Africa · Eastern Africa · Sovereign state
Current time in Rwanda
A single time zone at UTC+02:00.
Thursday, October 15, 2026
About Rwanda's time
A single time zone.
Rwanda uses a single time zone, Central Africa Time (CAT), which is synchronized with UTC+02:00 all year round. Rwanda does not observe daylight saving time, so the time remains consistent throughout the year.
Major cities
Cities of Rwanda.
History
How Rwanda keeps time.
Rwanda has a relatively straightforward history with its time zone. It has used Central Africa Time (UTC+02:00) since 1935, well before independence in 1962, and has never changed it. There were no major political or economic shifts that led to changes in its time zone.
Did you know?
Things about Rwanda's time.
Rwanda shares Central Africa Time with its neighbors Burundi and eastern DR Congo, while Uganda and Tanzania to the north and east are one hour ahead on East Africa Time (UTC+03:00).
Convert
Rwanda to the world's clocks.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Rwanda's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- How many time zones are there in Rwanda?
- There is only one time zone in Rwanda, Central Africa Time (UTC+02:00).
- Which time zone does Rwanda use?
- Rwanda uses Central Africa Time (CAT), which is UTC+02:00.
- Does Rwanda observe daylight saving time?
- No, Rwanda does not observe daylight saving time.
- When was Rwanda's current time zone established?
- Rwanda has used Central Africa Time (UTC+02:00) since 1935, before independence in 1962.
Source: IANA tzdb2026d · Reviewed
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