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 GMT

-1h

WAT

WATSOURCE

UTC+01:00

HH12

MM00

12:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

GMT

UTC+01:00☀ DST active

HH11

MM00

11:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Quick Reference

Time Conversion Table

WAT

GMT

12:00 AM

2:00 AM

4:00 AM

6:00 AM

8:00 AM

10:00 AM

12:00 PM

2:00 PM

4:00 PM

6:00 PM

8:00 PM

10:00 PM

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

WAT and GMT on the World Map

The map below highlights the WAT (West Africa Time) and GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) timezone regions across the globe.

WAT Zone

→

GMT 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

GMT – Greenwich Mean Time

UTC+00:00

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is the same as UTC+00:00.

Countries in GMT

United KingdomIrelandIcelandPortugal (mainland)GhanaSenegalMaliMauritaniaGambiaGuineaSierra LeoneLiberiaIvory CoastBurkina FasoMorocco (historically)

Major Cities in GMT

LondonDublinLisbonAccraReykjavikEdinburghCasablancaDakarBamakoAbidjanConakryFreetownMonrovia

Key Facts about GMT

•GMT is based on the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) passing through Greenwich, London.
•The Royal Observatory in Greenwich has been the reference point for GMT since 1884.
•GMT and UTC are often used interchangeably, but UTC is based on atomic clocks.
•Iceland uses GMT year-round and never observes daylight saving time.
•The UK switches from GMT to BST (British Summer Time) in late March each year.

Daylight Saving:Yes – switches to BST

Learn more about GMT on Wikipedia

WAT vs GMT: Offsets, DST and Best Call Times

WAT runs on West Africa Time (WAT) at UTC+01:00. GMT runs on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) at UTC+00:00. That puts WAT 1 hour behind GMT — a difference of -1h at the current offsets.

In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in WAT it is 8:00 AM in GMT. Midnight in WAT is 11:00 PM in GMT. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.

WAT to GMT time conversion table

WAT (WAT)	GMT (GMT)	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 WAT to GMT time

Scheduling a call from WAT to GMT: a 10:00 AM start in WAT lands at 9:00 AM in GMT, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
Finding shared working hours: both WAT and GMT are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM WAT time (9:00 AM–4:00 PM GMT). That is roughly 7 hours of usable overlap.
Watching a live event or market open: WAT viewers need 8:00 AM in GMT to catch a 9:00 AM start there, and 1:00 AM 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 10:00 AM–5:00 PM WAT as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from WAT and need GMT 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 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the clock time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, which sits on the Prime Meridian (0° longitude). GMT serves as the reference point from which all other time zones are calculated. The United Kingdom uses GMT during winter months and switches to British Summer Time (BST, UTC+01:00) from late March to late October. Several West African nations use GMT year-round. GMT is often used interchangeably with UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), although technically they are different – UTC is based on atomic clocks while GMT is based on Earth's rotation.

Best time to call between WAT and GMT

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

Business hours overlap

WAT and GMT share 7 hours of working-hours overlap (10:00 AM–5:00 PM WAT), so scheduling a live meeting is straightforward.

WAT is 1 hour behind GMT (WAT UTC+01:00 → GMT UTC+00:00). The shared working window is 10:00 AM–5:00 PM WAT. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.

🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info

WAT

Does not observe DST

GMT

☀ Currently in DST

Standard: UTC+00:00 · DST: UTC+01:00

Clocks fall back on Sun, Oct 25, 2026

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 GMT?

WAT (WAT, UTC+01:00) is 1 hour behind GMT (GMT, UTC+00:00). The gap is currently -1h.

How do I convert WAT time to GMT time?

Add -1h to WAT local time. For example, 9:00 AM in WAT is 8:00 AM in GMT.

What time is it in GMT right now?

GMT uses GMT at UTC+00:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -1h offset from WAT.

What is the best time to call GMT from WAT?

Call between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM WAT — that maps to 9:00 AM–4:00 PM GMT and keeps both parties inside the working day.

Which is behind, WAT or GMT?

WAT is 1 hour behind GMT. When it is 12:00 PM in WAT it is 11:00 AM in GMT.

Does daylight saving time affect the WAT–GMT difference?

Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the -1h offset between WAT and GMT is fixed all year.

Which other cities share WAT's time zone?

WAT also covers Lagos, Abuja, Douala, Yaoundé, Luanda, Kinshasa, Brazzaville.

Which countries use WAT, WAT's zone?

WAT is used in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Angola, Niger, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea.

Is there a day difference between WAT and GMT?

Not normally. The -1h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.

What is the time difference between WAT and GMT?

GMT is -1h from WAT.

What timezone is WAT in?

WAT operates on its local timezone.

What timezone is GMT in?

GMT operates on its local timezone.

Which countries use WAT (West Africa Time)?

WAT is used in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Angola, Niger, and 2 more countries.

Does WAT observe daylight saving time?

No, WAT does not observe daylight saving time and remains at UTC+01:00 year-round.

What are some interesting facts about WAT?

Lagos, Nigeria is the most populous city in Africa. WAT is the same offset as CET (UTC+01:00).

Which cities are in the GMT timezone?

Major cities in the GMT timezone include London, Dublin, Lisbon, Accra, Reykjavik, Edinburgh, Casablanca, Dakar.

What is the UTC offset for GMT?

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is at UTC+00:00. During daylight saving time, it shifts to BST.

What should I know about the GMT timezone?

GMT is based on the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) passing through Greenwich, London. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich has been the reference point for GMT since 1884.