proposed TZ changes for Kazakhstan, Chagos, Cocos, etc.

Paul Eggert eggert at CS.UCLA.EDU
Tue Mar 29 09:18:29 UTC 2005


Here are proposed tz changes prompted by the recent news that our
current time stamps for Kazakhstan are incorrect.

* Kazakhstan no longer observes DST.  Thanks to Olzhas Kalamkaliyev
  for this info.

* Add guesses for when the Chagos Archipelago and the Cocos Islands
  introduced standard time (around 1900, in both cases).  Thanks to
  Oscar van Vlijmen for noting the problem.

* Western Samoa changed its name to Samoa; this affects the data in
  iso3166.tab, but not in the tz database proper.  Thanks to Oscar van
  Vlijmen for this.

Commentary changes only:

* Add coordinates for more Antarctic bases, and add commentary about
  local time for ships at sea.  Thanks to Oscar van Vlijmen
  for this.

* Add a URL pointing to seizethedaylight.com.

===================================================================
RCS file: RCS/asia,v
retrieving revision 2005.6
retrieving revision 2005.6.0.1
diff -pu -r2005.6 -r2005.6.0.1
--- asia	2005/03/01 13:44:10	2005.6
+++ asia	2005/03/29 09:06:54	2005.6.0.1
@@ -137,8 +137,12 @@ Zone	Asia/Thimphu	5:58:36 -	LMT	1947 Aug
 # British Indian Ocean Territory
 # Whitman and the 1995 CIA time zone map say 5:00, but the
 # 1997 and later maps say 6:00.  Assume the switch occurred in 1996.
+# We have no information as to when standard time was introduced;
+# assume it occurred in 1907, the same year as Mauritius (which
+# then contained the Chagos Archipelago).
 # Zone	NAME		GMTOFF	RULES	FORMAT	[UNTIL]
-Zone	Indian/Chagos	5:00	-	IOT	1996 # BIOT Time
+Zone	Indian/Chagos	4:49:40	-	LMT	1907
+			5:00	-	IOT	1996 # BIOT Time
 			6:00	-	IOT
 
 # Brunei
@@ -923,6 +927,13 @@ Zone	Asia/Amman	2:23:44 -	LMT	1931
 # - Qyzylorda switched from +5:00 to +6:00 on 1992-01-19 02:00.
 # - Oral switched from +5:00 to +4:00 in spring 1989.
 #
+# <a href="http://www.kazsociety.org.uk/news/2005/03/30.htm">
+# From Kazakhstan Embassy's News Bulletin #11 (2005-03-21):
+# </a>
+# The Government of Kazakhstan passed a resolution March 15 abolishing
+# daylight saving time citing lack of economic benefits and health
+# complications coupled with a decrease in productivity.
+#
 #
 # Zone	NAME		GMTOFF	RULES	FORMAT	[UNTIL]
 #
@@ -931,7 +942,8 @@ Zone	Asia/Almaty	5:07:48 -	LMT	1924 May 
 			5:00	-	ALMT	1930 Jun 21 # Alma-Ata Time
 			6:00 RussiaAsia ALM%sT	1991
 			6:00	-	ALMT	1992
-			6:00 RussiaAsia	ALM%sT
+			6:00 RussiaAsia	ALM%sT	2005 Mar 15
+			6:00	-	ALMT
 # Qyzylorda (aka Kyzylorda, Kizilorda, Kzyl-Orda, etc.)
 Zone	Asia/Qyzylorda	4:21:52 -	LMT	1924 May  2
 			4:00	-	KIZT	1930 Jun 21 # Kizilorda Time
@@ -941,7 +953,8 @@ Zone	Asia/Qyzylorda	4:21:52 -	LMT	1924 M
 			5:00 RussiaAsia	KIZ%sT	1991
 			5:00	-	KIZT	1991 Dec 16 # independence
 			5:00	-	QYZT	1992 Jan 19 2:00
-			6:00 RussiaAsia	QYZ%sT
+			6:00 RussiaAsia	QYZ%sT	2005 Mar 15
+			6:00	-	QYZT
 # Aqtobe (aka Aktobe, formerly Akt'ubinsk)
 Zone	Asia/Aqtobe	3:48:40	-	LMT	1924 May  2
 			4:00	-	AKTT	1930 Jun 21 # Aktyubinsk Time
@@ -950,7 +963,8 @@ Zone	Asia/Aqtobe	3:48:40	-	LMT	1924 May 
 			6:00	-	AKTT	1982 Apr  1
 			5:00 RussiaAsia	AKT%sT	1991
 			5:00	-	AKTT	1991 Dec 16 # independence
-			5:00 RussiaAsia	AQT%sT	# Aqtobe Time
+			5:00 RussiaAsia	AQT%sT	2005 Mar 15 # Aqtobe Time
+			5:00	-	AQTT
 # Mangghystau
 # Aqtau was not founded until 1963, but it represents an inhabited region,
 # so include time stamps before 1963.
@@ -962,7 +976,8 @@ Zone	Asia/Aqtau	3:21:04	-	LMT	1924 May  
 			5:00 RussiaAsia	SHE%sT	1991
 			5:00	-	SHET	1991 Dec 16 # independence
 			5:00 RussiaAsia	AQT%sT	1995 Mar lastSun 2:00 # Aqtau Time
-			4:00 RussiaAsia	AQT%sT
+			4:00 RussiaAsia	AQT%sT	2005 Mar 15
+			4:00	-	AQTT
 # West Kazakhstan
 Zone	Asia/Oral	3:25:24	-	LMT	1924 May  2 # or Ural'sk
 			4:00	-	URAT	1930 Jun 21 # Ural'sk time
@@ -972,7 +987,8 @@ Zone	Asia/Oral	3:25:24	-	LMT	1924 May  2
 			5:00 RussiaAsia	URA%sT	1989 Mar 26 2:00
 			4:00 RussiaAsia	URA%sT	1991
 			4:00	-	URAT	1991 Dec 16 # independence
-			4:00 RussiaAsia	ORA%sT	# Oral Time
+			4:00 RussiaAsia	ORA%sT	2005 Mar 15 # Oral Time
+			4:00	-	ORAT
 
