Does it account for Daylight Saving Time?

Yes, our converter uses the IANA timezone database, which includes all current DST rules for every timezone in the world.

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks. All timezones are defined as offsets from UTC.

Can I compare multiple timezones at once?

Yes, you can add multiple cities or timezones and see the equivalent times side by side.

How many timezones are there in the world?

There are 38 distinct UTC offsets in use, ranging from UTC-12 to UTC+14. This includes half-hour (UTC+5:30 India, UTC+9:30 Australia) and 45-minute offsets (UTC+5:45 Nepal, UTC+8:45 Australia).

What is the International Date Line?

The International Date Line (IDL) runs roughly along the 180° meridian in the Pacific Ocean. When you cross it westward, you gain a day; crossing eastward, you lose a day.

Why do some timezones have 30 or 45 minute offsets?

Countries chose offsets that best matched their solar noon. India uses UTC+5:30 and Nepal uses UTC+5:45 because standard hourly offsets didn't align well with their geography.

Which country has the most timezones?

France has the most (12 timezones) due to overseas territories. Russia spans 11 timezones. The US has 6 (including Hawaii and Alaska).

SAST to COT

-7h

SAST

SASTSOURCE

UTC+02:00

HH12

MM00

12:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

COT

UTC-05:00

HH05

MM00

05:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Quick Reference

Time Conversion Table

SAST

COT

12:00 AM

5:00 PM-1

2:00 AM

7:00 PM-1

4:00 AM

9:00 PM-1

6:00 AM

11:00 PM-1

8:00 AM

1:00 AM

10:00 AM

3:00 AM

12:00 PM

5:00 AM

2:00 PM

7:00 AM

4:00 PM

9:00 AM

6:00 PM

11:00 AM

8:00 PM

1:00 PM

10:00 PM

3:00 PM

Green rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)

SAST and COT on the World Map

The map below highlights the SAST (South Africa Standard Time) and COT (Colombia Time) timezone regions across the globe.

SAST Zone

→

COT Zone

Explore all world timezones interactively →

SAST – South Africa Standard Time

UTC+02:00

South Africa Standard Time (SAST) is the time zone for South Africa and neighboring countries, 2 hours ahead of UTC.

Countries in SAST

South AfricaLesothoEswatini

Major Cities in SAST

JohannesburgCape TownDurbanPretoriaPort Elizabeth

Key Facts about SAST

•South Africa does not observe daylight saving time.
•SAST is the same offset as EET and Israel Standard Time.
•The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is Africa's largest.

Daylight Saving:No – UTC+02:00 year-round

Learn more about SAST on Wikipedia

COT – Colombia Time

UTC-05:00

Colombia Time (COT) is the standard time for Colombia, 5 hours behind UTC.

Countries in COT

Colombia

Major Cities in COT

BogotáMedellínCaliBarranquillaCartagena

Key Facts about COT

•Colombia does not observe daylight saving time.
•COT is the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00).
•Bogotá sits at 2,640m elevation, making it one of the highest capital cities.

Daylight Saving:No – UTC-05:00 year-round

Learn more about COT on Wikipedia

Everything You Need to Know About SAST and COT Time

SAST runs on South Africa Standard Time (SAST) at UTC+02:00. COT runs on Colombia Time (COT) at UTC-05:00. That puts SAST 7 hours behind COT — a difference of -7h at the current offsets.

In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in SAST it is 2:00 AM in COT. Midnight in SAST is 5:00 PM in COT. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.

SAST to COT time conversion table

SAST (SAST)	COT (COT)	Day
12:00 AM	5:00 PM	previous day
6:00 AM	11:00 PM	previous day
7:00 AM	12:00 AM	same day
8:00 AM	1:00 AM	same day
9:00 AM	2:00 AM	same day
12:00 PM	5:00 AM	same day
3:00 PM	8:00 AM	same day
5:00 PM	10:00 AM	same day
6:00 PM	11:00 AM	same day
9:00 PM	2:00 PM	same day

Why people convert SAST to COT time

Scheduling a call from SAST to COT: a 10:00 AM start in SAST lands at 3:00 AM in COT, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
Finding shared working hours: both SAST and COT are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM SAST time (9:00 AM–10:00 AM COT). That is roughly 1 hours of usable overlap.
Keeping family and friends in sync: knowing that 8:00 PM in SAST is 1:00 PM in COT makes it easy to avoid calling at 3 AM.

Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM SAST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -7h gap is not.
Block 4:00 PM–5:00 PM SAST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from SAST and need COT colleagues present.

About SAST (South Africa Standard Time)

South Africa Standard Time (SAST) is used in South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini. SAST does not observe daylight saving time. Johannesburg and Cape Town are major economic hubs in Africa.

About COT (Colombia Time)

Colombia Time (COT) is used throughout Colombia. Colombia does not observe daylight saving time. COT shares the same offset as EST (UTC-05:00). Bogotá, the capital, is one of the largest cities in South America.

Best time to call between SAST and COT

Both SAST and COT sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 4:00 PM–5:00 PM SAST, which is 9:00 AM–10:00 AM COT. That gives roughly 1 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.

Business hours overlap

SAST and COT overlap for only 60 minutes (4:00 PM–5:00 PM SAST), so meetings have to be booked precisely.

SAST is 7 hours behind COT (SAST UTC+02:00 → COT UTC-05:00). The shared working window is 4:00 PM–5:00 PM SAST. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.

Learn More About Time

Dive deeper into the fascinating world of timekeeping, time zones, and how they shape our global society:

⏳

History of Timekeeping

From sundials to atomic clocks - 5000 years of measuring time

🌍

How Time Zones Work

UTC, offsets, and why zones don't follow straight lines

☀️

Daylight Saving Time

DST dates, which countries observe it, and the ongoing debate

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between SAST and COT?

SAST (SAST, UTC+02:00) is 7 hours behind COT (COT, UTC-05:00). The gap is currently -7h.

How do I convert SAST time to COT time?

Add -7h to SAST local time. For example, 9:00 AM in SAST is 2:00 AM in COT.

What time is it in COT right now?

COT uses COT at UTC-05:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -7h offset from SAST.