Explain Codes LogoExplain Codes Logo

Is there a list of Pytz Timezones?

python
datetime
timezone
pytz
Nikita BarsukovbyNikita Barsukov·Jan 7, 2025
TLDR

Access to a comprehensive list of timezones in Python is made possible through the pytz library. Utilize the attribute pytz.all_timezones like so:

import pytz print(pytz.all_timezones)

This yields an extensive list of recognized timezone strings, a vital resource for managing time zones in Python applications accurately. Use the latest pytz version to benefit from the most recent timezone data.

If you require a more concentrated list concentrating on the most frequently used timezones, the pytz.common_timezones could serve as your quick guide:

print(pytz.common_timezones)

The duet: pytz and datetime

In Python, teaming up the pytz library with the built-in datetime module can give you a robust toolkit for manipulating timezone-aware datetime objects. Let's take a look at how to create a datetime with a timezone and how to interpret it into UTC:

from datetime import datetime import pytz # Create a Tim Burton-style "datetime" that's timezone-aware tz = pytz.timezone('Asia/Tokyo') # Directed by Tokyo dt_with_tz = datetime.now(tz) # Here's "now" in Tokyo # Now, let's dub it into UTC for worldwide release dt_in_utc = dt_with_tz.astimezone(pytz.utc) # UTC, the "Esperanto" of timezones

Relying on pytz for timezones saves you from the horror of dealing with daylight saving time and similarly spooky anomalies in custom solutions.

Laying out timezone nuances and useful tips

Riding the wave of IANA timezones in Python 3.9+

Python version 3.9 rolled in with the zoneinfo module that lets you directly access the IANA timezone database. This new trick goes something like this:

from zoneinfo import ZoneInfo # Let's see everything IANA's got print(ZoneInfo.available_timezones())

When you want to ride with zoneinfo, don't forget your helmet — the tzdata package. Whether zoneinfo can take you for a ride depends on if tzdata is there to keep things smooth across platforms.

Using pytz for historical timezone data

If you're into historical reenactments of timezone adjustments — the kinda thing not handled by zoneinfo, you may be interested in pytz's deep collection of timezone history.

tz = pytz.timezone('Europe/Amsterdam') print(tz._utc_transition_times[-10:])

Important lore for anyone researching on historical events and how the timezones played then.

Time traveling: Visualizing time zone conversions

Here's a visualization of turning 'bob_ross_utc' into a fancy 'bob_ross_local' impression:

utc_now = datetime.now(pytz.utc) # Imagine Bob Ross painting a "happy little timestamp" in UTC local_now = utc_now.astimezone(tz) # Translate it into the "local color palette". print(f"UTC: {utc_now} Artist's Impression in Local Colors: {local_now}")

This UTC-to-local transformation shows the versatility and user-friendly nature of the pytz library.

Visualization

Imagine the Pytz Timezones like they're entries on a global travel brochure:

| Continent/Country | City/Timezone | | ----------------- | ----------------------------------- | | **America** | 🛫 New_York, Los_Angeles, Chicago | | **Europe** | 🛬 London, Paris, Berlin | | **Asia** | 🛫 Tokyo, Hong_Kong, Singapore | | ... | ... |

Each entry, a tryst with a different moment in time!

import pytz for timezone in pytz.all_timezones: print(timezone)

Public Announcement:

**Bon Voyage**: The `pytz` airship departs for all time corners, dig in for a temporal global voyage!

Getting more out of pytz

While pytz dispatches an extensive list and handles complex timezone cases, bear in mind that timezones can shape-shift based on political influences. To keep track of such temporal shapeshifters, keep your pytz library updated.

Remember the spell — 'pip install tzdata' when deploying your applications in environments like Docker containers where the IANA database isn't native.