Daylight Saving Time Around the World

What countries do daylight saving?

Roughly 30% of the world’s nations shift their clocks seasonally. Most of Africa and Asia do not take part at all. The practice clusters in Europe, North America, parts of Oceania, and a shrinking handful of states in South America and the Middle East.

The shift follows a fixed schedule. Northern Hemisphere countries move clocks forward in March or April and back in September, October or November. Southern Hemisphere countries do the opposite: forward in September or October, back in March or April.

The Origins: Hudson, Willett, and WWI

George Hudson, a New Zealand entomologist, first proposed the concept in 1895. He wanted more daylight for insect collecting after work.

Independently, William Willett, a British builder, put the idea forward in a 1907 pamphlet titled “The Waste of Daylight.” Willett’s pamphlet used the term “Daylight Saving” (singular).

Germany and Austria-Hungary were the first to adopt it nationally, on 30 April 1916, during World War I, to conserve coal. The United Kingdom followed in May 1916. The United States adopted it in 1918, repealed it in 1919, and reinstated it during World War II.

Why do countries keep changing their clocks?

Energy Conservation: The Original Justification

The original argument was energy conservation. Shifting daylight to evening hours reduced the need for artificial lighting. This made sense in 1916 when lighting was the largest consumer of electricity.

Modern Arguments For: Retail, Recreation, Reduced Crime

Supporters today point to: - Longer evening daylight for shopping, sports, and outdoor activities - Reduced traffic accidents in evening daylight - Lower crime rates during daylight hours - Increased retail revenue

Modern Arguments Against: Health Risks, Disrupted Sleep

Opponents cite: - Disrupted circadian rhythms and sleep loss after springing forward - Increased heart attack and stroke rates in the days following the change - Higher workplace and road accidents during the transition - Administrative costs for businesses and governments - Marginal or nonexistent energy savings in modern grids

The Energy Savings Debate: Does It Actually Save?

Studies from the US Department of Energy show DST reduces electricity usage by about 0.5% per day during DST periods. Other studies find no net savings or even increased energy use due to extra air conditioning and heating.

Which countries currently change their clocks?

This table lists countries and territories that currently observe DST, their start and end months, and notable exceptions.

When do clocks go forward in the Northern Hemisphere?

Northern Hemisphere (spring forward in March/April, fall back in September/October/November):

• United States and Canada: Second Sunday March to first Sunday November
• European Union and United Kingdom: Last Sunday March to last Sunday October
• Chile and Paraguay: First Saturday September to first Saturday April (Chile); first Sunday October to fourth Sunday March (Paraguay)

Southern Hemisphere (spring forward in September/October, fall back in March/April):

• Australia (observing states): First Sunday October to first Sunday April
• New Zealand: Last Sunday September to first Sunday April

For several weeks each year the usual offset between a Northern and Southern Hemisphere city shifts by two hours. Between late March and early April both hemispheres are on DST simultaneously. Between late October and early November both are on standard time. In the intervals, one has changed and the other has not, and a standing meeting drifts twice in a fortnight.

Why do clocks go forward in some countries and back in others?

Spring forward: Clocks go forward one hour at 2:00 AM local time to 3:00 AM. You lose an hour of sleep. Sunrise and sunset occur one hour later.

Fall back: Clocks go back one hour at 2:00 AM local time to 1:00 AM. You gain an hour of sleep. Sunrise and sunset occur one hour earlier.

The transitions happen early on Sunday mornings to minimize disruption to work and school schedules.

Which countries recently abolished daylight saving?

A growing list of countries have stopped shifting their clocks:

• Brazil: Ended DST in 2019 after concluding the benefit to its electricity system had disappeared.
• Mexico: Ended DST nationally in 2022, except for border municipalities near the United States.
• Iran: Ended DST in 2022.
• Jordan: Ended DST in 2022.
• Syria: Ended DST in 2022.
• Ukraine: Moved to permanent standard time (UTC+2) in 2024.
• Russia: Experimented with year-round DST from 2011 to 2014, then abandoned it and settled on year-round standard time.
• Turkey: Fixed itself on UTC+03:00 in 2016.
• Argentina: Abandoned DST in 2009.
• Uruguay: Abandoned DST in 2015.

Which countries have never used daylight saving?

Most of the world’s population lives in countries that have never used DST. This includes:

• China (one time zone, UTC+8, no DST since 1991)
• India (UTC+05:30, no DST)
• Japan (no DST since 1952)
• South Korea (no DST since 1988)
• Most of Africa (except Egypt, Morocco, Western Sahara, Namibia (ended 2017))
• Most of Southeast Asia (except Indonesia briefly experimented)
• Most of South America (only Chile and Paraguay remain)

Permanent DST vs permanent standard time: which is better?

The core debate: should a country stay on DST all year or stay on standard time all year?

Permanent DST means later sunrises in winter. The United States tried this in 1974 under the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act. It was repealed after one winter due to public backlash over dark mornings and school bus accidents.

Permanent standard time means earlier sunsets in summer. Russia tried this in 2014 after abandoning permanent DST. Many sleep scientists argue permanent standard time is healthier because it aligns the clock more closely with solar time.

The United Kingdom has considered proposals to move to permanent DST (UTC+1 in winter, UTC+2 in summer) but has not acted.

Will the EU stop changing its clocks?

In 2018, the European Commission proposed ending seasonal clock changes under Directive 2000/84/EC. The European Parliament voted in favor in 2019. Each member state would choose between permanent standard time or permanent DST.

Implementation has been repeatedly delayed. As of 2026, no agreement has been reached. The Council of the EU has not taken a position. The proposal remains stalled.

Will the US make daylight saving permanent?

The Sunshine Protection Act would make DST permanent across the United States, eliminating the fall-back change. It passed the Senate unanimously in 2022 but stalled in the House of Representatives. It was reintroduced in 2023 and again in 2025. As of 2026, it has not passed.

What happens to your body when a country shifts its clocks?

The spring-forward transition is associated with: - A spike in heart attacks and strokes in the first two days after the change - Increased workplace injuries on the Monday after the change - More traffic accidents due to sleep deprivation - Disrupted sleep patterns that can last up to a week

The fall-back transition is generally easier but can still disrupt sleep for people with irregular schedules.

People who live near time zone borders experience the effects more frequently. In the United States, people in western Indiana, the Florida Panhandle, and the Texas-New Mexico border regularly deal with offset confusion.

Is it Daylight Saving or Daylight Savings Time?

The official term is Daylight Saving Time (singular “Saving”). William Willett’s 1907 pamphlet used “Daylight Saving.” The plural “Daylight Savings Time” is a common error but is not used in any official government document, statute, or the IANA time zone database.

The database uses zone names like America/New_York (which observes EST/EDT) and Europe/London (which observes GMT/BST). The abbreviation EDT stands for Eastern Daylight Time; BST stands for British Summer Time.