 # Kyrgyzstan (Kirgizstan)
 # Transitions through 1991 are from Shanks.
===================================================================
RCS file: RCS/tz-link.htm,v
retrieving revision 2005.7
retrieving revision 2005.7.0.1
diff -pu -r2005.7 -r2005.7.0.1
--- tz-link.htm	2005/03/14 15:10:57	2005.7
+++ tz-link.htm	2005/03/29 09:06:54	2005.7.0.1
@@ -309,6 +309,9 @@ surveys the evolution of timekeeping.</l
 <li><a href="http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/">About Daylight
 Saving Time - History, rationale, laws &amp; dates</a>
 is an overall history of <abbr>DST</abbr>.</li>
+<li><a href="http://www.seizethedaylight.com/dst/">Who Knew? A Brief
+History of Daylight Saving Time</a> summarizes some of the contentious
+history of <abbr>DST</abbr>.</li>
 <li><a href="http://toi.iriti.cnr.it/">The
 Time of Internet</a>
 describes time zones and daylight saving time,
===================================================================
RCS file: RCS/antarctica,v
retrieving revision 2003.1
retrieving revision 2003.1.0.1
diff -pu -r2003.1 -r2003.1.0.1
--- antarctica	2003/03/24 14:30:04	2003.1
+++ antarctica	2005/03/29 09:06:54	2003.1.0.1
@@ -90,19 +90,19 @@ Zone Antarctica/Mawson	0	-	zzz	1954 Feb 
 # </a>
 
 # Brazil - year-round base
-# Ferraz, King George Island, since 1983/4
+# Comandante Ferraz, King George Island, -6205+05824, since 1983/4
 
 # Chile - year-round bases and towns
 # Escudero, South Shetland Is, -621157-0585735, since 1994
-# Frei, King George Island, -6214-05848, since 1969-03-07
-# O'Higgins, Antarctic Peninsula, -6319-05704, since 1948-02
-# Prat, -6230-05941
-# Villa Las Estrellas (a town), King George Island, since 1984-04-09
+# Presidente Eduadro Frei, King George Island, -6214-05848, since 1969-03-07
+# General Bernardo O'Higgins, Antarctic Peninsula, -6319-05704, since 1948-02
+# Capitan Arturo Prat, -6230-05941
+# Villa Las Estrellas (a town), around the Frei base, since 1984-04-09
 # These locations have always used Santiago time; use TZ='America/Santiago'.
 
 # China - year-round bases
-# Great Wall, King George Island, since 1985-02-20
-# Zhongshan, Larsemann Hills, Prydz Bay, since 1989-02-26
+# Great Wall, King George Island, -6213-05858, since 1985-02-20
+# Zhongshan, Larsemann Hills, Prydz Bay, -6922+07623, since 1989-02-26
 
 # France - year-round bases
 #
@@ -145,14 +145,14 @@ Zone Antarctica/DumontDUrville 0 -	zzz	1
 
 
 # Germany - year-round base
-# Georg von Neumayer
+# Georg von Neumayer, -7039-00815
 
 # India - year-round base
-# Dakshin Gangotri
+# Dakshin Gangotri, -7005+01200
 
 # Japan - year-round bases
-# Dome Fuji
-# Syowa
+# Dome Fuji, -7719+03942
+# Syowa, -690022+0393524
 #
 # From Hideyuki Suzuki (1999-02-06):
 # In all Japanese stations, +0300 is used as the standard time.  [See]
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ Zone Antarctica/Syowa	0	-	zzz	1957 Jan 2
 # </a>
 
 # S Korea - year-round base
-# King Sejong, King George Island, since 1988
+# King Sejong, King George Island, -6213-05847, since 1988
 
