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What Is UTC?
The universal time standard that keeps the world in sync
Coordinated Universal Time
UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is the successor to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and serves as the foundation for all civil timekeeping worldwide.
Why It Matters
UTC provides a single reference point for time across the globe. Every timezone is defined as an offset from UTC. For example, Eastern Standard Time (EST) is UTC-5, meaning it is 5 hours behind UTC.
How Time Zones Work
Understanding the system that divides the world into time regions
24 Hours, 360 Degrees
The Earth rotates 360 degrees in 24 hours, so time zones are roughly 15 degrees of longitude wide. Starting from the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, London, each zone adds or subtracts an hour. There are 24 standard time zones, ranging from UTC-12 to UTC+12, though some regions use 30 or 45 minute offsets.
Daylight Saving Time
Many regions observe Daylight Saving Time (DST), shifting clocks forward by one hour in spring and back in autumn. This means a region's UTC offset can change throughout the year. For example, the US Eastern timezone is UTC-5 (EST) in winter and UTC-4 (EDT) in summer.
The International Date Line
The International Date Line runs roughly along the 180th meridian in the Pacific Ocean. Crossing it westward advances the calendar by one day, while crossing eastward moves it back by one day. This ensures the date stays consistent as you travel around the world.