Current Time in GMT + 1 Zone
About GMT+1
GMT+1 is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. This offset is widely known as Central European Time (CET), used during winter in major cities like Berlin, Paris, Rome, and Madrid. It is also used year-round as West Africa Time (WAT) in countries such as Nigeria and Algeria. Additionally, the United Kingdom observes GMT+1 during the summer as British Summer Time (BST).
UTC Offset: GMT+1
What is GMT+1?
GMT+1 means Greenwich Mean Time 1 hours ahead of the Greenwich meridian, the historical reference line running through the Royal Observatory in London. GMT offsets are the everyday way many countries, broadcasters, and travel timetables describe their local time relative to the UK.
Note that some of the countries listed below sit on GMT+1 for only part of the year: when daylight saving time starts or ends they move one hour, so always check the live local times shown on this page or on each country's own page.
GMT+1 vs UTC+1
For everyday purposes GMT+1 and UTC+1 are the same wall-clock time. GMT is the traditional name based on mean solar time at Greenwich, while UTC is the modern atomic-time standard used by computers and aviation. If you are setting a meeting or catching a flight, either works; if you are configuring a server, use UTC+1.
Time & Daylight in GMT+1
Time Difference Between GMT+1 and Major Cities
Live local time and the difference from GMT+1 right now.
Current time shown is based on the representative IANA zone: Africa/Casablanca
GMT+1: The Central European and West African Time Offset
GMT+1 is a fixed UTC offset of exactly one hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Unlike named time zones such as Central European Time (CET) or West Africa Time (WAT), GMT+1 is a pure offset that does not inherently observe daylight saving time. However, many regions that use this offset do shift to GMT+2 during summer, meaning the list of countries and cities permanently on GMT+1 is smaller than the total number that ever use it. This article explores what GMT+1 means, where it is used year-round, where it is used only in winter, and practical scheduling tips.
Fixed Offset vs. Named Time Zone
A fixed UTC offset like GMT+1 is simply the time difference from UTC. It does not change with seasons. In contrast, a named time zone such as Central European Time (CET) typically includes daylight saving rules. For example, CET is GMT+1 in winter but switches to Central European Summer Time (CEST, GMT+2) in summer. So while many European countries use GMT+1 during winter, they abandon it for half the year. The IANA time zone database lists many zones that use GMT+1 as their standard offset, but some of those zones also observe DST.
Regions and Cities Permanently on GMT+1
Several countries in West and Central Africa use GMT+1 year-round, with no daylight saving. These include: Algeria (Algiers), Angola (Luanda), Benin (Porto-Novo), Cameroon (Douala), Central African Republic (Bangui), Chad (Ndjamena), Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa only), Equatorial Guinea (Malabo), Gabon (Libreville), Niger (Niamey), Nigeria (Lagos), and Tunisia (Tunis). Also, the disputed territory of Western Sahara uses GMT+1 year-round (El Aaiun).
Regions That Move On and Off GMT+1 (DST Observers)
Most of Europe uses GMT+1 as standard time (winter) but switches to GMT+2 in summer. This includes: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and others. Additionally, Morocco uses GMT+1 as standard but observes daylight saving, moving to GMT+2 during summer. However, during Ramadan, Morocco may temporarily revert to GMT+0, making its offset variable.
Military and Zulu Time
In military time zone notation, GMT+1 is designated as Alpha Time Zone (A). Zulu time (Z) is the military name for UTC. Note that UTC and GMT are functionally identical for civil timekeeping; both read the same on a clock. So GMT+1 is exactly the same as UTC+1.
Practical Scheduling Notes
When scheduling across GMT+1, be aware of DST transitions. A meeting at 14:00 GMT+1 in winter becomes 15:00 GMT+2 in summer for DST-observing locations. For year-round GMT+1 locations (most of Africa), the offset stays constant. The time difference between Lagos (GMT+1) and London (GMT+0 winter, GMT+1 summer) varies: in winter, Lagos is 1 hour ahead; in summer, same time. Similarly, between Lagos and New York (GMT-5 winter, GMT-4 summer), the difference ranges from 5 to 6 hours.
IANA Time Zones at GMT+1
The IANA database includes many zones that use GMT+1 as their standard offset. For Africa: Africa/Algiers, Africa/Bangui, Africa/Brazzaville, Africa/Casablanca, Africa/Ceuta, Africa/Douala, Africa/El_Aaiun, Africa/Kinshasa, Africa/Lagos, Africa/Libreville, Africa/Luanda, Africa/Malabo, Africa/Ndjamena, Africa/Niamey, Africa/Porto-Novo, Africa/Tunis. For Europe: Arctic/Longyearbyen, Europe/Amsterdam, Europe/Andorra, Europe/Belgrade, Europe/Berlin, Europe/Bratislava, Europe/Brussels, Europe/Budapest, Europe/Busingen, and many more. Note that some of these zones observe DST, so they are not always at GMT+1.
Frequently Asked Questions
What countries are permanently on GMT+1 without daylight saving?
Countries in West and Central Africa that do not observe DST include: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa only), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Niger, Nigeria, and Tunisia. Also, Western Sahara (El Aaiun) uses GMT+1 year-round.
Is GMT+1 the same as Central European Time (CET)?
Not exactly. CET is GMT+1 in winter, but switches to CEST (GMT+2) in summer. So CET is only equivalent to GMT+1 during the standard time period (roughly November to March). During summer, CET is not GMT+1.
What is the military designation for GMT+1?
The military time zone letter for GMT+1 is Alpha (A). Zulu (Z) is used for UTC.
Does Morocco use GMT+1 year-round?
No. Morocco uses GMT+1 as standard time but observes daylight saving, moving to GMT+2 in summer. However, during Ramadan, Morocco may temporarily revert to GMT+0, making its offset variable.
What is the time difference between GMT+1 and New York?
New York is typically GMT-5 (EST) in winter and GMT-4 (EDT) in summer. So the difference is 6 hours when New York is on EST (GMT+1 is 6 hours ahead) and 5 hours when New York is on EDT (GMT+1 is 5 hours ahead).
Are UTC and GMT the same thing?
For civil timekeeping, yes. UTC and GMT are functionally identical and read the same on a clock. GMT+1 is exactly equivalent to UTC+1.