A little over 20 countries have more than one time zone. The leader depends on how you count: France has 12 zones (13 if you include its claim in Antarctica) thanks to its overseas territories, while Russia has 11 on one continuous landmass. Brazil has 4, from UTC−2 to UTC−5.
Main countries with several time zones
The table shows the most-cited countries, with the UTC range in standard time (no daylight saving) and the gap to Brasília, which sits at UTC−3 all year.
| Country | Zones | UTC (standard time) | Gap to Brasília |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 12 (13 with Antarctica) | −10 to +12 (overseas) | depends on the territory |
| Russia | 11 | +2 to +12 | 5 h to 15 h ahead |
| United States | 6 in the 50 states; 9 to 11 with territories | −10 to −5 (states) | 7 h to 2 h behind |
| Canada | 6 | −8 to −3:30 | 5 h to 0:30 behind |
| Australia | 3 official on the mainland, plus Eucla and Lord Howe | +8 to +10:30 | 11 h to 13:30 ahead |
| Brazil | 4 | −5 to −2 | 2 h behind to 1 h ahead |
| Mexico | 4 | −8 to −5 | 5 h to 2 h behind |
| Indonesia | 3 | +7 to +9 | 10 h to 12 h ahead |
| Chile | 3 (mainland, Magallanes and Easter Island) | −6 to −3 | 3 h behind to equal |
| Kiribati | 3 | +12 to +14 | 15 h to 17 h ahead |
Zone counts differ between sources because each one counts differently. The UTC ranges and gaps above were calculated from the IANA time zone database.
How to count zones: contiguous land or overseas territories?
France only beats Russia if you add distant islands such as French Polynesia (UTC−10) and Wallis and Futuna (UTC+12). Russia has 11 zones on contiguous territory, from Kaliningrad (UTC+2) to Kamchatka (UTC+12). The US count shifts too: the 50 states make up 6 zones, but territories such as American Samoa and Guam raise the total.
So when you compare lists, always check whether they include territories, remote islands and regions that use an informal local time.
Brazil has 4 time zones
- UTC−2: Fernando de Noronha and other oceanic islands
- UTC−3 (Brasília): most states, including the coast and the Federal District
- UTC−4: most of Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rondônia and Roraima
- UTC−5: Acre and southwestern Amazonas
Brazil has not used daylight saving time since 2019, so these gaps are fixed all year. See each state on the time by state page.
Curious cases beyond the giants
- Kiribati: the Line Islands (UTC+14) are among the first places to see a new day begin.
- Portugal: the Azores run 1 hour behind Lisbon.
- Spain: the Canary Islands are 1 hour behind the Peninsula.
- Ecuador: the Galápagos are 1 hour behind the mainland.
- New Zealand: the Chatham Islands use UTC+12:45, a fractional offset.
- DR Congo: the east and the west differ by 1 hour.
Countries that stopped having several zones
Kazakhstan unified the country on UTC+5 on 1 March 2024; before that it used two zones. China, although wide enough for about five zones, officially uses just one, UTC+8, even though many people in Xinjiang follow an informal local time of UTC+6.
Using this in practice
When someone says "I'm in Russia" or "I live in the US", you still need to know which zone. Ask for the city and convert it with the time zone converter. To watch several clocks at once, use the world time page or the time by country list. To check the gap for one country, open the time difference page.
Remember that northern-hemisphere daylight saving time shrinks the gap to Brasília by 1 hour for part of the year. To understand the basics, read about time zones and UTC time. The full list, with live clocks, is on the countries with multiple time zones page.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the most time zones?
France, with 12 zones (13 counting Antarctica), because of its overseas territories. On contiguous land it is Russia, with 11.
How many time zones does Brazil have?
Four: UTC−2, UTC−3, UTC−4 and UTC−5.
Does China have several time zones?
Officially no: the whole country uses UTC+8, Beijing time.
Does Kazakhstan still have two zones?
No. Since 1 March 2024 the whole country uses UTC+5.
How many time zones does the US have?
Six in the 50 states. Counting territories, the figure ranges from 9 to 11 depending on the source.
Summary
About two dozen countries have more than one zone. France (12 to 13) and Russia (11) lead, followed by the US, Canada, Australia, Brazil and Mexico. When you schedule with these countries, always confirm the city and convert from it, remembering that the gap to Brasília changes with daylight saving time.