Global DST Adoption at a Glance
Of the roughly 195 countries in the world, approximately 70 observe daylight saving time in some form. That means the clear majority of nations — and the majority of the world's population — live on standard time year-round.
Regions That Observe DST
North America
The United States (except Arizona and Hawaii), Canada (except Saskatchewan and parts of British Columbia), and Mexico observe DST. In 2022, Mexico abolished DST for most of the country, though the northern border zone retains it to stay in sync with the U.S.
Europe
All EU member states plus the UK, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European countries observe DST uniformly. Clocks change on the last Sunday of March (forward) and the last Sunday of October (back). The EU voted to abolish mandatory DST in 2019, but implementation has been delayed.
South America
DST use in South America is declining. Chile, Paraguay, and Cuba still observe it. Brazil abolished DST in 2019. Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela do not use DST.
Middle East and North Africa
Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Morocco observe DST. Most other countries in the region — including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, and Turkey — do not.
Oceania
Australia observes DST in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the ACT — but not in Queensland, Western Australia, or the Northern Territory. New Zealand observes DST. Fiji observes DST seasonally.
Regions That Do NOT Observe DST
Asia
With very few exceptions, Asian countries do not use DST. China, Japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the vast majority of Asian nations operate on standard time year-round. This simplifies time calculations enormously across the continent.
Africa
Almost no African countries observe DST. Morocco is a notable exception (it observes DST partly for Ramadan scheduling). The proximity of most African nations to the equator makes DST relatively pointless.
Near-Equator Countries
Countries near the equator — roughly between 23°N and 23°S — experience little variation in sunrise and sunset times throughout the year. There is minimal benefit to adjusting clocks, which is why equatorial nations universally skip DST.
Why the Difference?
DST is most beneficial at higher latitudes, where summer days are much longer than winter days. Above 50° latitude, the difference in daylight between summer and winter can exceed 8 hours, making clock adjustments feel meaningful. Near the equator, the difference is less than an hour, so DST provides no practical benefit.