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).

WAT to SAST

+1h

WAT

WATSOURCE

UTC+01:00

HH12

MM00

12:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

SAST

UTC+02:00

HH01

MM00

13:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Quick Reference

Time Conversion Table

WAT

SAST

12:00 AM

1:00 AM

2:00 AM

3:00 AM

4:00 AM

5:00 AM

6:00 AM

7:00 AM

8:00 AM

9:00 AM

10:00 AM

11:00 AM

12:00 PM

1:00 PM

2:00 PM

3:00 PM

4:00 PM

5:00 PM

6:00 PM

7:00 PM

8:00 PM

9:00 PM

10:00 PM

11:00 PM

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

WAT and SAST on the World Map

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

WAT Zone

→

SAST Zone

Explore all world timezones interactively →

WAT – West Africa Time

UTC+01:00

West Africa Time (WAT) is the time zone for West and Central Africa, 1 hour ahead of UTC.

Countries in WAT

NigeriaCameroonChadCongoAngolaNigerGabonEquatorial Guinea

Major Cities in WAT

LagosAbujaDoualaYaoundéLuandaKinshasaBrazzaville

Key Facts about WAT

•Lagos, Nigeria is the most populous city in Africa.
•WAT is the same offset as CET (UTC+01:00).
•Nigeria does not observe daylight saving time.

Daylight Saving:No – UTC+01:00 year-round

Learn more about WAT on Wikipedia

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

Comparing Time Zones: WAT and SAST

WAT runs on West Africa Time (WAT) at UTC+01:00. SAST runs on South Africa Standard Time (SAST) at UTC+02:00. That puts WAT 1 hour ahead of SAST — a difference of +1h at the current offsets.

In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in WAT it is 10:00 AM in SAST. Midnight in WAT is 1:00 AM in SAST. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.

WAT to SAST time conversion table

WAT (WAT)	SAST (SAST)	Day
12:00 AM	1:00 AM	same day
6:00 AM	7:00 AM	same day
7:00 AM	8:00 AM	same day
8:00 AM	9:00 AM	same day
9:00 AM	10:00 AM	same day
12:00 PM	1:00 PM	same day
3:00 PM	4:00 PM	same day
5:00 PM	6:00 PM	same day
6:00 PM	7:00 PM	same day
9:00 PM	10:00 PM	same day

Why people convert WAT to SAST time

Scheduling a call from WAT to SAST: a 10:00 AM start in WAT lands at 11:00 AM in SAST, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
Finding shared working hours: both WAT and SAST are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM WAT time (10:00 AM–5:00 PM SAST). That is roughly 7 hours of usable overlap.
Watching a live event or market open: WAT viewers need 10:00 AM in SAST to catch a 9:00 AM start there, and 11:00 PM if the event is anchored to WAT.

Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM WAT" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a +1h gap is not.
Block 9:00 AM–4:00 PM WAT as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from WAT and need SAST colleagues present.

About WAT (West Africa Time)

West Africa Time (WAT) is used across much of West and Central Africa, including Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa. WAT does not observe daylight saving time and shares the same offset as Central European Time (CET).

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.

Best time to call between WAT and SAST

Both WAT and SAST sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 9:00 AM–4:00 PM WAT, which is 10:00 AM–5:00 PM SAST. That gives roughly 7 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.

Business hours overlap

WAT and SAST share 7 hours of working-hours overlap (9:00 AM–4:00 PM WAT), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.

WAT is 1 hour ahead of SAST (WAT UTC+01:00 → SAST UTC+02:00). The shared working window is 9:00 AM–4:00 PM WAT. 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 WAT and SAST?

WAT (WAT, UTC+01:00) is 1 hour ahead of SAST (SAST, UTC+02:00). The gap is currently +1h.

How do I convert WAT time to SAST time?

Add +1h to WAT local time. For example, 9:00 AM in WAT is 10:00 AM in SAST.

What time is it in SAST right now?

SAST uses SAST 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 WAT.