Time zones - that's why they exist

In Germany it is still early in the morning - on the other hand half of the day is over in Bali, because the people there live in a different time zone than we do. Here we explain why there are time zones at all.

That is why there are time zones

Especially people who travel a lot or work internationally must always keep the time zones in mind. Some may find the different times in the world confusing and annoying, but there are time zones for a reason.

• The reason for the existence of time zones is the sun.
• Since it moves continuously from east to west every day, the midday sun, for example, is at a different time at each location. Earlier in the east, later in the west.
• Without time zones, it would be midnight in Munich, for example, while it would only be around 11:40 p.m. in Stuttgart. This difference may not be big yet, but it would extend further east and west in different directions.
• So that there is not a different time in each location, coordinated universal time (UTC) was introduced.
• The starting point is the so-called prime meridian, which is located in Greenwich (London). From there, the earth is divided into 24 time zones, each 15 degrees long.
• Thus, the shift per time zone is about 1 hour plus or minus.
• It is later in the east and earlier in the west.

Our continent Europe is also divided into different time zones. In the next post we will explain which time zones exist in Europe.