Zanzibar keeps UTC+3 (EAT) all year. There is no daylight saving time, so the clock never changes.
Zanzibar and your time
Zanzibar at a glance
| Country | Tanzania |
|---|---|
| Region | Zanzibar Urban/West |
| Time zone | Africa/Dar_es_Salaam |
| Abbreviation now | EAT |
| UTC offset now | UTC+3 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed |
| Coordinates | 6.16° S, 39.20° E |
Zanzibar time zone and clock changes
Local time in Zanzibar is UTC+3 year round, under the Africa/Dar_es_Salaam rules. Clocks have not changed for the seasons here since at least 1970.
Zanzibar is on the same time as the rest of Tanzania, including the capital, Dodoma.
Clock changes in Zanzibar, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Zanzibar for 2026 or 2027.
Zanzibar time compared with major cities
A 9:00 AM start in Zanzibar is 1:00 AM in New York, 5:00 PM in Sydney and 10:00 PM (previous day) in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 8 h behind | 8 h behind | 7 h behind | None |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 11 h behind | 11 h behind | 10 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 3 h behind | 3 h behind | 2 h behind | 5 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 1 h behind | 6 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 7 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 2 h 30 min ahead | 2 h 30 min ahead | 2 h 30 min ahead | 5 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 5 h ahead | 5 h ahead | 5 h ahead | 3 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 2 h |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 8 h ahead | 8 h ahead | 7 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 3 h behind | 3 h behind | 3 h behind | 5 h |
Zanzibar 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 counts the time when the clock reads between 9 AM and 5 PM in both cities on the same day.
Sunrise and sunset in Zanzibar
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Being in the tropics, Zanzibar sees little change in day length: the longest day (12 hours 29 minutes) is only 43 minutes longer than the shortest (11 hours 46 minutes). Sunrise stays between 5:56 AM and 6:35 AM all year.
Daylight through the year in Zanzibar
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 6:27 AM | 6:34 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 6:32 AM | 6:18 PM | 11 h 46 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 6:12 AM | 6:19 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 6:07 AM | 6:36 PM | 12 h 29 min |
Clock time and sun time in Zanzibar
Zanzibar lies close to the centre of its time zone, so the sun is highest at about 12:25 PM on standard time, close to clock noon.
Places close to Zanzibar
All the places listed below keep the same time as Zanzibar.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dar es Salaam | 74 km (46 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Kibaha | 74 km (46 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Tanga | 122 km (76 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Handeni | 154 km (96 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Morogoro | 185 km (115 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Matuga (Kenya) | 226 km (140 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Mombasa (Kenya) | 240 km (149 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
More cities in Tanzania
All time zones and cities in Tanzania
Tools for time in Zanzibar
- Convert a time to or from Zanzibar: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Zanzibar to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Zanzibar and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Zanzibar in?
Zanzibar uses the Africa/Dar_es_Salaam time zone, which is UTC+3 (EAT) all year.
Does Zanzibar use daylight saving time?
No. Zanzibar stays on UTC+3 all year, so the time difference to places without daylight saving time never changes.
What is the time difference between Zanzibar and New York?
Zanzibar is 8 hours ahead of New York in January and 7 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Zanzibar does not.
Is Zanzibar on the same time as Dodoma?
Yes. Zanzibar and Dodoma both use UTC+3 right now.
How long is the longest day in Zanzibar?
About 12 hours 29 minutes, around the December solstice. The shortest day, around the June solstice, has about 11 hours 46 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.