Azerbaijan Time
| Azerbaijan Time | |
|---|---|
| Time zone | |
| UTC offset | |
| UTC+04:00 | |
| Current time | |
| 22:46, 23 April 2025 UTC [refresh] | |
| Observance of DST | |
| DST is not observed in this time zone. |
Azerbaijan Time[a] (AZT) is the standard time zone in Azerbaijan, four hours ahead of UTC (UTC+04:00).[1] The daylight saving time adjustment, Azerbaijan Summer Time (AZST), was one hour ahead at UTC+05:00; it was introduced in 1997 and discontinued in March 2016.[2]
Azerbaijan Time is the same as Samara Time (Russia), United Arab Emirates Standard Time, Georgia Time, Armenia Time and Seychelles Time.
History
[edit]Azerbaijan, formerly the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (Azerbaijan SSR), adhered to timekeeping regulations instituted by the Soviet Union. In 1930, the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR implemented "Decree Time," which mandated a one-hour advancement of standard time across the entire Soviet territory. This move had been done to utilize maximum daylight and improve efficiency in energy. As a constituent republic, the Azerbaijan SSR observed this adjustment, effectively operating one hour ahead of its natural time zone.[3]
In 1981, the Soviet Union introduced daylight saving time (DST), applying an additional one-hour shift during the summer period. This positioned Azerbaijan two hours ahead of its original standard time during the DST period. The regime of DST was standardized across the USSR to maintain consistency in administrative and economic procedures. Decree Time policy was gradually abolished towards the late 1980s. By 1991, just prior to the breakup of the Soviet Union, Decree Time was technically eliminated, and Azerbaijan fell back to regular time.[4]
Since its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan retained daylight saving time. In March 2016, however, the Republic of Azerbaijan Cabinet of Ministers announced the permanent abolition of DST due to medical, psychological, and technological considerations. The country has remained on Azerbaijan Time (AZT).[5]
IANA time zone database
[edit]The IANA time zone database contains one zone for Azerbaijan in the file zone.tab, named Asia/Baku.
Notes
[edit]- ^ Azerbaijani: Azərbaycanda vaxt – lit. 'Time in Azerbaijan'
References
[edit]- ^ Nautical Almanac Office (U.S.) (17 May 2013). The Nautical Almanac for the Year 2014. Government Printing Office. p. 262. ISBN 978-0-16-091756-1.
- ^ "Azerbaijan cancels daylight saving time". WorldTimeZone.com. 17 March 2016.
- ^ "The decree of Central Committee of the all-Union Communist Party about the general primary education adopted". Presidential Library. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
- ^ "The Soviet Union goes on daylight savings time - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
- ^ "Decision on applying daylight saving time still in force: Cabinet of Ministers". en.azvision.az. Retrieved 2025-04-20.
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