Why do we have time zones? - Info sheet

Time zones are a crucial aspect of our global time-keeping system, designed to accommodate the Earth's rotation on its axis. As the Earth turns, different parts of its surface move into and out of sunlight, creating the cycle of day and night that varies across the planet. To manage this, the world is segmented into 24 time zones, each representing one hour of the day. This division allows regions experiencing daylight to have daytime hours while others in darkness have night-time hours on their clocks.

The vast expanse of larger countries like Russia and the USA necessitates multiple time zones to reflect the true local time across their territories. Smaller countries, however, typically stick to a single time zone for simplicity, even if they straddle different longitudinal meridians. Understanding time zones is furthered by educational resources such as the BBC Bitesize video on the Sun's influence on day and night, which can provide a visual and explanatory guide to how and why we experience time differently around the world. Maps, in conjunction with time zones, help us navigate not only physical spaces but also temporal ones, ensuring we can coordinate and communicate effectively across the globe.