Time zones play a crucial role in keeping the world synchronised, supporting everything from global trade to air travel and even your morning Zoom meetings. But did you know some countries operate across multiple time zones, not just one or two? That’s right—thanks to far-flung territories and vast landmasses, countries like France, Russia, and the United States top the list with the most time zones in the world.
A time zone designates a geographic region that adheres to a consistent standard of time, serving critical legal, commercial, and societal functions. These temporal divisions are established along international borders and their respective subdivisions, prioritising practicality in facilitating communication over adherence to longitudinal lines.
France commands the highest number of time zones worldwide, totalling a remarkable 12 time zones.
Here's a fascinating look at the countries managing the most Time Zones across continents.
List of Countries With Most Time Zones 2025
Time zones are defined by one or two variations from the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and, in the case of the latter, the specific dates when these shifts transpire. The practice of daylight saving time (DST) may cause some regions to oscillate between these offsets throughout the year. The spectrum of UTC offsets encompasses UTC-12:00 to UTC+14:00, typically quantified in full-hour increments, though select time zones deviate by 30 or 45 minutes, as exemplified in India, South Australia, and Nepal.
Regions of extreme latitude are more inclined to adopt DST, typically extending for approximately half of the year, characterized by a one-hour adjustment to local time during the spring and summer months.
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This list will contain countries that have two or more than two time zones. Here is the complete list:
| Countries | No. of time zones | Time zone | |
| 1 | France | 12 | UTC−10:00 — Society Islands, Tuamotus, Austral Islands UTC−09:30 — Marquesas Islands UTC−09:00 — Gambier Islands UTC−08:00 — Clipperton Island UTC−04:00 (AST) — Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin UTC−03:00 (PMST)— French Guiana, Saint Pierre and Miquelon UTC+01:00 (CET) — metropolitan France UTC+03:00 — Mayotte, Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean UTC+04:00 — Réunion, Crozet Islands UTC+05:00 — Kerguelen Islands, Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands UTC+11:00 — New Caledonia UTC+12:00 — Wallis and Futuna |
| 2 | Russia | 11 | UTC+02:00 (Kaliningrad Time) — Kaliningrad Oblast UTC+03:00 (Moscow Time) — Most of European Russia UTC+04:00 (Samara Time) — Astrakhan Oblast, Samara Oblast, Saratov Oblast, Udmurtia, and Ulyanovsk Oblast UTC+05:00 (Yekaterinburg Time) — Bashkortostan, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Khanty–Mansia, Kurgan Oblast, Orenburg Oblast, Perm Krai, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Tyumen Oblast, and Yamalia UTC+06:00 (Omsk Time) — Omsk Oblast UTC+07:00 (Krasnoyarsk Time) — Altai Krai, Altai Republic, Kemerovo Oblast, Khakassia, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Novosibirsk Oblast, Tomsk Oblast, and Tuva UTC+08:00 (Irkutsk Time) — Buryatia and Irkutsk Oblast UTC+09:00 (Yakutsk Time) — Amur Oblast, western Sakha Republic, and Zabaykalsky Krai UTC+10:00 (Vladivostok Time) — Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Khabarovsk Krai, Primorsky Krai, and central Sakha Republic UTC+11:00 (Magadan Time) — Magadan Oblast, eastern Sakha, and Sakhalin Oblast UTC+12:00 (Kamchatka Time) — Chukotka and Kamchatka Krai |
| 3 | United States | 11 | UTC−12:00 (AoE) — Baker Island and Howland Island UTC−11:00 (ST) — American Samoa, Jarvis Island, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll and Palmyra Atoll UTC−10:00 (HT) — Hawaii, most of the Aleutian Islands, and Johnston Atoll UTC−09:00 (AKT) — most of the state of Alaska UTC−08:00 (PT) — Pacific Time zone: the Pacific coast states, the Idaho Panhandle and most of Nevada and Oregon UTC−07:00 (MT) — Mountain Time zone: most of Idaho, part of Oregon, and the Mountain states plus western parts of some adjacent states UTC−06:00 (CT) — Central Time zone: a large area spanning from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes UTC−05:00 (ET) — Eastern Time zone: roughly a triangle covering all the states from the Great Lakes down to Florida and east to the Atlantic coast UTC−04:00 (AST) — Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands UTC+10:00 (ChT) — Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands UTC+12:00 (WAKT) — Wake Island |
