What Time Is It in Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island nation with a unique relationship to the United States made possible through a special governing act passed in 1952. This shared relationship gives the island access to the same level of American infrastructure, including the same time zone. That said, many residents of the island consider themselves to be Puerto Rican first and foremost, so it is important to understand the time zone that Puerto Rico uses.

How Does Time in Puerto Rico Differ from the United States?

Puerto Rico’s time zone is known as Atlantic Standard Time (AST). This time zone is the same as the US Eastern Standard Time (EST), which is used in the US East Coast states. This means that Puerto Rico has the same hour and minutes as the US East Coast states. However, unlike the US, Puerto Ricans do not observe daylight savings time; this is due to its geographic location and the inherent seasonal differences between the island and the continental US. As a result, Puerto Rico’s hour and minutes remain constant all year round.

What Are the Benefits of Following EST?

One of the motivations for Puerto Rico to follow EST is so that it can better partake in American life and the American economy. This means that businesses and professionals can collaborate seamlessly with the US mainland, ensuring a smoothly running economy for everyone. Additionally, the EST time zone makes it easier for the many tourists who visit Puerto Rico from the US to have an easier time adjusting to the new time zone, as their regular time zone and Puerto Rico’s time zone are the same.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Puerto Rico follows the same time zone as the US Eastern seaboard states, Atlantic Standard Time (AST). This time zone is the same as the US Eastern Standard Time (EST) zone, and does not observe daylight savings time, unlike the US. This shared time zone allows for easy collaboration between the US mainland and Puerto Rico, and makes the island easy to access and explore for travelers who are already accustomed to the US East Coast time.