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@@ -19,19 +19,21 @@
#
# Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
# or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
# questions.
#
+# tzdb data for Asia and environs
+
# This file is in the public domain, so clarified as of
# 2009-05-17 by Arthur David Olson.
# This file is by no means authoritative; if you think you know better,
# go ahead and edit the file (and please send any changes to
# tz@iana.org for general use in the future). For more, please see
# the file CONTRIBUTING in the tz distribution.
-# From Paul Eggert (2017-01-13):
+# From Paul Eggert (2018-06-19):
#
# Unless otherwise specified, the source for data through 1990 is:
# Thomas G. Shanks and Rique Pottenger, The International Atlas (6th edition),
# San Diego: ACS Publications, Inc. (2003).
# Unfortunately this book contains many errors and cites no sources.
@@ -56,24 +58,27 @@
# (See the 'europe' file for a fuller citation.)
#
# A reliable and entertaining source about time zones is
# Derek Howse, Greenwich time and longitude, Philip Wilson Publishers (1997).
#
-# The following alphabetic abbreviations appear in these tables:
+# The following alphabetic abbreviations appear in these tables
+# (corrections are welcome):
# std dst
# LMT Local Mean Time
# 2:00 EET EEST Eastern European Time
# 2:00 IST IDT Israel
# 5:30 IST India
# 7:00 WIB west Indonesia (Waktu Indonesia Barat)
# 8:00 WITA central Indonesia (Waktu Indonesia Tengah)
# 8:00 CST China
+# 8:00 PST PDT* Philippine Standard Time
# 8:30 KST KDT Korea when at +0830
# 9:00 WIT east Indonesia (Waktu Indonesia Timur)
# 9:00 JST JDT Japan
# 9:00 KST KDT Korea when at +09
# 9:30 ACST Australian Central Standard Time
+# *I invented the abbreviation PDT; see "Philippines" below.
# Otherwise, these tables typically use numeric abbreviations like +03
# and +0330 for integer hour and minute UT offsets. Although earlier
# editions invented alphabetic time zone abbreviations for every
# offset, this did not reflect common practice.
#
@@ -302,10 +307,33 @@
# See Asia/Bangkok.
# China
+# From Paul Eggert (2018-10-02):
+# The following comes from Table 1 of:
+# Li Yu. Research on the daylight saving movement in 1940s Shanghai.
+# Nanjing Journal of Social Sciences. 2014;(2):144-50.
+# http://oversea.cnki.net/kns55/detail.aspx?dbname=CJFD2014&filename=NJSH201402020
+# The table lists dates only; I am guessing 00:00 and 24:00 transition times.
+# Also, the table lists the planned end of DST in 1949, but the corresponding
+# zone line cuts this off on May 28, when the Communists took power.
