Time Zone FAQ
Answers to common questions about local time, time zones, UTC, GMT and daylight saving.
What is local time?
Local time is the time used in a specific place according to its time zone and any daylight saving rules.
What is a time zone?
A time zone is a region that uses the same standard time. Many countries use more than one time zone.
What is UTC?
UTC means Coordinated Universal Time. It is the global reference standard used for timekeeping.
What is GMT?
GMT means Greenwich Mean Time. It is historically associated with the time at Greenwich in London.
Does daylight saving change local time?
Yes. In places that observe daylight saving time, clocks move forward or backward during specific parts of the year.
Why do some cities have different dates?
Large time differences can mean one city is already on the next calendar day while another is still on the previous day.