The Earth’s rotation causes different regions to receive either light or darkness. It does not only affect whether a specific place will experience day or night. Time is also affected, meaning one location could be a few hours ahead of other regions. According to the World Atlas, a team of scientists introduced a method of subdividing the world into different time zones.

They have studied the Earth’s movements that led them to create 24 time zones. Since there are places located in between two borders, is it possible that they also experience two time zones?

How Many Time Zones Are There In The World?

As mentioned earlier, there is a total of 24 time zones across the world. But that happens if you consider that every time zone is one hour apart. Since some of the places have 30-45 minute offset, it causes additional time zones. It is essential to know that the time zones were created as being 15 degrees apart. Scientists used this method to denote a one-hour variance in mean solar time.

However, the actual borders drawn on the time zone map coheres to both internal and external boundaries. Every region in the world is measured east or west of the prime meridian. It is theoretically situated in Greenwich, London, United Kingdom.

The prime meridian also serves as the Coordinated Universal Time’s reference mark. It provides one hour for every 15 degrees longitude. If you want to identify the accurate time zone in hours, you need to divide a particular longitude by 15.

Countries With The Most Time Zones

You might be wondering if there are specific places that have two time zones. But before you discover these places, would it be interesting to know the countries with the most time zones?

A country has several time zones if it has many overseas territories. An example of it is France with 12 time zones. For instance, Metropolitan France’s official time is set to GMT+1. However, other time zones in its international territories fall between UTC-10:00.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the law identifies nine standard time zones and two unofficial time zones. The U.S. time zones include Alaska, Atlantic, Hawaii, Mountain, Pacific, and Samoa.

On the other hand, Russia observes 11 time zones, including Kamchatka, Magadan, Moscow, Omsk, Samara, Vladivostok, Yakutsk, and Yekaterinburg. These time zones were defined in 1992 when the nation's territories were being established in the aftermath of the Soviet Union's dissolution.

Places in Two Time Zones

There are many time zones globally, and as stated earlier, there are countries with multiple time zones. Therefore, it is possible to have a place with two time zones considering the geography.

An example of this is the College Corner in Ohio. Back in the days before this town embraced the Eastern Standard Time, people dealt with two time zones. It is because the community is split in half by the Ohio-Indiana line.

People living on the Buckeye side of State Line Street were governed by Eastern Daylight Time. On the other hand, the Hoosier counterparts follow the Eastern Standard Time. Many College Corner businesses and residents on both sides of the line have embraced the Eastern Daylight Time.

It is because the time zone is more convenient for their customers. However, the two time zones in College Corner have created a double standard, resulting in missed appointments and meetings.

Aside from College Corner in Ohio, Cyprus’ capital also experienced two time zones after the northern part decided not to return to Daylight Saving Time. Although there is only a one-hour difference, Turkish Cypriots working in the southern part of the island find challenges in dealing with the time.

Two Time Zones (and More): The Pros and Cons

Some countries have a single time zone, while others have two or more. Having two or more time zones could lead to confusion for people, especially when it comes to time updates. But does having two time zones cause adverse effects? Or are there advantages of having multiple time zones?

The Pros

Here are some of the pros of having multiple time zones:

1. 1. Improve your business customer service.

If you have a business that operates in the United States, you can hire people living in different time zones. This way, you can improve the company's customer service since there would be someone to accommodate the inquiries. The employees don’t need to work overtime or have an uncomfortable schedule since the time zone difference can solve the dilemma.

2. 2. Create opportunities for more people through diversity.

If you are considering hiring people across different time zones, you are not only creating opportunities for them. You are also adding diversity to your staff, where people can learn through the individual’s differences.

3. 3. Get new ideas from a different perspective.

People living in different time zones could have unique cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles. Therefore, you can learn a lot from them and receive fresh ideas to incorporate into your business. As long as there is teamwork, you can grow your business through multi diversity.

The Cons

If multiple time zones bring some advantages, there could also be disadvantages depending on how a situation is handled. Some examples are as follow:

1. 1. There could be miscommunication.

Multi diversity in businesses can also lead to miscommunication. That’s why employees should be more considerate of what they say because one word could mean another to other people. Since communication is vital, it has to be consistent and clear.

2. 2. Teamwork is a must.

In a business where there might be miscommunication, teamwork is a must. Everyone should do their best to communicate effectively and overcome challenges such as communication barriers.

Having two time zones or more makes it challenging for time updates. People living in places where there is a single time zone might find it hard to adapt once they migrate to those locations. Although there are some disadvantages, two time zones or more can also provide benefits, especially to businesses. People should know how to deal with multiple time zones to benefit from time differences.