Time in Chile

Time in Chile is divided into three time zones. Most of Continental Chile uses the time offset UTC−04:00 in winter time and UTC−03:00 in summer time, while the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica region uses the time offset UTC-03:00 the whole year. Additionally, Easter Island uses the time offset UTC−06:00 in winter time and UTC−05:00 in summer time[1]

  Continental Chile
  Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica Region
  Easter Island y Salas y Gómez
The three time zones of Chile since 2017.

Until 2015, Continental Chile used the time offset UTC−04:00 and Easter Island used UTC−06:00 for standard time, with daylight saving time roughly between October and March every year. In January 2015, the Chilean government announced that the entire country would keep the time offset used during daylight saving time permanently.[2][3] However, the annual time change was reinstated in 2016 after feedback from the public about an increase in truancy during the winter months,[4] complaints about older computers and other electronic devices not using the right time zone, and fruit growers reporting a 15% loss in productivity.[5]

Starting in 2016, Chile returned to UTC−04:00 for winter time for 3 months. Between 2016 and 2018, this began on the second Sunday of May and ended on the second Sunday of August;[6] from 2019 onward, it will start on the first Sunday of April and end on the first Sunday of September. Since 2017, a new time zone in the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica region has been implemented, giving two different times in Continental Chile for the first time.

Time zones

The winter time starts the first Saturday of April and ends on the first Saturday of September.

It has 2 hours of difference from the Continental time and changes the same days.

Current time zone

The official time on the mainland is now UTC−03:00, in the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica Region is UTC−03:00, and on Easter Island is UTC−06:00.

Defunct time zones

Standard time (CLT/EAST)

Standard time in Chile was used in Chile until 2014 (returned 2016). The time zone Chile Standard Time (CLT) was used on the mainland with the offset UTC−04:00 and Easter Island Standard Time (EAST) was used on Easter Island with the offset UTC−06:00.

On March 1, 1894, the first official time signal operates in Valparaiso at -4 hours, 46 minutes and 34 seconds with respect to GMT, as UTC did not exist.[7]

In 1903, another official time was operating in Coquimbo. It was synchronized at -4 hours, 45 minutes 20.7 seconds with respect to GMT.[7]

On January 10, 1910, Chile adopted GMT-5 as its official time.[7]

On July 1, 1919, time was set as 4 hours 42 minutes 46.3 seconds behind Greenwich.[7]

Summer time (CLST/EASST)

Summer time in Chile, also known as daylight saving time (DST) in Chile was used in Chile from 1968 to 2014 & 2016–present. The time zone Chile Summer Time (CLST) was used on the mainland with the offset UTC−03:00 and Easter Island Summer Time (EASST) was used on Easter Island with the offset UTC−05:00. In mainland Chile, time was changed at 24:00 on a Saturday, i.e. at 0:00 on the following Sunday. In Easter Island, time was changed at 20:00 on a Saturday.[7] In 2015, the time offset used in this time zone eventually became the only time zone in Chile.

Several exceptions have been decreed to the current rule that began in 1968:

  • In 1987, the daylight saving time was extended until Saturday 11 April to accommodate a visit by Pope John Paul II[7]
  • In 1988, daylight saving time began a week early, to have more light for the Chilean national plebiscite of 5 October[8]
  • In 1990, daylight saving time was extended to 17 March, because Patricio Aylwin began his presidential period on 11 March[8]
  • In 1990, daylight saving time began at the end of 15 September, in order to save electricity due to unfavorable hydrological conditions[8]
  • In 1997, standard time began at the end of 29 March, in order to cope with unfavorable hydrological conditions[9]
  • In 1999, daylight saving time was extended to the first Saturday of April, due to a severe drought[7]
  • In 2008, daylight saving time was extended 3 weeks, due to a severe drought[7]
  • Due to the 2010 Chile earthquake, daylight saving time ended at 0:00 of 4 April on Continental Chile (20:00 Saturday 3rd on Easter Island)[10]
  • In 2011, the government decided to end daylight saving on the first Saturday of April. Later this was postponed to the first Saturday of May.[11]
  • On February 15, 2013, DST was extended to the last Sunday of April and started DST on the 2nd Sunday of September. These dates would be nearly the exact dates of North America's DST, reversed to the southern hemisphere, but the DST end date is 1 week early.[12]
  • In 2015, the summer time was implemented the whole year.
  • In 2016, the change to winter time was restored.
  • In 2017, the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica region began to have its own time zone, using summer time (UTC−3) the whole year.

IANA time zone database

Zones for Chile as given in the file zone.tab of the IANA time zone database.

coordinates TZ Comments UTC offset DST Notes
−3327−07040 America/Santiago Continental Chile - most locations −04:00 −03:00
-5309-07055 America/Punta_Arenas Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica −03:00 −03:00
−2709−10926 Pacific/Easter Easter Island & Salas y Gómez −06:00 −05:00

See also

References
  1. From timeanddate.com, all retrieved 2013-06-17:
  2. "Chile keeps Daylight time". January 28, 2015.
  3. "Chile abolishes Daylight Saving Time". January 29, 2015.
  4. "Chile to switch back to Standard Time". Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  5. "Chile: Fruit growers blame productivity loss on abolition of DST". June 10, 2015.
  6. "Government determines use of winter schedule for three months this year". March 13, 2016.
  7. "History of the Official Time of Chile". Hora Oficial. Servicio Hidrográfico y Oceanográfico de la Armada de Chile. Archived from the original on 2012-03-06.
  8. Preguntas Frecuentes, Hora Oficial de Chile, page 5, (in Spanish)
  9. Preguntas Frecuentes, Hora Oficial de Chile, page 6, (in Spanish)
  10. Chile Extends Daylight Saving Due to Earthquake Time and Date, 10 March 2010
  11. EMOL, March 28, 2011, Gobierno pospone cambio de hora hasta el primer sábado de mayo (in Spanish)
  12. Chile extends DST to April 27,2013 Time and Date, 5 March 2013
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