Technical Specifications & Standards
Official chronometric properties, ISO standards, and international database registry identifiers for Central Africa Time:
Daylight Saving Time (DST) Transitions
⬆️ Spring Forward (Clocks Advance)
None (Equatorial African nations do not observe Daylight Saving Time)
⬇️ Fall Back (Clocks Return)
None
Observing Jurisdictions & Subdivisions
11 Sovereign NationsSovereign nations, administrative subdivisions, and regional territories officially operating under CAT:
Regional Subdivisions & Territory Details
Financial Markets & Trading Hours
Shares the UTC+2 offset with Johannesburg (SAST) and Cairo (EET), providing consistent business hours across the north-south African corridor.
Local Hours: 09:00 - 14:00 CAT
UTC Window: 06:00 - 15:00 UTC
Local Hours: 09:30 - 15:00 CAT
UTC Window: 06:00 - 15:00 UTC
Local Hours: 09:00 - 12:00 CAT
UTC Window: 06:00 - 15:00 UTC
Major Cities in CAT
Primary metropolitan centers and financial hubs observing this time zone:
Adoption History & Astronomical Facts
Year Established: 1903
First introduced to coordinate train operations along the Cape-to-Cairo railway route and telegraph lines running through British Central Africa and Northern Rhodesia (modern Zambia).
Because Central Africa sits astride the equator, daylight lasts almost exactly twelve hours every day of the year, with sunset varying by less than 40 minutes between June and December in Kigali and Lusaka.
Frequently Asked Questions about CAT
What does CAT stand for?
CAT stands for Central Africa Time, two hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+2).
Do countries in Central Africa use daylight saving time?
No. None of the countries in the Central Africa Time zone adjust their clocks for summer.
How does CAT compare to London time?
Central Africa Time is two hours ahead of London during British winter (GMT, UTC+0), and one hour ahead during British summer (BST, UTC+1).