Timezones

Array of timezone strings in UTC offset format (e.g., "UTC+01:00", "UTC-05:00", "UTC"). Based on IANA Time Zone Database (tz database). Includes all timezones used within the country's territory, including overseas territories and regions observing different offsets. Does not account for Daylight Saving Time adjustments (shows standard time offsets).

Timezone information is critical for travelers scheduling flights, meetings, calls, and understanding local time. Countries with multiple timezones require careful planning for domestic travel. UTC offsets help calculate time differences and avoid missed connections. Daylight Saving Time (DST) practices vary - some countries observe it (USA, EU), others don't (Japan, China, most of Africa), causing offset changes twice annually. Large countries span many zones (Russia 11 zones, USA 6 main zones).

Single timezone: ~120 countries - Small countries: Most European countries, island nations - Large countries with political unity: China (UTC+08:00 nationwide despite spanning 5 geographic zones) - Examples: Japan (UTC+09:00), UK (UTC+00:00), Germany (UTC+01:00), Egypt (UTC+02:00) Multiple timezones: - 2 zones: ~30 countries - Examples: Spain (UTC+00:00 Canary Islands, UTC+01:00 mainland), Portugal (UTC-01:00 Azores, UTC+00:00 mainland) - 3-5 zones: ~15 countries - USA (contiguous): UTC-05:00 Eastern, UTC-06:00 Central, UTC-07:00 Mountain, UTC-08:00 Pacific - Australia: UTC+08:00 Western, UTC+09:30 Central, UTC+10:00 Eastern - 6+ zones: Very large countries - Russia: 11 timezones (UTC+02:00 to UTC+12:00) - USA (all): 9 timezones (including Alaska UTC-09:00, Hawaii UTC-10:00, territories) - France: 12 timezones (most of any country due to overseas territories - UTC-10:00 to UTC+12:00) Unusual offsets (not whole hours): - UTC+05:30: India, Sri Lanka (half-hour offset) - UTC+05:45: Nepal (45-minute offset, unique) - UTC+09:30: Australia Central (South Australia) - UTC+12:45: New Zealand Chatham Islands (45-minute offset) - UTC-03:30: Canada Newfoundland (half-hour offset) Date line crossings: - UTC+14:00: Kiribati (farthest ahead, first to see new year) - UTC-12:00: Baker Island (uninhabited US territory, last to see new year) - UTC+13:00: Samoa, Tonga Daylight Saving Time (DST) adjustments (not shown in UTC offsets): - Northern Hemisphere: March-November (USA, EU, most) - Southern Hemisphere: October-April (Australia, New Zealand, Chile) - No DST: Japan, China, India, most of Africa, Russia (abolished 2014)

Coverage: 217 countries Update frequency: Static (timezone changes rare but occur - Samoa switched from UTC-11 to UTC+13 in 2011, Russia reduced from 11 to 9 zones in 2010, then back to 11 in 2014) Source: REST Countries API (based on IANA tz database) Limitations: UTC offsets shown are standard time only - do not account for Daylight Saving Time shifts. Countries that observe DST will have different offsets for 6-8 months of the year (e.g., USA Eastern is UTC-05:00 standard, UTC-04:00 during DST). Some territories use informal timezones not officially recognized. Political decisions can override geographic timezones (e.g., China uses single timezone despite spanning 5 geographic zones). Antarctica timezones not well-standardized (research stations use various times).