+#
+# Rule NAME FROM TO TYPE IN ON AT SAVE LETTER/S
+Rule Shang 1940 only - Jun 1 0:00 1:00 D
+Rule Shang 1940 only - Oct 12 24:00 0 S
+Rule Shang 1941 only - Mar 15 0:00 1:00 D
+Rule Shang 1941 only - Nov 1 24:00 0 S
+Rule Shang 1942 only - Jan 31 0:00 1:00 D
+Rule Shang 1945 only - Sep 1 24:00 0 S
+Rule Shang 1946 only - May 15 0:00 1:00 D
+Rule Shang 1946 only - Sep 30 24:00 0 S
+Rule Shang 1947 only - Apr 15 0:00 1:00 D
+Rule Shang 1947 only - Oct 31 24:00 0 S
+Rule Shang 1948 1949 - May 1 0:00 1:00 D
+Rule Shang 1948 1949 - Sep 30 24:00 0 S #plan
+
# From Guy Harris:
# People's Republic of China. Yes, they really have only one time zone.
# From Bob Devine (1988-01-28):
# No they don't. See TIME mag, 1986-02-17 p.52. Even though
@@ -328,22 +356,37 @@
# From Paul Eggert (2008-02-11):
# Jim Mann, "A clumsy embrace for another western custom: China on daylight
# time - sort of", Los Angeles Times, 1986-05-05 ... [says] that China began
# observing daylight saving time in 1986.
-# From Paul Eggert (2014-06-30):
-# Shanks & Pottenger have China switching to a single time zone in 1980, but
-# this doesn't seem to be correct. They also write that China observed summer
-# DST from 1986 through 1991, which seems to match the above commentary, so
-# go with them for DST rules as follows:
-# Rule NAME FROM TO TYPE IN ON AT SAVE LETTER/S
-Rule Shang 1940 only - Jun 3 0:00 1:00 D
-Rule Shang 1940 1941 - Oct 1 0:00 0 S
-Rule Shang 1941 only - Mar 16 0:00 1:00 D
-Rule PRC 1986 only - May 4 0:00 1:00 D
-Rule PRC 1986 1991 - Sep Sun>=11 0:00 0 S
-Rule PRC 1987 1991 - Apr Sun>=10 0:00 1:00 D
+# From P Chan (2018-05-07):
+# The start and end time of DST in China [from 1986 on] should be 2:00
+# (i.e. 2:00 to 3:00 at the start and 2:00 to 1:00 at the end)....
+# Government notices about summer time:
+#
+# 1986-04-12 http://www.zj.gov.cn/attach/zfgb/198608.pdf p.21-22
+# (To establish summer time from 1986. On 4 May, set the clocks ahead one hour
+# at 2 am. On 14 September, set the clocks backward one hour at 2 am.)
+#
+# 1987-02-15 http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/shuju/1987/gwyb198703.pdf p.114
+# (Summer time in 1987 to start from 12 April until 13 September)
+#
+# 1987-09-09 http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/shuju/1987/gwyb198721.pdf p.709
+# (From 1988, summer time to start from 2 am of the first Sunday of mid-April
+# until 2 am of the first Sunday of mid-September)
+#
+# 1992-03-03 http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/shuju/1992/gwyb199205.pdf p.152
+# (To suspend summer time from 1992)
+#
+# The first page of People's Daily on 12 April 1988 stating that summer time
+# to begin on 17 April.
+# http://data.people.com.cn/pic/101p/1988/04/1988041201.jpg
+
+# Rule NAME FROM TO TYPE IN ON AT SAVE LETTER/S
+Rule PRC 1986 only - May 4 2:00 1:00 D
+Rule PRC 1986 1991 - Sep Sun>=11 2:00 0 S
+Rule PRC 1987 1991 - Apr Sun>=11 2:00 1:00 D
# From Anthony Fok (2001-12-20):
# BTW, I did some research on-line and found some info regarding these five
# historic timezones from some Taiwan websites. And yes, there are official
# Chinese names for these locales (before 1949).
@@ -361,14 +404,15 @@
# From Paul Eggert (2017-01-05):
# Alois Treindl kindly sent me translations of the following two sources:
#
# (1)
-# Guo Qingsheng (National Time-Service Center, CAS, Xi'an 710600, China)
+# Guo Qing-sheng (National Time-Service Center, CAS, Xi'an 710600, China)
# Beijing Time at the Beginning of the PRC
# China Historical Materials of Science and Technology
-# (Zhongguo ke ji shi liao, 中国科技史料), Vol. 24, No. 1 (2003)
+# (Zhongguo ke ji shi liao, 中国科技史料). 2003;24(1):5-9.
