Time Zone History

Bhutan time zone history

Thimphu kept local mean time (UTC+5:58:36) until 1947, tied third-latest switch among the 298 zones with local mean time in the record. Since 1970 it has also used UTC+5:30, an offset that is not a whole number of hours.

UTC+6

Standard time is UTC+6 all year under the current rules.

tz database name Asia/Thimphu

Convert a time from Bhutan

Once a new standard time since 1970

UTC+5:30, UTC+5:58:36: behind today’s standard timeUTC+6: today’s standard timeUTC+5:30, UTC+5:58:36: behindtoday’s standard timeUTC+6: today’s standard time

How to read this chart

Before 1970

19401950196019701940195019601970
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1970198019902000201020202028JFMAMJJASOND1970198019902000201020202028

Standard time changes

DateChangeNew standard timeClock label
Before 1970
August 15, 1947Local mean time (UTC+5:58:36) replacedUTC+5:30numeric only
Since 1970
October 1, 1987Standard time forward 30 minutesUTC+6numeric only

Also on UTC+6

Bangladesh, Ürümqi (China), Kyrgyzstan, Omsk (Russia) and British Indian Ocean Territory.

Clocks next door since 1970

  • Bangladesh (424 km): same time except 6,677 days in 1970–1987 and 2009.
  • Nepal (428 km): usually 15 minutes behind; different on 6,482 days in 1970–1987.
  • India (564 km): usually 30 minutes behind; different on 6,482 days in 1970–1987.
  • Myanmar (1,364 km): usually 30 minutes ahead; different on 6,482 days in 1970–1987.
  • Ürümqi (China) (1,826 km): same time except 6,482 days in 1970–1987.

How it compares

On standard time, clocks in Thimphu run 1 minute ahead of local mean solar time.