France has the most time zones. Despite the fact that the area of this country is almost 26 times smaller than that of Russia, it is in this republic that there are 12 time zones. In Russia, there are only 11. & nbsp; In the USA & mdash; also 11 time zones, then comes & nbsp; Australia & mdash; 9, UK & mdash; 8 and Canada & mdash; 6 time zones.
What is a time zone? & Nbsp;
Back in the 19th century & nbsp; The International Astronomical Congress introduced such a concept as a zone hour. & Nbsp; Scientists conditionally divided the surface of our planet into 24 time zones & mdash; by the number of revolutions that the Earth makes around its axis. The time in each zone & nbsp; differs from the neighboring one by only an hour. & Nbsp;
Starting point from & nbsp; XX & nbsp; century & mdash; the zero reference meridian (it is located about 102 km from the Greenwich meridian, which has been used in calculations since 1884). When moving from it to the east, the time increases (up to UTC +14). When driving west & mdash; decreases (to UTC -12). & nbsp; For example, if in London, which is located on the prime meridian & mdash; 17.00 (UTC 0), to the west, in Cape Verde, & nbsp; will be 16.00 (UTC -1), east of London, in Paris & mdash; 18.00 (UTC + 1), and in Moscow the clock will show & nbsp; 20.00 (UTC + 3).
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) & mdash; it is the world standard by which time is now regulated. The abbreviation UTC has no specific meaning. When it was required to create a universal acronym in 1970, the International Telecommunication Union considered that the English CUT (Coordinated Universal Time) or the French TUC (Temps Universel Coordonne) were not suitable. Therefore, a neutral version of UTS was proposed. & Nbsp;
Note that according to the law & nbsp; “ On the Calculation of Time '', & nbsp; Russia also adopted the national time scale & mdash; MSK, MSK. Moscow time & mdash; this is the time of the time zone in which the capital of the Russian Federation is located. It serves as a reference time when calculating local time in time zones. MSK corresponds to the third time zone UTC +3. 11 & nbsp; time zones, from 1 to 11, correspond by international numbering to time zones from 2 to 12. & Nbsp;
The westernmost point of the Russian Federation & mdash; this is & nbsp; Kaliningrad & nbsp; region. According to Moscow time, it has the first time zone (MSK -1), and according to Coordinated Universal Time, the region is located in the time zone (UTC + 2). The westernmost territories of our country (Kamchatka Territory and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug) are located in the 11 time zone (MSK +9), and according to international standards, in (UTC + 12).
The largest number of Russian regions are located in the second time zone (MSK, UTC + 3). It combines & nbsp; 46 regions and three cities of federal significance (Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sevastopol).
How did it happen that there are 12 time zones in France?
The fact is that the boundaries of time zones run not only strictly along the meridians, but also along the state administrative boundaries, along water resources and even skirting the islands. One time zone can pass through the territory of each country, for example, as in Belarus or Egypt, two & mdash; as in Kazakhstan, in Ukraine, three & nbsp; & mdash; like in Indonesia and so on.
In Paris, as well as throughout the European part of France & mdash; one time zone (UTC + 1). However, do not forget that the French Republic includes several lands (echoes of colonial history), which are scattered across the world map.
According to the portal & nbsp; France.promotour.info, France has five overseas departments: Guadeloupe , Martinique, Guiana, Reunion, Mayotte. Five overseas territories: French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna Islands, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin. And also three territories with a special status: New Caledonia, Clipperton, French Southern and Antarctic Territories.
These lands, mainly consisting of islands, are located in 12 & nbsp; time zones. The westernmost point of the vast French territory & mdash; French Polynesia, located at (UTC -10). And the most eastern & mdash; these are Wallis and Futuna islands at (UTC +12).
List of 12 time zones in France:
- (UTC & minus; 10) & mdash; French Polynesia (Pacific Ocean).
- (UTC & minus; 9:30) & mdash; Marquesas Islands (Pacific Ocean).
- (UTC & minus; 9) & mdash; Gambier Islands (Pacific Ocean).
- (UTC & minus; 8) & mdash; Clipperton Island (Pacific Ocean).
- (UTC & minus; 4) & nbsp; & mdash; Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin (Caribbean).
- (UTC & minus; 3) & mdash; French Guiana (South America), the archipelago of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Atlantic Ocean).
- (UTC + 1) & mdash; France (Europe) and the island of Corsica.
- (UTC + 3) & mdash; Mayotte (Indian Ocean).
- (UTC + 4) & mdash; Reunion (Indian Ocean).
- (UTC + 5) & mdash; Kerguelen Islands, St. Paul's and Amsterdam (Indian Ocean).
- (UTC + 11) & mdash; New Caledonia (Pacific Ocean).
- (UTC + 12) & mdash; Wallis and Futuna (Pacific Ocean).
Is it true that the French think they live in 13 & nbsp; time zones?
If you look at the articles on time and time zones in the French Wikipedia, then it is indicated that there are not 12, but 13 time zones on the territory of the republic (La France a le plus de zones avec 13 zones). The 13th time zone (UTC +10), according to the French, is located on the Land of Adelie, included by France in the & nbsp; composition of its Southern and & nbsp; Antarctic territories.
This small coastal stretch of Antarctica was discovered in 1840 by the French expedition Jules Dumont d'Urville and named after his wife. Naturally, France claimed the rights to this site and still considers it its own. In addition, the French scientific station Dumont d & # 39; Hurville has been operating on Adelie Land since 1956.
Nevertheless, the international community does not recognize France's territorial rights to the Land of Adelie. Since in 1961 the indefinite & nbsp; treaty on Antarctica came into force (it was ratified by 13 states, including France, USSR, USA, Japan, Great Britain, etc.), which froze any territorial claims to the southernmost continent of the planet (not only France presented rights to Antarctic lands). Currently, more than 50 states are parties to the treaty. Antarctica has been declared a nuclear-weapon-free zone for scientific research only. & Nbsp;
Sources of information:
time.is
dayspedia.com/time/zones/utc-about/
bigenc.ru/physics/text/4680475
bigenc.ru/physics/text/2146374
france.promotour.info/ate/index.php
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_des_fuseaux_horaires_par_pays ria.ru/20141130/1035503295.html
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