| 4 | Antarctica | 9 | UTC−03:00 (ART) — Palmer Station, Rothera Station UTC±00:00 (GMT) — Troll Station UTC+03:00 — Syowa Station UTC+05:00 — Mawson Station UTC+06:00 — Vostok Station UTC+07:00 — Davis Station UTC+10:00 — Dumont-d'Urville Station UTC+11:00 — Casey Station UTC+12:00 — McMurdo Station, Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station |
| 5 | Australia | 9 | UTC+05:00 — Heard and McDonald Islands UTC+06:30 — Cocos (Keeling) Islands UTC+07:00 (CXT) — Christmas Island UTC+08:00 (AWST) — Western Australia, Indian Pacific railway when travelling between Port Augusta, South Australia and Kalgoorlie, Western Australia) UTC+08:45 (CWT) – South Australia (Border Village), Western Australia (Caiguna, Cocklebiddy, Eucla, Madura, Mundrabilla) UTC+09:30 (ACST) — South Australia, Northern Territory, New South Wales (Yancowinna County) UTC+10:00 (AEST) — Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania UTC+10:30 — Lord Howe Island UTC+11:00 (NFT) — Norfolk Island |
| 6 | United Kingdom | 9 | UTC−08:00 — Pitcairn Islands UTC−05:00 — Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands UTC−04:00 (AST) — Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat UTC−03:00 (FKST) — Falkland Islands UTC−02:00 — South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands UTC±00:00 (GMT in winter/BST in summer) — main territory of the United Kingdom, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey UTC+01:00 (CET) — Gibraltar UTC+02:00 (EET) — Akrotiri and Dhekelia UTC+06:00 — British Indian Ocean Territory |
| 7 | Canada | 6 | UTC−08:00 (PT) — larger western part of British Columbia, Tungsten and the associated Cantung Mine in Northwest Territories, Yukon UTC−07:00 (MT) — Alberta, some eastern parts of British Columbia, most of Northwest Territories, Nunavut (west of 102°W and all communities in the Kitikmeot Region), Lloydminster and the surrounding area in Saskatchewan UTC−06:00 (CT)— Manitoba, Nunavut (between 85° West and 102°W except for western Southampton Island), Ontario (Northwestern Ontario west of 90°W with some exceptions and Big Trout Lake area east of 90°W), Saskatchewan except Lloydminster UTC−05:00 (ET) — Nunavut east of 85°W and entire Southampton Island, Ontario east of 90°W (except Big Trout Lake area) plus several more western areas, Quebec (most of the province) UTC−04:00 (AT) — Labrador (all but southeastern tip), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, eastern part of Quebec UTC−03:30 (NT) — Labrador (southeastern), Newfoundland |
| 8 | Denmark | 5 | UTC−04:00 — Pituffik Space Base in Greenland UTC−03:00 — most of Greenland, including inhabited south coast and west coast UTC−01:00 — Ittoqqortoormiit and the surrounding area in Greenland's Tunu county UTC±00:00 — Danmarkshavn weather station and surrounding area in Greenland's Tunu county, Faroe Islands UTC+01:00 (CET) — main territory of Denmark |
| 9 | New Zealand | 5 | UTC−11:00 — Niue UTC−10:00 — Cook Islands UTC+12:00 — main territory of New Zealand UTC+12:45 — Chatham Islands UTC+13:00 — Tokelau |
| 10 | Brazil | 4 | UTC−05:00 (Brasília time −2) — Acre and Southwestern Amazonas UTC−04:00 (Brasília time −1) — Most part of the Amazonas State, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rondônia, Roraima UTC−03:00 (Brasília time) — the Southeast Region, the South Region, the Northeast Region (except some islands), Goiás, Distrito Federal, Tocantins, Pará, Amapá UTC−02:00 (Brasília time +1) — A few islands on the east coast of Brazil (Fernando de Noronha, Trindade and Martim Vaz, Rocas Atoll, Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago) |
| 11 | Mexico | 4 | UTC−08:00 (Zone 4 or Northwest Zone) — the state of Baja California UTC−07:00 (Zone 3 or Pacific Zone) — the states of Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Sonora UTC−06:00 (Zone 2 or Central Zone) — most of Mexico UTC−05:00 (Zone 1 or Southeast Zone) — the state of Quintana Roo |
| 12 | Chile | 3 | UTC−06:00 — Easter Island UTC−04:00 — main territory of Chile UTC−03:00 — Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica |
| 13 | Indonesia | 3 | UTC+07:00 (Western Indonesian Standard Time) — islands of Sumatra, Java, Madura, provinces of Bangka Belitung Islands, Riau Islands, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan UTC+08:00 (Central Indonesian Standard Time) — islands of Sulawesi, Bali, provinces of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan and South Kalimantan UTC+09:00 (Eastern Indonesian Standard Time) — islands of the Maluku Islands and Western New Guinea |
