How many time zones are there in the world?

37 different UTC offsets are in use right now, from UTC−11:00 to UTC+14:00. The tz database, which computers use, tracks several hundred named zones because many places with the same offset have different clock histories.

Why are there more than 24 time zones?

Countries set their own clocks. Some sit 30 or 45 minutes off the hour (11 such offsets today), and Pacific nations near the date line run as far ahead as UTC+14:00 to share a calendar day with Australia and Asia.

Which country has the most time zones?

Counting overseas territories, Russia spans the most UTC offsets: 11.

How many time zones are there?

Right now the world uses 37 different UTC offsets, from UTC−11:00 to UTC+14:00.

Last updated 5 November 2026

If the Earth were split evenly, there would be 24 time zones, one for each hour, each 15 degrees of longitude wide. Real clocks follow borders and politics instead. Today 37 offsets are in use, and the tz database that phones and computers rely on lists several hundred named zones for 247 countries and territories.

Why the answer is not 24

Offsets past 12 hours. Kiribati and Samoa sit east of the date line, so their clocks run up to UTC+14:00.
Half and quarter hours. 11 offsets in use today are not whole hours: UTC−09:30, UTC−03:30, UTC+03:30, UTC+04:30, UTC+05:30, UTC+05:45, UTC+06:30, UTC+08:45, UTC+09:30, UTC+10:30, UTC+13:45.
Daylight saving. Many places move an hour forward for part of the year, so the count changes with the seasons.
One clock for a wide country. China spans about four hours of longitude but uses a single time, UTC+08:00.

Countries with the most time zones

Country	UTC offsets in use
Russia	11
Antarctica	8
Australia	6
Canada	6
United States	6
Brazil	4

Counts use the tz database’s zones for each country code; territories with their own code, such as French Polynesia or Greenland, are counted on their own. See every country on the time zones by country page, or explore the live world time zone map.

Questions

How many time zones are there in the world?: 37 different UTC offsets are in use right now, from UTC−11:00 to UTC+14:00. The tz database, which computers use, tracks several hundred named zones because many places with the same offset have different clock histories.
Why are there more than 24 time zones?: Countries set their own clocks. Some sit 30 or 45 minutes off the hour (11 such offsets today), and Pacific nations near the date line run as far ahead as UTC+14:00 to share a calendar day with Australia and Asia.
Which country has the most time zones?: Counting overseas territories, Russia spans the most UTC offsets: 11.