+# http://oversea.cnki.net/kcms/detail/detail.aspx?filename=ZGKS200301000&dbname=CJFD2003
# It gives evidence that at the beginning of the PRC, Beijing time was
# officially apparent solar time! However, Guo also says that the
# evidence is dubious, as the relevant institute of astronomy had not
# been taken over by the PRC yet. It's plausible that apparent solar
# time was announced but never implemented, and that people continued
@@ -541,11 +585,11 @@
# +08 mandate back then.
# Zone NAME GMTOFF RULES FORMAT [UNTIL]
# Beijing time, used throughout China; represented by Shanghai.
Zone Asia/Shanghai 8:05:43 - LMT 1901
- 8:00 Shang C%sT 1949
+ 8:00 Shang C%sT 1949 May 28
8:00 PRC C%sT
# Xinjiang time, used by many in western China; represented by Ürümqi / Ürümchi
# / Wulumuqi. (Please use Asia/Shanghai if you prefer Beijing time.)
Zone Asia/Urumqi 5:50:20 - LMT 1928
6:00 - +06
@@ -770,28 +814,144 @@
8:00 - CST 1937 Oct 1
9:00 - JST 1945 Sep 21 1:00
8:00 Taiwan C%sT
# Macau (Macao, Aomen)
-# Rule NAME FROM TO TYPE IN ON AT SAVE LETTER/S
-Rule Macau 1961 1962 - Mar Sun>=16 3:30 1:00 D
-Rule Macau 1961 1964 - Nov Sun>=1 3:30 0 S
-Rule Macau 1963 only - Mar Sun>=16 0:00 1:00 D
-Rule Macau 1964 only - Mar Sun>=16 3:30 1:00 D
-Rule Macau 1965 only - Mar Sun>=16 0:00 1:00 D
-Rule Macau 1965 only - Oct 31 0:00 0 S
-Rule Macau 1966 1971 - Apr Sun>=16 3:30 1:00 D
-Rule Macau 1966 1971 - Oct Sun>=16 3:30 0 S
-Rule Macau 1972 1974 - Apr Sun>=15 0:00 1:00 D
-Rule Macau 1972 1973 - Oct Sun>=15 0:00 0 S
-Rule Macau 1974 1977 - Oct Sun>=15 3:30 0 S
-Rule Macau 1975 1977 - Apr Sun>=15 3:30 1:00 D
-Rule Macau 1978 1980 - Apr Sun>=15 0:00 1:00 D
-Rule Macau 1978 1980 - Oct Sun>=15 0:00 0 S
-# See Europe/Lisbon for info about the 1912 transition.
-# Zone NAME GMTOFF RULES FORMAT [UNTIL]
-Zone Asia/Macau 7:34:20 - LMT 1911 Dec 31 16:00u
+#
+# From P Chan (2018-05-10):
+# * LegisMac
+# http://legismac.safp.gov.mo/legismac/descqry/Descqry.jsf?lang=pt
+# A database for searching titles of legal documents of Macau in
+# Chinese and Portuguese. The term "HORÁRIO DE VERÃO" can be used for
+# searching decrees about summer time.
+# * Archives of Macao
+# http://www.archives.gov.mo/en/bo/
+# It contains images of old official gazettes.
+# * The Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau have a page listing the
+# summer time history. But it is not complete and has some mistakes.
+# http://www.smg.gov.mo/smg/geophysics/e_t_Summer%20Time.htm
+# Macau adopted GMT+8 on 30 Oct 1904 to follow Hong Kong. Clocks were
+# advanced by 25 minutes and 50 seconds. Which means the LMT used was
+# +7:34:10. As stated in the "Portaria No. 204" dated 21 October 1904
+# and published in the Official Gazette on 29 October 1904.
+# http://igallery.icm.gov.mo/Images/Archives/BO/MO_AH_PUB_BO_1904_10/MO_AH_PUB_BO_1904_10_00025_Grey.JPG
+#
+# Therefore the 1911 decree of Portugal did not change time in Macau.
+#
+# From LegisMac, here is a list of decrees that changed the time ...
