1916-1918 The First World War had a significant impact on the development of Daylight Savings Time. The practice was first adopted by the Kaiser’s German Empire and shortly adopted by its ally, the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
Many countries, like Germany, who had observed the holiday during World War II, did not do so for the next two decades. Countries that implemented Daylight Savings Time between 1916 and 1918 are listed below.
- Antigua and Barbuda 1916
- Austria 1916
- Belgium 1916
- Barbados 1917
- Bouvet Island 1916
- Czechia 1916
- Denmark 1916
- Estonia 1918
- France 1916
- Gibraltar 1916
- Guernsey 1916
- Hungary 1916
- Ireland 1916
- Isle of Man 1916
- Italy 1916
- Jersey 1916
- Latvia 1918
- Luxemburg 1916
- Malta 1916
- Morocco 1916
- Netherlands 1916
- Norway 1916
- Poland 1916
- Portugal 1916
- San Marino 1916
- Slovakia 1916
- Svalbard 1916
- Sweden 1916
- The United Kingdom 1916
- The United States 1918
- Vatican 1916
1920-1932 In the wake of the First World War, several nations adopted Daylight Savings Time. Lebanon and Syria, once Ottoman provinces, currently have French and British colonial rulers, respectively, as can be seen in the images below.
Moldova, Romania, & Greece were just a few of the countries that implemented longer workdays due to the global downturn.
- Lebanon 1920
- Syria 1920
- New Zealand 1927
- Moldova 1932
- Romania 1932
- Greece 1932
1940-1943 Another conflict, World War II, necessitated a new cycle of Daylight Saving Time and Time observance. That is exactly what happened in those nations taken over by Germany in the early years of World War II.
- Aland Islands 1942
- Albania 1940
- Bahamas 1942
- Bosnia and Herzegovina 1941
- Bulgaria 1943
- Croatia 1941
- Finland 1942
- Germany 1942
- Israel 1940
- Kosovo 1941
- Liechtenstein 1941
- Lithuania 1941
- Montenegro 1941
- North Macedonia 1941
- Palestine 1940
- Serbia 1941
- Slovenia 1941
- Switzerland 1941
Also See: What Countries Eat Dogs? 2022
1968-2010 A wartime economy necessitated that the first two major steps toward daylight savings be implemented.
This third group of nations, which started the practice in the 1970s and even beyond due to high energy prices and fuel use, has varied motives for adoption. As a result, we have seen a rise in the number of adoptees from countries located in the southern hemisphere.
- Chile 1968
- Jordan 1973
- Norfolk Island 1974
- Paraguay 1975
- Cuba 1978
- Cyprus 1975
- Iran 1978
- Turk and Caicos Islands 1979
- Spain 1980
- Faroe Islands 1981
- Haiti 1983
- Andorra 1985
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1987
- Fiji 1998
- Samoa 2010
| Country | Year |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 1916 |
| France | 1916 |
| Italy | 1916 |
| Morocco | 1916 |
| Poland | 1916 |
| Netherlands | 1916 |
| Belgium | 1916 |
| Sweden | 1916 |
| Portugal | 1916 |
| Hungary | 1916 |
| Austria | 1916 |
| Denmark | 1916 |
| Norway | 1916 |
| Slovakia | 1916 |
| Ireland | 1916 |
| Malta | 1916 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 1916 |
| Isle of Man | 1916 |
| San Marino | 1916 |
| Gibraltar | 1916 |
| Vatican City | 1916 |
| Barbados | 1917 |
| United States | 1918 |
| Estonia | 1918 |
| Syria | 1920 |
| Lebanon | 1920 |
| New Zealand | 1927 |
| Romania | 1932 |
| Greece | 1932 |
| Moldova | 1932 |
| Israel | 1940 |
| Palestine | 1940 |
| Albania | 1940 |
| Switzerland | 1941 |
| Serbia | 1941 |
| Croatia | 1941 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1941 |
| Lithuania | 1941 |
| North Macedonia | 1941 |
| Slovenia | 1941 |
| Montenegro | 1941 |
| Liechtenstein | 1941 |
| Germany | 1942 |
| Finland | 1942 |
| Bahamas | 1942 |
| Bulgaria | 1943 |
| Chile | 1968 |
| Jordan | 1973 |
| Paraguay | 1975 |
| Cyprus | 1975 |
| Iran | 1978 |
| Cuba | 1978 |
| Spain | 1980 |
| Faroe Islands | 1981 |
| Haiti | 1983 |
| Andorra | 1985 |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 1987 |
| Fiji | 1998 |
| Samoa | 2010 |