Countries Spanning Multiple Time Zones
2026-02-03 · 8 min read
Timezone policy is partly geography and partly politics. Some countries use many legal zones, while others keep one national clock for administrative consistency.
Countries with Multiple Time Zones
| Country | Zone Count | Typical UTC Range |
|---|---|---|
| France (including overseas territories) | 12 | UTC-10 to UTC+12 |
| Russia | 11 | UTC+2 to UTC+12 |
| United States | 6 commonly used domestically | UTC-10 to UTC-5 |
| Canada | 6 | UTC-8 to UTC-3:30 |
| Brazil | 4 | UTC-5 to UTC-2 |
| Indonesia | 3 (WIB, WITA, WIT) | UTC+7 to UTC+9 |
| Australia | 3 mainland zones plus local special cases | UTC+8 to UTC+10 |
| Mexico | 4 before the 2022 reform; fewer DST-observing zones after reform | UTC-8 to UTC-5 |
| United Kingdom (with territories) | 1 mainland, multiple overseas offsets | UTC-8 to UTC+6 |
Large Countries with One National Clock
China spans roughly five geographic zone widths but uses one official time (UTC+8). India also uses a single national zone (UTC+5:30), despite recurring policy debate over an eastern second zone.
Takeaway
Timezone count is a governance decision as much as a map decision. Transport, media schedules, and political unity often outweigh strict solar-noon alignment.