title: How to properly format last modified (lastmod) time for xml sitemaps
body: <p>I am creating an app that will automatically update <code>sitemap.xml</code> each time new content is added to, or updated on the site.</p>
  
  <p>According to Google's best practices the <code>&lt;lastmod&gt;&lt;/lastmod&gt;</code> tag should be formatted as follows:</p>
  
  <p><code>&lt;lastmod&gt;2011-06-27T19:34:00+01:00&lt;/lastmod&gt;</code></p>
  
  <p>My question concerns the time formatting itself. I understand the <code>2011-06-27T19:34:00</code> part. What I do not understand is the <code>+01:00</code>, which I am assuming is the <code>+/- UTC</code>. </p>
  
  <p><strong>Is this a correct assumption?</strong> </p>
  
  <p>My Time Zone Table looks like this:</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/RqxA9.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>
  
  <p>So if the site was based in #4 Afghanistan the correct time would be:
  <code>2011-06-27T19:34:00+04:00</code></p>
  
  <p>And if the site was based in #6 Alaska Standard Time the correct time would be: <code>2011-06-27T19:34:00-09:00</code></p>
  
  <p>Is my assumption correct or am I not correctly understanding the <code>+01:00</code>?</p>