Time Zones in Botswana

See Botswana’s current local time, UTC+2 offset, DST status, and convert time with cities and time zones worldwide.

Gaborone
Botswana · CAT
Gaborone Standard TimeGMT +02Mon, Apr 6
12AM3AM6AM9AM12PM3PM6PM9PM
UTC
UTC · UTC
Coordinated Universal TimeGMT +00Mon, Apr 6
12AM3AM6AM9AM12PM3PM6PM9PM
Gaborone
Pop. 208,411
Francistown
Pop. 89,979
Molepolole
Pop. 63,248
Selebi-Phikwe
Pop. 53,727
Maun
Pop. 49,945
Serowe
Pop. 47,419
Kanye
Pop. 44,716
Mogoditshane
Pop. 43,394
Mahalapye
Pop. 41,316
Mochudi
Pop. 36,962
Lobatse
Pop. 30,883
Palapye
Pop. 30,650
Ramotswa
Pop. 21,450
Thamaga
Pop. 20,756
Mosopa
Pop. 19,561
Letlhakane
Pop. 18,136
Tonota
Pop. 17,759
Janeng
Pop. 16,853
Gabane
Pop. 12,884
Ghanzi
Pop. 9,934
Kasane
Pop. 9,250
Orapa
Pop. 9,189
Kopong
Pop. 6,895
Letlhakeng
Pop. 6,781
Tshabong
Pop. 6,591
Otse
Pop. 6,275
Shakawe
Pop. 5,651
Metsemotlhaba
Pop. 5,544
Rakops
Pop. 5,222
Lenchwe Le Tau
Pop. 4,992
Mmopone
Pop. 4,927
Nata
Pop. 4,794
Gweta
Pop. 4,689
Mathambgwane
Pop. 4,675
Hukuntsi
Pop. 4,403
Kang
Pop. 4,229
Bokaa
Pop. 4,131
Sefophe
Pop. 4,114
Ramokgonami
Pop. 3,681
Masunga
Pop. 3,639
Maunatlala
Pop. 3,361
Manyana
Pop. 3,338
Mopipi
Pop. 3,301
Sua
Pop. 3,141
Sebina
Pop. 3,030
Moijabana
Pop. 2,768
Letsheng
Pop. 2,696
Mookane
Pop. 2,397
Ratholo
Pop. 2,377
Kalamare
Pop. 2,339
Mmathubudukwane
Pop. 2,221
Werda
Pop. 2,149
Machaneng
Pop. 2,139
Khakhea
Pop. 2,133
Dukwe
Pop. 2,037
Khudumelapye
Pop. 2,035
Mathathane
Pop. 1,987
Lehututu
Pop. 1,942
Tobane
Pop. 1,925
Mogapi
Pop. 1,917
Makobeng
Pop. 1,822
Mosetse
Pop. 1,780
Nokaneng
Pop. 1,763
Gobojango
Pop. 1,756
Pandamatenga
Pop. 1,685
Gaphatshwe
Pop. 1,678
Mabuli
Pop. 1,665
Makwata
Pop. 1,660
Sehithwa
Pop. 1,614
Nkoyaphiri
Pop. 1,578
Lokwabe
Pop. 1,473
Tsau
Pop. 1,409
Mogapinyana
Pop. 1,400
Kurametsi
Pop. 1,397
Pilikwe
Pop. 1,375
Pilane
Pop. 1,277
Maapi
Pop. 1,275
Magothla
Pop. 1,174
Makaleng
Pop. 1,166
Mathakola
Pop. 1,159
Dutlwe
Pop. 1,126
Sekoma
Pop. 1,083
Tamasane
Pop. 1,070
Dekar
Pop. 1,043
Botlhapatlou
Pop. 1,013
Makoba
Pop. 1,006
Jwaneng
Pop. 0

How to Check Time in Botswana

  1. Open the Botswana time converter page: Go to https://www.xconvert.com/time-converter/botswana to load Botswana with Gaborone as the main reference row on the visual comparison grid. This page is useful when you are scheduling a call with a mining supplier in Gaborone, coordinating NGO work in southern Africa, or checking whether Botswana business hours overlap with teams in London, Dubai, or Johannesburg.

  2. Add comparison cities with the “+ Add City” button: Click + Add City and search for cities such as London, Johannesburg, and Dubai to compare Botswana with major finance, regional business, and trade hubs. London is relevant for investment, legal, and development work; Johannesburg is important because South Africa shares Botswana’s UTC+2 time and has strong transport and business links; Dubai is useful for logistics, aviation, and cross-border trade coordination.

  3. Drag across the grid to select a meeting window: Click Select if needed, then drag across Botswana’s row from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM CAT to highlight a purple time range with draggable handles. That same slot is 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM in London during standard time and 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM in Dubai, which helps you quickly confirm whether a Gaborone morning meeting works for European and Gulf-based partners; if it does not, drag the center of the selection later or resize the handles to test another overlap.

  4. Export the selected time for your team or clients: Once your range is selected, use the export options for ICS download, Google Calendar, Gmail, Copy to clipboard, or Share link. This is especially practical for sending a confirmed Botswana time slot to a remote operations team, attaching an ICS file so calendars convert automatically, or sharing a link with travel coordinators arranging flights through Johannesburg and onward connections into Gaborone.

