When people ask “What time is it in Scandinavia?” the answer is not as straightforward as it seems. Strictly speaking, Scandinavia refers only to Norway, Sweden, and Denmark—but in everyday language, many people include the entire Nordic region, stretching from Iceland to Finland and across the North Atlantic to Greenland. Despite their northern latitudes, the Nordic countries span multiple time zones, especially when Greenland enters the picture. Here is a clear, updated guide to all Nordic time zones, including their Daylight Saving Time (DST) rules and exceptions.
🇩🇰 What time is it in Denmark? (including Copenhagen)
Standard Time: CET — Central European Time (UTC+1)
Summer Time: CEST — Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)
🇫🇴 Faroe Islands (self-governing territory of Denmark)
Standard Time: WET — Western European Time (UTC+0)
Summer Time: WEST — Western European Summer Time (UTC+1)
🇬🇱 Greenland (autonomous territory of Denmark)
Greenland spans four time zones:
West Greenland Time: UTC–3 (most populous, incl. Nuuk)
East Greenland Time: UTC–1
Ittoqqortoormiit area: UTC–1
Thule / Pituffik Space Base: UTC–4
Northeast Greenland National Park: UTC+0 (no permanent population)
DST: Most of Greenland observes DST, except Pituffik (UTC–4) and the NE Greenland Station (UTC+0), which do not change clocks.
🇳🇴 What time is it in Norway?
Standard Time: CET — Central European Time (UTC+1)
Summer Time: CEST — Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)
Svalbard & Jan Mayen
Although remote, Svalbard follows the same time as mainland Norway:
UTC+1 / UTC+2 (DST)
Jan Mayen is uninhabited but officially aligned with Norwegian time.
🇸🇪 What time is it in Sweden?
Standard Time: CET — Central European Time (UTC+1)
Summer Time: CEST — Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)
🇫🇮 What time is it in Finland?
Standard Time: EET — Eastern European Time (UTC+2)
Summer Time: EEST — Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+3)
🇦🇽 Åland Islands
This autonomous region follows exactly the same time as mainland Finland.
🇮🇸 What time is it in Iceland?
Time Zone: UTC±0
Daylight Saving: No DST
Iceland stays on UTC all year, making it the most stable Nordic time zone.
So… what time is it in “Scandinavia”?
If by Scandinavia you mean Norway, Sweden, Denmark, then:
Winter: UTC+1
Summer: UTC+2
But if you mean the entire Nordic region, the time could be anywhere between:
👉 UTC−4 (Thule, NW Greenland)
and
👉 UTC+3 (Finland in summer)
—a remarkable 7-hour spread across the northern edge of Europe!
Quick Reference Table
