Time in Chile

Time in Chile is divided into two time zones. Continental Chile uses the time offset UTC−03:00. Additionally, Easter Island uses the time offset UTC−05:00.^[1]

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 March and October every year. However, in January 2015 it was announced that all the country will keep the time offset used during daylight saving time.

Current time zone

On January 28, 2015, Chile adopted new official times. Instead of having standard and summer time, they were merged into one. They took the time offsets previously used by the summer times. The official time on the mainland is now UTC−03:00, and on Easter Island is UTC−05:00.^[2]

Defunct time zones

Standard time (CLT/EAST)

Standard time in Chile was used in Chile until 2015. 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.^[3]

In 1903, another official time was operating in Coquimbo. It was synchronized at -4 hours, 45 minutes 20.7 seconds with respect to GMT.^[3]

In January 10, 1910, Chile adopted GMT-5 as its official time.^[3]

On July 1, 1919, time was set as 4 hours 42 minutes 46.3 seconds behind Greenwich.^[3]

Summer time (CLST/EASST)

Summer time in Chile, also known as daylight saving time (DST) in Chile was used in Chile from 1970 to 2015. 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.^[3] 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 1970:

In 1987 the daylight saving time was extended until Saturday 11 April to accommodate a visit by Pope John Paul II^[3]
In 1988, daylight saving time began a week early, to have more light for the Chilean national plebiscite of 5 October^[4]
In 1990, daylight saving time was extended to 17 March, because Patricio Aylwin began his presidential period on 11 March^[4]
In 1990, daylight saving time began at the end of 15 September, in order to save electricity due to unfavorable hydrological conditions^[4]
In 1997, standard time began at the end of 29 March, in order to cope with unfavorable hydrological conditions^[5]
In 1999, daylight saving time was extended to the first Saturday of April, due to a severe drought^[3]
In 2008, daylight saving time was extended 3 weeks, due to a severe drought^[3]
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)^[6]
In 2011 the government decided to end daylight saving on the first Saturday of April. Later this was postposed to the first Saturday of May.^[7]
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 DST of North America reversed to the southern hemisphere from the northern hemisphere but DST end date 1 week early.^[8]

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	Chile - most locations	−03:00	i
−2709−10926	Pacific/Easter	Easter Island & Sala y Gomez	−05:00	g

References

↑
From timeanddate.com, all retrieved 2013-06-17:
↑ "Chile keeps Daylight time". January 28, 2015.
↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 History of the Official Time of Chile Hora Oficial de Chile
↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Preguntas Frecuentes, Hora Oficial de Chile, page 5, (Spanish)
↑ Preguntas Frecuentes, Hora Oficial de Chile, page 6, (Spanish)
↑ Chile Extends Daylight Saving Due to Earthquake Time and Date, 10 March 2010
↑ EMOL, March 28, 2011, Gobierno pospone cambio de hora hasta el primer sábado de mayo (Spanish)
↑ Chile extends DST to April 27,2013 Time and Date, 5 March 2013

External links

La Hora Oficial de Chile, Servicio Hidrográfico y Oceanográfico de la Armada

Time in the Americas

North America South America

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