Tarawa runs on UTC+12 every day of the year, with no daylight saving time.
Tarawa and your time
Tarawa at a glance
| Country | Kiribati |
|---|---|
| Region | Gilbert Islands |
| Capital of | Kiribati |
| Time zone | Pacific/Tarawa |
| UTC offset now | UTC+12 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed |
| Coordinates | 1.33° N, 172.98° E |
Tarawa time zone and clock changes
The clocks in Tarawa follow Pacific/Tarawa and keep UTC+12 through every season. No daylight saving time has been recorded here since 1970.
At UTC+12, Tarawa is among the first places on Earth to start each new day.
Tarawa is the capital of Kiribati, which uses 3 different offsets. Official dates and deadlines are often given in capital time, so check which zone a notice means.
Clock changes in Tarawa, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Tarawa for 2026 or 2027.
Tarawa time compared with major cities
A 9:00 AM start in Tarawa is 4:00 PM (previous day) in New York, 8:00 AM in Sydney and 1:00 PM (previous day) in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 17 h behind | 17 h behind | 16 h behind | None |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 20 h behind | 20 h behind | 19 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 12 h behind | 12 h behind | 11 h behind | None |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 11 h behind | 11 h behind | 10 h behind | None |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 8 h behind | 8 h behind | 8 h behind | None |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 6 h 30 min behind | 6 h 30 min behind | 6 h 30 min behind | 1 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 4 h behind | 4 h behind | 4 h behind | 4 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 3 h behind | 3 h behind | 3 h behind | 5 h |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | 2 h behind | 7 h |
| UTC | --:-- | 12 h behind | 12 h behind | 12 h behind | None |
Tarawa never changes its clocks, but many of these cities do. Where the January and July columns disagree, the gap shifts when the other city moves to or from daylight saving time.
Shared office hours is the part of a 9 AM to 5 PM local working day that both cities have in common. Weekends are not taken into account.
Sunrise, sunset and day length in Tarawa
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Close to the equator, days in Tarawa last between 12 hours 3 minutes and 12 hours 12 minutes, so evenings get dark at about the same time all year.
Daylight through the year in Tarawa
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 21 | 6:32 AM | 6:39 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 6:24 AM | 6:36 PM | 12 h 12 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 6:17 AM | 6:24 PM | 12 h 6 min |
| December solstice | December 22 | 6:25 AM | 6:28 PM | 12 h 3 min |
Clock time and sun time in Tarawa
Clock time and sun time line up fairly well in Tarawa: solar noon falls at about 12:30 PM on standard time.
Cities near Tarawa
All the places listed below keep the same time as Tarawa.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Majuro (Marshall Islands) | 665 km (413 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Yaren (Nauru) | 705 km (438 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Tarawa today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
Tools for time in Tarawa
- Convert a time to or from Tarawa: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Tarawa to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Tarawa and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Tarawa in?
Tarawa uses the Pacific/Tarawa time zone, which is UTC+12 all year.
Does Tarawa use daylight saving time?
No. Tarawa stays on UTC+12 all year, so the time difference to places without daylight saving time never changes.
What is the time difference between Tarawa and New York?
Tarawa is 17 hours ahead of New York in January and 16 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Tarawa does not.
How long is the longest day in Tarawa?
About 12 hours 12 minutes, around the June solstice. The shortest day, around the December solstice, has about 12 hours 3 minutes of daylight.
Time zone rules: IANA tz database, version 2026e. Place names and coordinates: GeoNames. Sunrise and sunset are calculated from the coordinates and can differ by a minute or two from local almanacs.