What are the four time zones in Brazil?

Brazil covers an area of about 8.5 million square kilometres, making it the largest country in South America and the fifth largest country in the world. The country stretches roughly 4,395 kilometres from north to south and about 4,319 kilometres from east to west. This large territorial span places parts of Brazil close to the equator while other parts extend far into the Southern Hemisphere. The width of the country from the Atlantic coast to the western border with Peru and Bolivia accounts for the time differences across the country.

Because of this broad east to west distance, Brazil is divided into four time zones. Brazil's four time zones are aligned from West to East.

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How many time zones are in Brazil?

Brazil has four time zones. The 4 time zones in Brazil are: West, Central & North, East, and Far East.

Brazil: West UTC-5

Acre Time (AT), aligned with Eastern Standard Time (EST) in New York and Washington, D.C.

Locations: State of Acre and 13 counties in the western part of the state of Amazonas.

Most visitors to Brazil will not pass through this time zone, unless crossing the border to Brazil from Colombia or Peru via the Amazon Rainforest.

Brazil: Central & North UTC-4

Amazon Time (AMT), which is one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

Locations: States of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, and the rest of the state of Amazonia.

Visitors to the Amazon Rainforest and to the Pantanal wetlands will pass through this timezone.

Brazil: East UTC-3

Brasilia Time (BRT), which is two hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

Locations: States of Alagoas, Amapa, Bahia, Ceara, Para, Maranhao, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe, Tocantins, Distrito Federal, Espirito Santo, Goias, Minas Gerais, Parana, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Sao Paulo.

The majority of destinations that tourists will visit during a trip to Brazil are in this timezone. This includes most of Brazil's major cities, including Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador, Recife, and Fortaleza.

Brazil: Far East UTC-2

Fernando de Noronha Time (FNT), which is three hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

Locations: Fernando de Noronha and other islands far from the coast in the Atlantic Ocean.

Does Brazil have daylight savings time?

Brazil no longer observes daylight saving time at a national level. The country used various daylight saving schedules between 1931 and 2018, mainly in the southern and southeastern states, but the federal government suspended the practice in 2019 after studies indicated limited energy savings and potential health impacts. As a result, Brazil’s clocks remain on standard time throughout the year, and time differences with other countries that still use daylight saving time can vary seasonally.

Time difference between USA and Brazil

Brazil spans four time zones from UTC-2 to UTC-5, while the contiguous United States spans four main time zones from UTC-5 to UTC-8. Because of this, the time difference between the two countries varies depending on the locations being compared.

Most major tourist destinations in Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, and Brasília, use Brasília Time (UTC-3). This is generally two hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5) and four hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time (UTC-7).

Daylight saving practices also differ, with most of Brazil no longer observing daylight saving time, so the offset between regions of the United States and Brazil can change seasonally.

Time difference between Brazil and the UK

Brazil spans four time zones from UTC-2 to UTC-5, while the United Kingdom operates on Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+0) in winter and British Summer Time (UTC+1) in summer. Because of this, the time difference between the two countries varies depending on the time of year.

Most major tourist destinations in Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, and Brasília, use Brasília Time (UTC-3). This is generally three hours behind GMT in the UK winter and four hours behind British Summer Time in the UK summer.

Time difference between Brazil and India

Brazil spans four time zones from UTC-2 to UTC-5, while India uses Indian Standard Time (UTC+5:30) year-round. Because of this, the time difference between the two countries varies depending on the location in Brazil.

Most major tourist destinations in Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, and Brasília, use Brasília Time (UTC-3). This is eight and a half hours behind Indian Standard Time.

As neither Brazil nor India use daylight saving time, the time difference between the two countries stays constant throughout the year.

More resources for planning your trip to Brazil

• Find cheap bus, ferry, and private transfer tickets on Bookaway, where you can make reservations ahead of time from abroad. Or, rent a car and give yourself the freedom to explore at your own pace.

• Find your perfect accommodation on Booking.com, with thousands of options ranging from luxury hotels to budget-friendly backpacker hostels

• You're not ready to travel until you have travel insurance. I recommend Safety Wing to my friends, family, and anyone travelling internationally. Get a free quote

• Forgetting something? Read my packing check-list for Brazil, and my list of 10 things you should do before you travel to Brazil