Time Zones in Botswana

Botswana uses one time zone nationwide, so there is no internal time difference between Gaborone, Francistown, Maun, Kasane, and Selebi-Phikwe. The country operates on Central Africa Time (CAT), which is UTC+2 throughout the year. Unlike countries such as the United States or Russia, Botswana does not split into multiple zones, which makes national scheduling straightforward for government offices, schools, transport operators, and businesses.

A notable practical detail is that Botswana’s time is a whole-hour offset, not a half-hour or quarter-hour system like India (UTC+5:30) or Nepal (UTC+5:45). Botswana is also aligned with several neighboring and regional economies on UTC+2 for much of the year, including South Africa and Zimbabwe, which simplifies road freight, mining operations, and cross-border business calls. When it is 9:00 AM in Gaborone, it is also 9:00 AM in Johannesburg, but it is 8:00 AM in Central Europe during standard time and 10:00 AM in East Africa countries on UTC+3.

Because Botswana keeps a single national time standard, it is easier to coordinate domestic travel and service delivery across its large territory of 600,370 km². This matters in sectors such as diamond mining, safari tourism in the Okavango-linked travel network, and public administration, where teams may operate across long distances but still use the same clock time. For international coordination, the main point to remember is simple: Botswana stays on UTC+2 all year, without seasonal clock changes.

Botswana Country Details

Botswana is a landlocked country in Africa with its capital at Gaborone, the country’s main political, administrative, and commercial center near the South African border. It has a population of 2,254,126, which makes it relatively sparsely populated compared with its large land area of 600,370 km². This low population density affects travel planning and service coverage, especially for business visitors moving between Gaborone, Francistown, Maun, and tourism gateways in the north.

The official currency is the Botswana Pula (BWP), which is used for local payments, salaries, hotel bookings, and domestic business transactions. International companies working in Botswana, especially in mining, infrastructure, and tourism, typically quote contracts in major currencies such as USD or ZAR alongside local operating costs in pula. If you are planning meetings, invoicing, or travel budgets, it helps to pair time coordination with currency awareness because office hours, banking cutoffs, and payment processing all depend on local business schedules.

Botswana’s listed languages are en-BW and tn-BW, meaning English and Setswana are important for administration, education, and everyday communication. The country dialing code is +267, which is essential when placing international calls to businesses, hotels, government offices, or local contacts in Gaborone and elsewhere. For practical coordination, combining the correct dialing code with Botswana’s fixed UTC+2 time makes it easier to avoid calling outside normal working hours, which are typically in the morning and afternoon local business window.

Daylight Saving Time in Botswana

Botswana does not observe daylight saving time (DST), so clocks do not move forward in spring or backward in autumn. The country remains on Central Africa Time (CAT), UTC+2, every day of the year. That means there are no national clock change dates to track, which reduces confusion for recurring meetings, airline coordination, and cross-border operations.

There have been no recent DST policy changes in Botswana, and the country has maintained a stable year-round time standard rather than adopting seasonal adjustments. This consistency is useful for industries such as mining, tourism, and regional transport, where operational schedules often depend on reliable cross-border timing. It also means that any seasonal time difference you notice between Botswana and Europe or North America is caused by those regions changing their clocks, not Botswana.

All regions of Botswana follow the same time rule, so no province, district, or city uses a different DST policy. Gaborone, Francistown, Maun, Kasane, and other towns all stay on UTC+2 year-round. For example, Botswana is usually 2 hours ahead of the UK during British Summer Time, but 1 hour ahead of Central Europe during European standard time can become the same time as some European UTC+2 areas in summer, depending on the country and season.

Frequently Asked Questions

how many time zones does Botswana have?

Botswana has one time zone for the entire country. All cities and regions, including Gaborone, Francistown, and Maun, use Central Africa Time (CAT). This single-zone system makes domestic scheduling easier than in large multi-zone countries such as the United States, Canada, or Russia.

does Botswana use daylight saving time?

No, Botswana does not use daylight saving time. The country stays on UTC+2 all year, so there are no clock changes in March, April, October, or November. This is helpful for recurring meetings and travel planning because local time remains consistent throughout the year.

what is the time difference between Botswana and UTC?

Botswana is 2 hours ahead of UTC, written as UTC+2. For example, when it is 12:00 noon UTC, it is 2:00 PM in Botswana. This fixed offset does not change seasonally because Botswana does not observe daylight saving time.

what currency does Botswana use?

Botswana uses the Botswana Pula, abbreviated BWP. The pula is the standard currency for daily purchases, local contracts, accommodation, transport, and most domestic payments. If you are doing business in Botswana, you may still see cross-border pricing references in other currencies, but local settlement commonly relies on BWP.

what is the dialing code for Botswana?

The international dialing code for Botswana is +267. If you are calling Botswana from abroad, you enter your international access prefix followed by 267 and then the local number. This code applies nationwide, whether you are contacting businesses in Gaborone, tourism operators in Maun, or government offices elsewhere in the country.

what time zone abbreviation does Botswana use?

Botswana uses the abbreviation CAT, which stands for Central Africa Time. CAT corresponds to UTC+2 and is used year-round because Botswana does not switch to daylight saving time. This abbreviation is commonly shown in scheduling tools, airline timetables, and international meeting planners.

is Botswana on the same time as South Africa?

Yes, Botswana and South Africa are on the same standard time: UTC+2. In practical terms, when it is 9:00 AM in Gaborone, it is also 9:00 AM in Johannesburg. This alignment is useful for cross-border trade, road freight, regional flights, and business communication between the two countries.