+# [Decree Gazette-no. date; titles omitted in this quotation]
+# DIL 732 BOCM 51 1941.12.20
+# DIL 764 BOCM 9S 1942.04.30
+# DIL 781 BOCM 21 1942.10.10
+# PT 3434 BOCM 8S 1943.04.17
+# PT 3504 BOCM 20 1943.09.25
+# PT 3843 BOCM 39 1945.09.29
+# PT 3961 BOCM 17 1946.04.27
+# PT 4026 BOCM 39 1946.09.28
+# PT 4153 BOCM 16 1947.04.10
+# PT 4271 BOCM 48 1947.11.29
+# PT 4374 BOCM 18 1948.05.01
+# PT 4465 BOCM 44 1948.10.30
+# PT 4590 BOCM 14 1949.04.02
+# PT 4666 BOCM 44 1949.10.29
+# PT 4771 BOCM 12 1950.03.25
+# PT 4838 BOCM 43 1950.10.28
+# PT 4946 BOCM 12 1951.03.24
+# PT 5025 BO 43 1951.10.27
+# PT 5149 BO 14 1952.04.05
+# PT 5251 BO 43 1952.10.25
+# PT 5366 BO 13 1953.03.28
+# PT 5444 BO 44 1953.10.31
+# PT 5540 BO 12 1954.03.20
+# PT 5589 BO 44 1954.10.30
+# PT 5676 BO 12 1955.03.19
+# PT 5739 BO 45 1955.11.05
+# PT 5823 BO 11 1956.03.17
+# PT 5891 BO 44 1956.11.03
+# PT 5981 BO 12 1957.03.23
+# PT 6064 BO 43 1957.10.26
+# PT 6172 BO 12 1958.03.22
+# PT 6243 BO 43 1958.10.25
+# PT 6341 BO 12 1959.03.21
+# PT 6411 BO 43 1959.10.24
+# PT 6514 BO 11 1960.03.12
+# PT 6584 BO 44 1960.10.29
+# PT 6721 BO 10 1961.03.11
+# PT 6815 BO 43 1961.10.28
+# PT 6947 BO 10 1962.03.10
+# PT 7080 BO 43 1962.10.27
+# PT 7218 BO 12 1963.03.23
+# PT 7340 BO 43 1963.10.26
+# PT 7491 BO 11 1964.03.14
+# PT 7664 BO 43 1964.10.24
+# PT 7846 BO 15 1965.04.10
+# PT 7979 BO 42 1965.10.16
+# PT 8146 BO 15 1966.04.09
+# PT 8252 BO 41 1966.10.08
+# PT 8429 BO 15 1967.04.15
+# PT 8540 BO 41 1967.10.14
+# PT 8735 BO 15 1968.04.13
+# PT 8860 BO 41 1968.10.12
+# PT 9035 BO 16 1969.04.19
+# PT 9156 BO 42 1969.10.18
+# PT 9328 BO 15 1970.04.11
+# PT 9418 BO 41 1970.10.10
+# PT 9587 BO 14 1971.04.03
+# PT 9702 BO 41 1971.10.09
+# PT 38-A/72 BO 14 1972.04.01
+# PT 126-A/72 BO 41 1972.10.07
+# PT 61/73 BO 14 1973.04.07
+# PT 182/73 BO 40 1973.10.06
+# PT 282/73 BO 51 1973.12.22
+# PT 177/74 BO 41 1974.10.12
+# PT 51/75 BO 15 1975.04.12
+# PT 173/75 BO 41 1975.10.11
+# PT 67/76/M BO 14 1976.04.03
+# PT 169/76/M BO 41 1976.10.09
+# PT 78/79/M BO 19 1979.05.12
+# PT 166/79/M BO 42 1979.10.20
+# Note that DIL 732 does not belong to "HORÁRIO DE VERÃO" according to
+# LegisMac.... Note that between 1942 and 1945, the time switched
+# between GMT+9 and GMT+10. Also in 1965 and 1965 the DST ended at 2:30am.
+
+# From Paul Eggert (2018-05-10):
+# The 1904 decree says that Macau changed from the meridian of
+# Fortaleza do Monte, presumably the basis for the 7:34:10 for LMT.
