe Islands compared to Denmark?
- The Faroe Islands are one hour behind Denmark (CET/CEST) but match the UK and Portugal in winter (GMT/WET).
- Is the Faroe Islands’ timezone the same all year round?
- No—they change clocks forward one hour in spring and back in autumn, aligning with EU daylight saving rules.
- Why don’t the Faroe Islands use Danish time?
- Geographically and economically, they align more with western Europe (GMT/WET region), not Denmark’s central European time.
- How does daylight saving affect life in the Faroe Islands?
- Summer days already have very long daylight; DST further extends evening light, while winter days remain short despite clock changes.
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