Chuuk Time (CHUT)

UTC offset: +10:00
IANA identifier: Pacific/Chuuk
Abbreviation: CHUT
Population: approximately 48,000
DST observed: No

Chuuk Time keeps this state of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) at UTC+10:00 permanently. No DST. The offset is shared with eastern Australia (AEST), Papua New Guinea, and Guam. Chuuk and Yap (the western FSM states) use +10:00, while Pohnpei and Kosrae (eastern FSM) use +11:00, reflecting the country's 2,500 km east-west spread across the Pacific.

Chuuk Lagoon (formerly Truk Lagoon)

The world's premier wreck diving destination. During WWII, Chuuk was Japan's main naval base in the Central Pacific (the "Gibraltar of the Pacific"). In February 1944, the US launched Operation Hailstone, a massive carrier-based air attack that sank approximately 60 Japanese ships and destroyed 275 aircraft over two days.

The wrecks remain on the lagoon floor at depths of 15-60 meters. Fighters, bombers, submarines, tankers, cargo ships, and a submarine all rest in warm, clear water. Coral growth has transformed them into artificial reefs teeming with marine life. Tanks, trucks, ammunition, personal effects, and human remains are still visible inside many wrecks.

About 1,000-2,000 divers visit annually (limited by remote location and sparse infrastructure).

The Lagoon

Chuuk Lagoon is one of the world's largest enclosed lagoons: about 80 km across, ringed by a barrier reef with 15 high volcanic islands and numerous low coral islets inside. The lagoon provided a perfect natural harbor for the Japanese fleet.

Weno

The administrative center (~15,000 people on Weno island). A small, underdeveloped town with a few hotels, the state government offices, an airport (receiving flights from Guam and other FSM states), and basic services. Infrastructure is limited. Power outages are common. Roads are unpaved in many areas.

Economy

• Subsistence fishing and agriculture (taro, breadfruit, coconut)
• Compact of Free Association (COFA) funding from the US (the largest external revenue source)
• Some tourism (primarily wreck diving)
• Government employment
• Remittances from Chuukese living in Guam, Hawaii, and the US mainland

Climate

Tropical oceanic:

• Temperature: 27-31C year-round
• Rainfall: ~3,400 mm annually (one of the wettest places in the Pacific)
• Typhoon risk (though Chuuk is south of the main typhoon track)
• Humidity: extreme

Technical Identifiers

• Pacific/Chuuk (IANA canonical, formerly Pacific/Truk)
• CHUT (Chuuk Time)
• Windows: "West Pacific Standard Time"
• Same offset as: AEST (Australia), PNG, Guam
• No DST

Quick Reference