| 14 | Kiribati | 3 | UTC+12:00 — Gilbert Islands UTC+13:00 — Phoenix Islands UTC+14:00 — Line Islands |
| 15 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2 | UTC+01:00 (WAT) — provinces of Équateur, Kinshasa, Kongo Central, Kwango, Kwilu, Mai-Ndombe, Mongala, Nord-Ubangi, Sud-Ubangi and Tshuapa UTC+02:00 (CAT) — provinces of Bas-Uele, Haut-Katanga, Haut-Lomami, Haut-Uele, Kasaï, Kasaï-Central, Kasaï Oriental, Lomami, Lualaba, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Sankuru, Sud-Kivu, Tanganyika, Tshopo and Ituri Interim Administration |
| 16 | Ecuador | 2 | UTC−06:00 (GALT) — Galápagos Province UTC−05:00 (Ecuador Time) — main territory of Ecuador |
| 17 | Federated States of Micronesia | 2 | UTC+10:00 — the states of Chuuk and Yap UTC+11:00 — the states of Kosrae and Pohnpei |
| 18 | Kazakhstan | 2 | UTC+05:00 — western Kazakhstan (Aktobe, Atyrau, Kyzylorda, Mangystau and West Kazakhstan) UTC+06:00 — eastern Kazakhstan |
| 19 | Kingdom of the Netherlands | 2 | UTC−04:00 (AST) — Caribbean municipalities and constituent countries UTC+01:00 (CET) — main territory of the Netherlands |
| 20 | Mongolia | 2 | UTC+07:00 — the provinces of Khovd, Uvs and Bayan-Ölgii UTC+08:00 — most of the country |
| 21 | Papua New Guinea | 2 | UTC+10:00 — most of the country UTC+11:00 — Autonomous Region of Bougainville (Bougainville Standard Time) |
| 22 | Portugal | 2 | UTC−01:00 — Azores UTC±00:00 (WET) — Madeira and the main territory of Portugal |
| 23 | South Africa | 2 | UTC+02:00 (South African Standard Time) — main territory of South Africa UTC+03:00 — Prince Edward Islands |
| 24 | Spain | 2 | UTC±00:00 (WET) — Canary Islands UTC+01:00 (CET) — main territory of Spain |
In practicality, the choice of time zone by a research facility often hinges on territorial assertions or logistical expediency. For instance, McMurdo Station and Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station adhere to New Zealand time to synchronize with their supply hub in Christchurch.
Countries with Maximum Number of Time Zones
1. France
France, the cradle of time zones, reigns supreme with an astonishing 12 unique time zones within its dominion. When accounting for its territorial stake in Antarctica, the tally ascends to an astounding 13. It is worth noting that the majority of France's diverse time zones stem from its overseas territories. Metropolitan France itself adheres to the UTC +01:00 time zone, specifically situated in Central European Time.
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2. Russia
Boasting one of the planet's largest territorial extents, Russia naturally lays claim to numerous time zones. Inclusive of its far-flung overseas territories, Russia encompasses a total of 11 distinct time zones. It should be emphasized that Russia's time zones are primarily a reflection of its mainland expanse, rather than overseas possessions. The lion's share of European Russia observes Moscow Time, aligning with UTC +03:00.
3. The United States
The United States of America, endowed with substantial landmass and overseas holdings, shares the second-place distinction with Russia, both amassing 11 time zones. The United States divides these zones into six stemming from its 50 states and an additional five from its various overseas territories. Within the contiguous United States, four discrete time zones prevail: Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific Time. Although not holding the title for the highest number of time zones globally, the United States indisputably surpasses many other nations in this regard.
4. Antarctica, the United Kingdom, and Australia
In a unique confluence, Antarctica, the United Kingdom, and Australia jointly claim the third-place honour, each boasting a total of nine time zones within their purview. Australia, as a sovereign entity, encompasses four time zones, whereas the United Kingdom properly aligns with a singular time zone. All nine of Antarctica's time zones stem exclusively from its intrinsic demarcation. It is noteworthy that Antarctica lacks any overseas territories.
Conclusion
The distribution of time zones across countries isn’t just about geography—it reflects historical ties, overseas territories, and practical coordination needs. From France’s global reach to Russia’s continental sprawl and the U.S.'s vast holdings, these nations showcase how time is managed across distances. Understanding these time zone variations highlights the complexity of global synchronization and the importance of time in international affairs. As our world becomes more interconnected, managing time efficiently across borders remains as essential as ever.