+
+# Rule NAME FROM TO TYPE IN ON AT SAVE LETTER/S
+Rule Macau 1942 1943 - Apr 30 23:00 1:00 -
+Rule Macau 1942 only - Nov 17 23:00 0 -
+Rule Macau 1943 only - Sep 30 23:00 0 S
+Rule Macau 1946 only - Apr 30 23:00s 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1946 only - Sep 30 23:00s 0 S
+Rule Macau 1947 only - Apr 19 23:00s 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1947 only - Nov 30 23:00s 0 S
+Rule Macau 1948 only - May 2 23:00s 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1948 only - Oct 31 23:00s 0 S
+Rule Macau 1949 1950 - Apr Sat>=1 23:00s 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1949 1950 - Oct lastSat 23:00s 0 S
+Rule Macau 1951 only - Mar 31 23:00s 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1951 only - Oct 28 23:00s 0 S
+Rule Macau 1952 1953 - Apr Sat>=1 23:00s 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1952 only - Nov 1 23:00s 0 S
+Rule Macau 1953 1954 - Oct lastSat 23:00s 0 S
+Rule Macau 1954 1956 - Mar Sat>=17 23:00s 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1955 only - Nov 5 23:00s 0 S
+Rule Macau 1956 1964 - Nov Sun>=1 03:30 0 S
+Rule Macau 1957 1964 - Mar Sun>=18 03:30 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1965 1973 - Apr Sun>=16 03:30 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1965 1966 - Oct Sun>=16 02:30 0 S
+Rule Macau 1967 1976 - Oct Sun>=16 03:30 0 S
+Rule Macau 1973 only - Dec 30 03:30 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1975 1976 - Apr Sun>=16 03:30 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1979 only - May 13 03:30 1:00 D
+Rule Macau 1979 only - Oct Sun>=16 03:30 0 S
+
+# Zone NAME GMTOFF RULES FORMAT [UNTIL]
+Zone Asia/Macau 7:34:10 - LMT 1904 Oct 30
+ 8:00 - CST 1941 Dec 21 23:00
+ 9:00 Macau +09/+10 1945 Sep 30 24:00
8:00 Macau C%sT
###############################################################################
@@ -1492,13 +1652,33 @@
# The source of information is Japanese law.
# http://www.shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdb_housei.nsf/html/houritsu/00219480428029.htm
# http://www.shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdb_housei.nsf/html/houritsu/00719500331039.htm
# ... In summary, it is written as follows. From 24:00 on the first Saturday
# in May, until 0:00 on the day after the second Saturday in September.
+
+# From Phake Nick (2018-09-27):
+# [T]he webpage authored by National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
+# https://eco.mtk.nao.ac.jp/koyomi/wiki/BBFEB9EF2FB2C6BBFEB9EF.html
+# ... mentioned that using Showa 23 (year 1948) as example, 13pm of September
+# 11 in summer time will equal to 0am of September 12 in standard time.
+# It cited a document issued by the Liaison Office which briefly existed
+# during the postwar period of Japan, where the detail on implementation
+# of the summer time is described in the document.
+# https://eco.mtk.nao.ac.jp/koyomi/wiki/BBFEB9EF2FB2C6BBFEB9EFB2C6BBFEB9EFA4CEBCC2BBDCA4CBA4C4A4A4A4C6.pdf
+# The text in the document do instruct a fall back to occur at
+# September 11, 13pm in summer time, while ordinary citizens can
+# change the clock before they sleep.
+#
+# From Paul Eggert (2018-09-27):
+# This instruction is equivalent to "Sat>=8 25:00", so use that. zic treats
+# it like "Sun>=9 01:00", which is not quite the same but is the best we can
+# do in any POSIX or C platform. The "25:00" assumes zic from 2007 or later,
+# which should be safe now.
