members of this list may be interested in the following extract from a recent newsletter that I sent out: <snip> TIME ZONES I have now included canonical time zone names in the Global Gazetteer. The canonical name (e.g. America/New_York) is then the key to time zone offset from GMT, and also the daylight saving time rules (date and time on and off), using the tztab format. There are still some gaps, most notably where the rule for assigning the name cuts across established administrative boundaries and also where I do not yet know the province and/or lower administrative areas within which the place falls. I am currently carrying out research to resolve these problems, but about 90% of records (including 'trains and boats and planes') now have canonical names assigned. Changes to zones and DST are regularly monitored and the records updated. There is a short paper on the web site that explains this in a bit more detail, describes all the various fields that are available, and explains the tztab format for DST rules. Other formats can be output if required. <end snip> I am not attempting to hold the wealth of historical data that the tz database holds. I am only interested in the current and future situation. There are two major problems that I am tackling: 1. the rather generic descriptions that are sometimes used in the tz data and trying to match these to my hierarchy of country/province/lower level admin area/town. For example 'far western Texas' or 'eastern Lugansk'. I am trying to clarify these where possible and will report back, if I find any useful information. 2. Completing the data that is in the Global Gazetteer, so that I can use the tz rules. This especially applies to countries such as Indonesia where many places do not yet have province name assigned, or in trying to find out which settlements fall within the county of Yancowinna in Australia Best wishes Alan Pritchard The GLOBAL GAZETTEER: the world on file http://www.allm-geodata.com Tel: +44 (0) 1202 417 477