El Aaiun

Africa • El_Aaiun

Western Sahara

Current local time

05:16:58

Sunday, May 31, 2026

UTC offset

UTC+01:00

Status

Daylight saving

Next transition

February 7, 2027 at 02:00 AM

Daylight saving timeline

Daylight saving

El_Aaiun toggles between daylight and standard time annually. Clocks fall back by one hour in 8 months (February 7, 2027 at 02:00 AM).

Daylight saving since

March 22, 2026 at 03:00 AM

2 months ago

Standard time resumes on

February 7, 2027 at 02:00 AM

in 8 months

22% through the current daylight saving season.

Timezone details

Identifier
Abbreviation
—
Transitioned
March 22, 2026 at 03:00 AM
Featured city
El AaiĂşn

Location

Latitude
27.15
Longitude
-13.2
Country
Western Sahara

El Aaiun Time (EAT)

FAQs

El Aaiun Time (EAT) is the defined timezone for Western Sahara, centered on the city of El Aaiun. Although nominally aligned with UTC+00:00, the region currently observes daylight saving time, shifting clocks forward to UTC+01:00 during summer months—a practice that can make coordination with neighboring regions feel a bit like chasing the sun across the calendar.

  • Why does El Aaiun Time use UTC+01:00 instead of its standard UTC+00:00?

    Western Sahara observes daylight saving time, advancing clocks by one hour in summer to extend evening daylight. This shifts the effective offset from UTC+00:00 to UTC+01:00 during DST periods.

  • When does El Aaiun switch back to standard time?

    The next transition out of daylight saving time is scheduled for 2027-02-07 at 02:00 local time, when clocks will fall back to UTC+00:00.

  • Is El Aaiun Time the same as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)?

    Only during standard time (UTC+00:00). During DST, it becomes equivalent to West Africa Time (WAT), which is UTC+01:00—so it’s GMT in winter and WAT in summer.

  • How many time zones use El Aaiun Time?

    Just one: Africa/El_Aaiun, representing the entire Western Sahara region under this timezone code.

  • Does all of Western Sahara follow the same time?

    Yes—despite political complexities, the entire region officially uses Africa/El_Aaiun with consistent DST observance.

  • What’s unique about El Aaiun’s DST schedule?

    Unlike many regions that start DST in spring, El Aaiun begins its DST period around late March (e.g., 2026-03-22) and ends in early February—flipping the typical Northern Hemisphere pattern.

  • How does El Aaiun Time affect travel or communication?

    Because it shifts between UTC+00:00 and UTC+01:00, travelers and remote collaborators should double-check dates—especially around March and February—to avoid missed calls or flights.

  • Is El Aaiun Time ever the same as Casablanca Time?

    Yes! Both Morocco and Western Sahara often align on UTC+01:00 during their overlapping DST periods, making them temporarily synchronized despite different official names.