Tokelau to jump dateline with Samoa
Published 4-Nov-2011
The three atolls in the South Pacific which form Tokelau (New Zealand territory) have chosen to join Samoa in switching time zones by redrawing the international dateline at midnight on December 29, 2011.
This means that they will skip the date December 30 altogether, and go straight into December 31.
Tokelauans get first into 2012.
©iStockphoto.com/ugurhan
Business reasons
The switch will bring both countries to the same side of the dateline as Australia and mainland New Zealand, facilitating business relations.
After the switch, Tokelau and Samoa will be 1 hour ahead of Wellington, New Zealand, and 3 hours ahead of Sydney, Australia, during daylight saving time (DST).
The dateline runs across the Pacific Ocean and separates one day from the next. Samoa is currently one of the last countries on earth to greet the new day, due to its position just east of the dateline. After moving west of the dateline it will be one of the first.
Recent updates
- New Time Zone in Mexico?
- Gaza and West Bank start DST on March 30, 2012
- Syria starts DST on March 30, 2012
- Nagorno-Karabakh Rejects Daylight Saving Time
- Europe Starts Daylight Saving on March 25, 2012
- Idaho may abolish daylight saving time
More about Daylight Saving Time
- About Daylight Saving Time
- List of countries that observe Daylight Saving Time in 2012
- Upcoming Daylight Saving Time Clock Changes
- Daylight Savings Time vs Daylight Saving Time
Related links
- The World Clock – Current time all over the world
- Personal World Clock
- Meeting Planner
- Time Zone Converter