UTC+04:00

UTC+04:00 is a time zone four hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the reference used to measure time worldwide. When UTC is 12:00 noon, countries using UTC+04:00 have 16:00.

This zone nominally corresponds to the meridian 60 degrees east, but the boundaries of time zones are determined by individual countries and do not always follow the true geographic lines. Consequently, some countries not located at 60 degrees east use UTC+04:00, while others nearby choose a different zone.

Geographic use

UTC+04:00 is used in parts of the Middle East, the Caucasus, and the Indian Ocean region. It includes the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Seychelles, and Mauritius. Caucasian countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, as well as the European part of Russia around Samara, also observe this time.

Local names

This zone is called by different names depending on the country. For example, the United Arab Emirates and Oman refer to it as Gulf Standard Time. Russia calls it Samara Time. Mauritius and the Seychelles use names relating to the Indian Ocean.

Daylight saving

Most countries using UTC+04:00 do not adjust clocks seasonally (daylight saving time), because they are located where daylight duration does not vary greatly through the year. This means their time remains constant year-round, which facilitates international business and aviation.

Related zones

A nearby zone called UTC+04:30 is used by Iran and Afghanistan for part of their history, showing that some time zones differ by half-hour intervals. To the east, the next zone is UTC+05:00, while to the west UTC+03:00 is used by countries such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey.