Current Time in CAT
Central Africa Time
About CAT Central Africa Time
Used in central and southern Africa. Countries observing CAT include Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (eastern), Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This zone does not observe daylight saving time.
UTC Offset: +02:00
CAT at a glance
| Right now | 20:25 on Tuesday |
|---|---|
| UTC offset | UTC+02:00 (2 hours ahead of UTC) |
| Full name | Central Africa Time |
| Countries | 11 |
| IANA zones | 11 |
What is CAT?
CAT is a time zone that is currently UTC+02:00 - that's 2 hours ahead of UTC. Its full name is Central Africa Time. Right now the local time on CAT is 20:25. Today 11 countries (including Botswana, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo) and 11 IANA database zones sit at this offset, which is why CAT is a useful shorthand even though the exact local rules differ from place to place.
How to convert CAT to UTC
For quick planning, use today's offset as a rule of thumb: 12:00 UTC = 14:00 local time, and 09:00 local time = 07:00 UTC. The live clock above is the safest reference when daylight saving or regional rules may apply.
Which countries use CAT?
CAT is used across Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and Namibia, plus 5 more. Open a country to see all of its cities and their local time.
IANA time zones in CAT
CAT maps to the IANA database zones Africa/Blantyre, Africa/Bujumbura, Africa/Gaborone, Africa/Harare, Africa/Juba and Africa/Khartoum, among 11 in total. Each zone page shows its exact rules, including any daylight saving changes.
💡 Tip: Comparing times? CAT is 2 hours ahead of UTC. Use the IANA links and country links on this page when you need the exact local rule for a real place, not just the offset.
CAT - Frequently asked questions
What is CAT?
CAT is a time zone currently UTC+02:00 (2 hours ahead of UTC). Its full name is Central Africa Time.
What is the UTC offset of CAT?
CAT is UTC+02:00 right now - 2 hours ahead of UTC.
Which countries are on CAT?
CAT is used in Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and Namibia, plus 5 more.
What time is it in CAT now?
The current time on CAT is 20:25 on Tuesday. The clock above updates every second.
How Alarm.now explains CAT
Abbreviation, offset, and IANA zones
CAT is shown as a time-zone group for Central Africa Time with offset +02:00. The page links the abbreviation to the IANA zones and countries that use it, so users and search engines can distinguish a short label from an exact time-zone rule set.
When to use a specific IANA page
Use this group page for an overview of the abbreviation and offset. Use a linked IANA time-zone page when you need exact daylight-saving rules for a calendar, app, or future-date comparison.