Venezuela: Clocks to be set back 30 minutes on December 9, 2007
Published 20-Sep-2007. Changed 29-Nov-2007
The time zone was amended in Venezuela when the clocks were turned back by 30 minutes on December 9, 2007.
Venezuela enters half-hour zone by turning clocks back 30 minutes
©iStockphoto.com/Amos Grima
Venezuela plans to adjust its time zone from four hours behind UTC, to 4:30 hours behind UTC, by adjusting their clocks backwards 30 minutes. The clocks will be turned back at 3:00 AM on December 9, 2007.
Why the time zone is changed
Venezuela's current time zone is UTC-4 hours, a standard time zone which is centered through the 60° West Meridian. However almost all of Venezuela is west of 60° West, and also east of the next standard time zone Meridian at 75° (UTC-5 hours), so none of these standard time zones fit exactly with Venezuela which is in the middle between two time zone Meridians.
Therefore a time zone between the standard time zones of 4 and 5 hours behind UTC was chosen. It is 4 hours and 30 minutes behind UTC, and centered around meridian 67°30' West. The capital, Caracas is at at 66°58' West, which is close to 67°30' West.
As a consequence, in the new local time, the sunrise will be 30 minutes earlier (more light in the morning), and sunsets 30 minutes earlier (darker evenings).
Venezuela also observed the UTC-4:30 time zone between 1912 and 1964. As 1965 started, the clocks were moved forward 30 minutes into the current time zone of UTC-4 hours.
Venezuela has never observed daylight saving time, like many other countries near equator.
Half-hour time zones
Half-hour time zones have 30 minutes offset from the standard time zones. The standard time zones have an integral number of hours difference to UTC (or GMT).
A number of countries and states/territories use half-hour time zones already, some of them are:
When will the clocks change
The final date was:
- 9 December 2007
- 1 January 2008 - This was the first date announced in August 2007.
- 17 September 2008
- 24 September 2008
- 23 September 2008
- 7 October 2008
- 14 October 2008
Official announcement
Gaceta Oficial Número #38.819 contains the final announcement.