 # New Zealand - claims
 # Balleny Islands (never inhabited)
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@ Rule	NZAQ	1990	max	-	Mar	Sun>=15	2:00s	0
 # Russia - year-round bases
 # Bellingshausen, King George Island, -621159-0585337, since 1968-02-22
 # Mirny, Davis coast, -6633+09301, since 1956-02
-# Molodezhnaya, Alasheyev Bay, year-round from 1962-02 to 1999-07-01
+# Molodezhnaya, Alasheyev Bay, -6740+04551,
+#	year-round from 1962-02 to 1999-07-01
 # Novolazarevskaya, Queen Maud Land, -7046+01150,
 #	year-round from 1960/61 to 1992
 
@@ -234,8 +235,8 @@ Zone Antarctica/Vostok	0	-	zzz	1957 Dec 
 			6:00	-	VOST	# Vostok time
 
 # S Africa - year-round bases
-# Marion Island
-# Sanae
+# Marion Island, -4653+03752
+# Sanae, -7141-00250
 
 # UK
 #
===================================================================
RCS file: RCS/australasia,v
retrieving revision 2005.6
retrieving revision 2005.6.0.1
diff -pu -r2005.6 -r2005.6.0.1
--- australasia	2005/03/01 13:44:10	2005.6
+++ australasia	2005/03/29 09:06:54	2005.6.0.1
@@ -199,9 +199,11 @@ Zone Pacific/Rarotonga	-10:39:04 -	LMT	1
 			-10:00	Cook	CK%sT
 
 # Cocos
-# From USNO (1989):
+# These islands were ruled by the Ross family from about 1830 to 1978.
+# We don't know when standard time was introduced; for now, we guess 1900.
 # Zone	NAME		GMTOFF	RULES	FORMAT	[UNTIL]
-Zone	Indian/Cocos	6:30	-	CCT	# Cocos Islands Time
+Zone	Indian/Cocos	6:27:40	-	LMT	1900
+			6:30	-	CCT	# Cocos Islands Time
 
 # Fiji
 # Rule	NAME	FROM	TO	TYPE	IN	ON	AT	SAVE	LETTER/S
@@ -381,11 +383,11 @@ Zone Pacific/Pago_Pago	 12:37:12 -	LMT	1
 			-11:00	-	BST	1983 Nov 30	# B=Bering
 			-11:00	-	SST			# S=Samoa
 
-# W Samoa
+# Samoa
 Zone Pacific/Apia	 12:33:04 -	LMT	1879 Jul  5
 			-11:26:56 -	LMT	1911
 			-11:30	-	SAMT	1950		# Samoa Time
-			-11:00	-	WST			# W Samoa Time
+			-11:00	-	WST			# Samoa Time
 
 # Solomon Is
 # excludes Bougainville, for which see Papua New Guinea
@@ -1347,3 +1349,11 @@ Zone	Pacific/Wallis	12:15:20 -	LMT	1901
 # places as late as fourteen hours later than UTC.  And, since the IDL is not
 # an international standard, there are some places on the high seas where the
 # correct date is ambiguous.
+
+# From Paul Eggert, using references suggested by Oscar van Vlijmen
+# (2005-03-20):
+#
+# The American Practical Navigator (2002)
+# <http://pollux.nss.nima.mil/pubs/pubs_j_apn_sections.html?rid=187>
+# talks only about the 180-degree meridian with respect to ships in
+# international waters; it ignores the international date line.
===================================================================
RCS file: RCS/iso3166.tab,v
retrieving revision 2004.2
retrieving revision 2004.2.0.1
diff -pu -r2004.2 -r2004.2.0.1
--- iso3166.tab	2004/07/19 18:32:49	2004.2
+++ iso3166.tab	2005/03/29 09:06:54	2004.2.0.1
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ VI	Virgin Islands (US)
 VN	Vietnam
 VU	Vanuatu
 WF	Wallis & Futuna
-WS	Samoa (Western)
+WS	Samoa (western)
 YE	Yemen
 YT	Mayotte
 ZA	South Africa
===================================================================
RCS file: RCS/etcetera,v
retrieving revision 2001.1
retrieving revision 2001.1.0.1
diff -pu -r2001.1 -r2001.1.0.1
--- etcetera	2001/03/13 17:57:41	2001.1
+++ etcetera	2005/03/29 09:06:54	2001.1.0.1
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 # These entries are mostly present for historical reasons, so that
 # people in areas not otherwise covered by the tz files could "zic -l"
 # to a time zone that was right for their area.  These days, the
-# tz files cover almost all the inhabited world, so there's little
-# need now for the entries that are not on UTC.
+# tz files cover almost all the inhabited world, and the only practical
+# need now for the entries that are not on UTC are for ships at sea
+# that cannot use POSIX TZ settings.
 
 Zone	Etc/GMT		0	-	GMT
 Zone	Etc/UTC		0	-	UTC



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