Time Zone History

Algeria time zone history

Algeria has changed its standard time 3 times since 1970, the most of the 21 zones on UTC+1 standard time. The record holds 5 different UTC offsets, tied for the most among the 19 zones in Africa. Daylight saving time was used in 4 years since 1970, last in 1980; under the current rules the clocks no longer change.

UTC+1

Standard time is UTC+1 (CET) all year under the current rules.

tz database name Africa/Algiers

Convert a time from Algeria

Summer time in 4 of 57 years since 1970

UTC+0, UTC+0:09:21, UTC+0:12:12: behind today’s standard timeUTC+1: today’s standard timeUTC+2: 1 hour ahead of today’s standard timeUTC+0, UTC+0:09:21, UTC+0:12:12:behind today’s standard timeUTC+1: today’s standard timeUTC+2: 1 hour ahead of today’sstandard time

How to read this chart

Before 1970

18801900192019401960188019201960
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1970198019902000201020202028JFMAMJJASOND1970198019902000201020202028

Standard time changes

DateChangeNew standard timeClock label
Before 1970
March 16, 1891Local mean time (UTC+0:12:12) replacedUTC+0:09:21PMT
March 11, 1911Standard time back 9 minutesUTC+0WET
February 25, 1940Standard time forward 1 hourUTC+1CET
October 7, 1946Standard time back 1 hourUTC+0WET
January 29, 1956Standard time forward 1 hourUTC+1CET
April 14, 1963Standard time back 1 hourUTC+0WET
Since 1970
October 21, 1977Summer offset kept as standard time; clocks did not moveUTC+1CET
October 26, 1979Standard time back 1 hourUTC+0WET
May 1, 1981Standard time forward 1 hourUTC+1CET

Daylight saving periods

YearsClocks go forwardClocks go backShift and labels
Before 1970
1916June 14October 21 hour, WET to WEST
1917March 24October 81 hour, WET to WEST
1918March 9October 71 hour, WET to WEST
1919March 1October 61 hour, WET to WEST
1920February 14October 241 hour, WET to WEST
1921March 14June 221 hour, WET to WEST
1939September 11November 191 hour, WET to WEST
1944April 3October 81 hour, CET to CEST
1945April 2September 161 hour, CET to CEST
Since 1970
1971April 25September 271 hour, WET to WEST
1977May 6not that year1 hour, WET to WEST
1978March 24September 221 hour, CET to CEST
1980April 25October 311 hour, WET to WEST

Also on UTC+1

Tunisia, Andorra, Madrid (Spain), Gibraltar, Ceuta (Spain), Italy, Malta, Switzerland, France and Albania (nearest first; 10 more on the list of offsets).

Clocks next door since 1970

  • Tunisia (635 km): same time except 4,326 days in 1970–1981, 1988–1990 and 2005–2008.
  • Andorra (649 km): usually 1 hour ahead; different on 9,296 days in 1971 and 1977–2026; same time today.
  • Madrid (Spain) (710 km): usually 1 hour ahead; different on 8,722 days in 1971 and 1974–2026; same time today.
  • Gibraltar (754 km): usually 1 hour ahead; different on 8,743 days in 1971 and 1977–2026; same time today.
  • Ceuta (Spain) (756 km): same time except 10,766 days in 1971, 1974, 1976–1984 and 1986–2026.
  • Libya (1,020 km): usually 1 hour ahead; different on 4,986 days in 1970–1990, 1996, 1997, 2012 and 2013.

How it compares

Clocks were first moved for daylight saving in 1916, the earliest start of the 12 zones in Africa that ever used daylight saving time.

Algiers left local mean time (UTC+0:12:12) in 1891, the third-earliest switch of the 19 zones in Africa.

On standard time, clocks in Algiers run 48 minutes ahead of local mean solar time.