Africa · Northern Africa · Sovereign state
Current time in Sudan
A single time zone at UTC+02:00.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
About Sudan's time
A single time zone.
Sudan uses a single time zone, Central Africa Time (CAT), set at UTC+02:00. The country does not observe daylight saving time, so the time stays consistent all year round.
Major cities
Cities of Sudan.
History
How Sudan keeps time.
Sudan's adoption of its current time zone has traced the country's administrative and political changes. During the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium era (1899–1956), the territory followed Egyptian time (UTC+02:00), which had been formalized during British influence and later officially applied after Sudan's independence in 1956. This created a straightforward transition: the new nation retained the already‑familiar UTC+02:00 setting, aligning with neighboring countries like Egypt and Libya.
In the 1970s, many countries in the region experimented with daylight saving or adjusted their clocks due to energy concerns and political alignments. Sudan briefly considered adjustments at various points, but ultimately settled on maintaining Central Africa Time throughout the year without seasonal shifts. The country's large north-south extent results in noticeable differences in day length from north to south, but practical unity prevailed, and a single stable time zone was used for the entire nation.
Since the early 2000s, Sudan has consistently used UTC+02:00 as its sole time zone, even as South Sudan moved toward UTC+03:00 after independence. This has helped keep cross-border coordination relatively simple with some neighbors, particularly Egypt and East Africa, despite occasional political and economic disruptions.
Did you know?
Things about Sudan's time.
Sudan’s use of a single time zone across a large area that stretches from arid northern deserts to more equatorial regions in the south means that sunrise and sunset times differ significantly by geography. In the far north, daylight can last well into the evening during summer, while in more southern areas, the variation in day length between seasons is smaller. This influences daily routines such as work hours and meal times from region to region.
Sudan shares its UTC+02:00 offset with several neighbors, including Egypt, Libya, and South Africa, which simplifies communication and travel itineraries across parts of North and East Africa. Businesses operating across Cairo, Khartoum, or Nairobi can coordinate between CAT and East Africa Time (UTC+03:00) quite easily, with a fixed one-hour difference between Sudan and Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Unlike some Middle Eastern and North African countries, Sudan does not observe daylight saving time. This makes the time difference with Europe and the Gulf states more predictable throughout the year, a practical advantage for airlines, shipping, and international organizations that operate out of Khartoum.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Sudan's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- What time zone is Sudan using?
- Sudan uses Central Africa Time (CAT), which is UTC+02:00.
- Does Sudan observe daylight saving time?
- No, Sudan does not observe daylight saving time, so the time stays the same throughout the year.
- What time is it in Khartoum compared to London?
- Khartoum is typically two hours ahead of London. When standard time is in effect (UTC+01:00) in the UK, Khartoum is at UTC+02:00; when the UK switches to British Summer Time (UTC+01:00), the difference remains two hours.
- How does Sudan’s time compare to Cairo?
- Sudan has the same time as Cairo; both use UTC+02:00 during standard periods. During periods when Egypt uses summer time (UTC+03:00), Cairo would be one hour ahead of Khartoum.
- How far ahead is Sudan compared to Nairobi?
- Nairobi uses East Africa Time (UTC+03:00) and is typically one hour ahead of Khartoum. When it is 10:00 in Khartoum, it is usually 11:00 in Nairobi.
- Is all of Sudan in the same time zone?
- Yes, Sudan uses a single time zone (Africa/Khartoum, UTC+02:00) for the entire country.
- Does South Sudan use the same time zone as Sudan?
- No. After independence, South Sudan uses UTC+03:00, while Sudan remains on UTC+02:00.
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