ríkistíð

Ríkistíð is an Icelandic term that translates to "state time" or "public time." It refers to the official time observed in Iceland, which is the same as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Iceland does not observe daylight saving time, meaning its clocks remain consistently on UTC throughout the year. This practice has been in place since 1968. Prior to this, Iceland did observe daylight saving time for a period. The decision to remain on UTC year-round is influenced by factors such as Iceland's high latitude and its geographical location, which is close to the prime meridian. Maintaining a constant time zone simplifies scheduling and communication, particularly for international interactions. The concept of ríkistíð is a straightforward application of a standard time zone, distinguishing Iceland from many other European countries that switch their clocks twice a year.