+
# Rule NAME FROM TO TYPE IN ON AT SAVE LETTER/S
Rule Japan 1948 only - May Sat>=1 24:00 1:00 D
-Rule Japan 1948 1951 - Sep Sun>=9 0:00 0 S
+Rule Japan 1948 1951 - Sep Sun>=9 1:00 0 S
Rule Japan 1949 only - Apr Sat>=1 24:00 1:00 D
Rule Japan 1950 1951 - May Sat>=1 24:00 1:00 D
# From Hideyuki Suzuki (1998-11-09):
# 'Tokyo' usually stands for the former location of Tokyo Astronomical
@@ -1876,11 +2056,11 @@
4:00 RussiaAsia +04/+05 1992 Jan 19 2:00s
5:00 RussiaAsia +05/+06 2004 Oct 31 2:00s
5:00 - +05
# Mangghystaū (KZ-MAN)
# Aqtau was not founded until 1963, but it represents an inhabited region,
-# so include time stamps before 1963.
+# so include timestamps before 1963.
Zone Asia/Aqtau 3:21:04 - LMT 1924 May 2
4:00 - +04 1930 Jun 21
5:00 - +05 1981 Oct 1
6:00 - +06 1982 Apr 1
5:00 RussiaAsia +05/+06 1991 Mar 31 2:00s
@@ -2016,10 +2196,14 @@
# ... the transition date is 2018-05-05 ... Citation should be Decree
# No. 2232 of April 30, 2018, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's
# Assembly, as published in Rodong Sinmun.
# From Tim Parenti (2018-04-29):
# It appears to be the front page story at the top in the right-most column.
+#
+# From Paul Eggert (2018-05-04):
+# The BBC reported that the transition was from 23:30 to 24:00 today.
+# https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44010705
# Zone NAME GMTOFF RULES FORMAT [UNTIL]
Zone Asia/Seoul 8:27:52 - LMT 1908 Apr 1
8:30 - KST 1912 Jan 1
9:00 - JST 1945 Sep 8
@@ -2028,11 +2212,11 @@
9:00 ROK K%sT
Zone Asia/Pyongyang 8:23:00 - LMT 1908 Apr 1
8:30 - KST 1912 Jan 1
9:00 - JST 1945 Aug 24
9:00 - KST 2015 Aug 15 00:00
- 8:30 - KST 2018 May 5
+ 8:30 - KST 2018 May 4 23:30
9:00 - KST
###############################################################################
# Kuwait
@@ -2778,52 +2962,88 @@
# during the Ramos administration (1992-1998); but again, no details.
# Carcamo D. PNoy urged to declare use of daylight saving time.
# Philippine Star 2014-08-05
# http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/08/05/1354152/pnoy-urged-declare-use-daylight-saving-time
-# Rule NAME FROM TO TYPE IN ON AT SAVE LETTER/S
-Rule Phil 1936 only - Nov 1 0:00 1:00 -
-Rule Phil 1937 only - Feb 1 0:00 0 -
-Rule Phil 1954 only - Apr 12 0:00 1:00 -
-Rule Phil 1954 only - Jul 1 0:00 0 -
-Rule Phil 1978 only - Mar 22 0:00 1:00 -
-Rule Phil 1978 only - Sep 21 0:00 0 -
+# From Paul Goyette (2018-06-15):
+# In the Philippines, there is a national law, Republic Act No. 10535
+# which declares the official time here as "Philippine Standard Time".
+# The act [1] even specifies use of PST as the abbreviation, although
+# the FAQ provided by PAGASA [2] uses the "acronym PhST to distinguish
+# it from the Pacific Standard Time (PST)."
+# [1] http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/05/15/republic-act-no-10535/
+# [2] https://www1.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/index.php/astronomy/philippine-standard-time#republic-act-10535
+#
+# From Paul Eggert (2018-06-19):
+# I surveyed recent news reports, and my impression is that "PST" is
+# more popular among reliable English-language news sources. This is
+# not just a measure of Google hit counts: it's also the sizes and
+# influence of the sources. There is no current abbreviation for DST,
+# so use "PDT", the usual American style.
