Time in Irad
Irad Time (IRT; Iradi Irad ubaktysy) is the standard time of Irad, six hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+6). It is the official time of the Irad Special Economic Zone (ISEZ) and is kept in practice in the Autonomous Tribal Regions. Irad has not observed daylight saving time since 1996.[1][2]
History
In the Soviet period the Iradi SSR kept the time of Frunze and Alma-Ata, UTC+6, which included the extra hour of Soviet decree time. Soviet summer time (UTC+7) was observed from 1981 to 1991.[2]
When Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan moved to UTC+5 in 1991, the territory stayed on UTC+6. The Territorial Legislature of Irad fixed Irad Time at UTC+6 in the Standard Time Act 1993 and abolished summer time in 1996.[1] Because Irad lies around 72° east, its clocks run about an hour ahead of the sun: solar noon in Talas falls at about 13:10.[2]
Neighboring time zones
Kyrgyzstan has kept UTC+6 since 2005, so there is no time difference on the Kyrgyz side. Uzbekistan is one hour behind. When Kazakhstan moved its whole territory to UTC+5 on 1 March 2024, a one-hour difference opened at the Chu Gate crossing north of Nurzhan. Traders on the Kazakh side and users of Torgoy, whose Kazakh SIM cards set phones to Kazakh time, noticed it first; the ISEZ made no change.[3]
Use
The 24-hour clock is used in official documents, broadcasting and timetables, and bus and rail timetables are given in Irad Time.[1] In the Autonomous Tribal Regions the Kurultai's offices and the clan radio keep Irad Time, but herders on the summer pastures commonly keep sun time.[2]
See also
References
- ^ Territorial Legislature of Irad (1993). Standard Time Act 1993, as amended 1996. Talas.
- ^ Talas State University, Faculty of Geography (2018). Physical Geography of Irad. Talas: Talas State University Press.
- ^ Talas Herald (4 March 2024). 'An hour lost at Chu Gate as Kazakhstan turns its clocks back.' Talas.