ASTANA: Kazakhstan will switch to a single time zone from 1st March, 2024, local media reported on Sunday. According to the proposed document, Kazakhstan is set to apply the fifth time zone uniformly across its territory. Presently, there are two time zones in the Central Asian country – UTC+5 and UTC+6.
If implemented, the transition will take place on March 1, 2024. The cities of Almaty, Astana, and Shymkent as well as the Akmola, Abai, Zhambyl, Almaty, Karagandy, Zhetisu, Pavlodar, Kostanai, North Kazakhstan, Ulytau, Turkistan, and East Kazakhstan regions will turn back the local time by 1 hour.
Kazakhstan to Implement Single Time Zone: Report
Previously, Kazakh experts and top officials noted that the sixth time zone does not correspond to natural solar time and has a negative effect on the health of people. They added that the establishment of a uniform time will enhance the coordination of transport and other communications and will have a good impact on business in the country.
Chronobiology expert Bolat Nurkhozhayev said that the scientific consensus also confirms that to maintain health, it is best to utilize constant time zones that are as close as possible to solar time, and the transition to a single time zone throughout the Central Asian Country is seen as the most optimal solution, supported by research institutes and scientists.
According to research, around 175 countries use a single time zone. Only 22 nations use two or more time zones.
