EAT to CAT
-1hEAT
EATSOURCECAT
CATGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
EAT and CAT on the World Map
The map below highlights the EAT (East Africa Time) and CAT (Central Africa Time) timezone regions across the globe.
EAT – East Africa Time
UTC+03:00East Africa Time (EAT) is the time zone for East Africa, 3 hours ahead of UTC.
- •Nairobi is a major tech hub in Africa, often called 'Silicon Savannah'.
- •Ethiopia uses its own calendar, which is 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar.
- •EAT is the same offset as MSK (Moscow Time).
CAT – Central Africa Time
UTC+02:00Central Africa Time (CAT, UTC+02:00) covers Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and neighbouring countries.
- •Central Africa Time is fixed at UTC+02:00 with no daylight saving.
- •CAT matches South Africa Standard Time (SAST) all year.
- •It is the same offset as Central European Time in winter.
- •Harare is level with Johannesburg and one hour ahead of Lagos.
Understanding the -1h Gap: EAT vs CAT
EAT runs on East Africa Time (EAT) at UTC+03:00. CAT runs on Central Africa Time (CAT) at UTC+02:00. That puts EAT 1 hour behind CAT — a difference of -1h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in EAT it is 8:00 AM in CAT. Midnight in EAT is 11:00 PM in CAT. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
EAT to CAT time conversion table
| EAT (EAT) | CAT (CAT) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 11:00 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 5:00 AM | same day |
| 7:00 AM | 6:00 AM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 7:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 4:00 PM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 5:00 PM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 8:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert EAT to CAT time
- Scheduling a call from EAT to CAT: a 10:00 AM start in EAT lands at 9:00 AM in CAT, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both EAT and CAT are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM EAT time (9:00 AM–4:00 PM CAT). That is roughly 7 hours of usable overlap.
- Coordinating a EAT-based team with CAT contacts: quoting times in the other side's local clock — not your own — removes the single biggest source of missed meetings.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM EAT" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -1h gap is not.
- Block 10:00 AM–5:00 PM EAT as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from EAT and need CAT colleagues present.
About EAT (East Africa Time)
East Africa Time (EAT) is used in the countries of East Africa including Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and others. EAT does not observe daylight saving time and shares the same offset as Moscow Standard Time (MSK).
About CAT (Central Africa Time)
Central Africa Time (CAT) is fixed at UTC+02:00 all year across a broad belt of southern and central Africa, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. None of these countries observes daylight saving time, so CAT never shifts. It is the same offset as South Africa Standard Time (SAST) and the winter version of Central European Time, which makes CAT a convenient bridge between African, European and Middle Eastern schedules — Harare is level with Johannesburg all year and one hour ahead of Lagos.
Best time to call between EAT and CAT
Both EAT and CAT sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 10:00 AM–5:00 PM EAT, which is 9:00 AM–4:00 PM CAT. That gives roughly 7 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
EAT and CAT share 7 hours of working-hours overlap (10:00 AM–5:00 PM EAT), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.
EAT is 1 hour behind CAT (EAT UTC+03:00 → CAT UTC+02:00). The shared working window is 10:00 AM–5:00 PM EAT. 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:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between EAT and CAT?
EAT (EAT, UTC+03:00) is 1 hour behind CAT (CAT, UTC+02:00). The gap is currently -1h.
How do I convert EAT time to CAT time?
Add -1h to EAT local time. For example, 9:00 AM in EAT is 8:00 AM in CAT.
What time is it in CAT right now?
CAT uses CAT at UTC+02:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -1h offset from EAT.
What is the best time to call CAT from EAT?
Call between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM EAT — that maps to 9:00 AM–4:00 PM CAT and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, EAT or CAT?
EAT is 1 hour behind CAT. When it is 12:00 PM in EAT it is 11:00 AM in CAT.
Does daylight saving time affect the EAT–CAT difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the -1h offset between EAT and CAT is fixed all year.
Which other cities share EAT's time zone?
EAT also covers Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Mogadishu, Antananarivo.
Which countries use EAT, EAT's zone?
EAT is used in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Madagascar, Eritrea, Djibouti.
Is there a day difference between EAT and CAT?
Not normally. The -1h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between EAT and CAT?
CAT is -1h from EAT.
What timezone is EAT in?
EAT operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is CAT in?
CAT operates on its local timezone.
Which countries use EAT (East Africa Time)?
EAT is used in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Madagascar, and 2 more countries.
Does EAT observe daylight saving time?
No, EAT does not observe daylight saving time and remains at UTC+03:00 year-round.
What are some interesting facts about EAT?
Nairobi is a major tech hub in Africa, often called 'Silicon Savannah'. Ethiopia uses its own calendar, which is 7-8 years behind the Gregorian calendar.
Which cities are in the CAT timezone?
Major cities in the CAT timezone include Harare, Lusaka, Maputo, Lilongwe, Kigali.
What is the UTC offset for CAT?
Central Africa Time (CAT) is at UTC+02:00.
What should I know about the CAT timezone?
Central Africa Time is fixed at UTC+02:00 with no daylight saving. CAT matches South Africa Standard Time (SAST) all year.
When is it midnight in EAT, what time is it in CAT?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in EAT (EAT), it is -1h later in CAT (CAT).
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