+
+# Rule NAME FROM TO TYPE IN ON AT SAVE LETTER/S
+Rule Phil 1936 only - Nov 1 0:00 1:00 D
+Rule Phil 1937 only - Feb 1 0:00 0 S
+Rule Phil 1954 only - Apr 12 0:00 1:00 D
+Rule Phil 1954 only - Jul 1 0:00 0 S
+Rule Phil 1978 only - Mar 22 0:00 1:00 D
+Rule Phil 1978 only - Sep 21 0:00 0 S
# Zone NAME GMTOFF RULES FORMAT [UNTIL]
Zone Asia/Manila -15:56:00 - LMT 1844 Dec 31
8:04:00 - LMT 1899 May 11
- 8:00 Phil +08/+09 1942 May
- 9:00 - +09 1944 Nov
- 8:00 Phil +08/+09
+ 8:00 Phil P%sT 1942 May
+ 9:00 - JST 1944 Nov
+ 8:00 Phil P%sT
# Qatar
# Zone NAME GMTOFF RULES FORMAT [UNTIL]
Zone Asia/Qatar 3:26:08 - LMT 1920 # Al Dawhah / Doha
4:00 - +04 1972 Jun
3:00 - +03
Link Asia/Qatar Asia/Bahrain
# Saudi Arabia
#
-# From Paul Eggert (2014-07-15):
+# From Paul Eggert (2018-08-29):
# Time in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Arabian peninsula was not
-# standardized until relatively recently; we don't know when, and possibly it
+# standardized until 1968 or so; we don't know exactly when, and possibly it
# has never been made official. Richard P Hunt, in "Islam city yielding to
# modern times", New York Times (1961-04-09), p 20, wrote that only airlines
# observed standard time, and that people in Jeddah mostly observed quasi-solar
# time, doing so by setting their watches at sunrise to 6 o'clock (or to 12
# o'clock for "Arab" time).
#
+# Timekeeping differed depending on who you were and which part of Saudi
+# Arabia you were in. In 1969, Elias Antar wrote that although a common
+# practice had been to set one's watch to 12:00 (i.e., midnight) at sunset -
+# which meant that the time on one side of a mountain could differ greatly from
+# the time on the other side - many foreigners set their watches to 6pm
+# instead, while airlines instead used UTC +03 (except in Dhahran, where they
+# used UTC +04), Aramco used UTC +03 with DST, and the Trans-Arabian Pipe Line
+# Company used Aramco time in eastern Saudi Arabia and airline time in western.
+# (The American Military Aid Advisory Group used plain UTC.) Antar writes,
+# "A man named Higgins, so the story goes, used to run a local power
+# station. One day, the whole thing became too much for Higgins and he
+# assembled his staff and laid down the law. 'I've had enough of this,' he
+# shrieked. 'It is now 12 o'clock Higgins Time, and from now on this station is
+# going to run on Higgins Time.' And so, until last year, it did." See:
+# Antar E. Dinner at When? Saudi Aramco World, 1969 March/April. 2-3.
+# http://archive.aramcoworld.com/issue/196902/dinner.at.when.htm
+# newspapers.com says a similar story about Higgins was published in the Port
+# Angeles (WA) Evening News, 1965-03-10, page 5, but I lack access to the text.
+#
# The TZ database cannot represent quasi-solar time; airline time is the best
# we can do. The 1946 foreign air news digest of the U.S. Civil Aeronautics
# Board (OCLC 42299995) reported that the "... Arabian Government, inaugurated
# a weekly Dhahran-Cairo service, via the Saudi Arabian cities of Riyadh and
# Jidda, on March 14, 1947". Shanks & Pottenger guessed 1950; go with the
# earlier date.
#
# Shanks & Pottenger also state that until 1968-05-01 Saudi Arabia had two
# time zones; the other zone, at UT +04, was in the far eastern part of
-# the country. Ignore this, as it's before our 1970 cutoff.
+# the country. Presumably this is documenting airline time. Ignore this,
+# as it's before our 1970 cutoff.
#
# Zone NAME GMTOFF RULES FORMAT [UNTIL]
Zone Asia/Riyadh 3:06:52 - LMT 1947 Mar 14
3:00 - +03
Link Asia/Riyadh Asia/Aden # Yemen
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