Daylight Savings Time Around the Globe

Trying to figure out what time it is in different parts of the world can be very confusing. Especially, if it's one of those times during the year when you are on daylight savings time, and the place whose time you're trying to calculate is not. A situation like this happens because different countries make their daylight and standard time changes on many different dates. In fact, there are only a relatively few countries, like most of the European countries, that make these time changes together.

In this article we'll talk about the different daylight savings times around the globe. We'll talk about some unique ways the time changes are implemented and how geography plays a roll in daylight savings time.

DST is Law in the U.S.

In 2005, a law was passed in the United States standardizing the spring and fall time changes. This law, for the first time in history, mandated time changes throughout the country. Before it was passed, there were many places that didn't observe daylight savings time. One of these places was Indianapolis.

Also, some other towns and cities in Indiana stayed on standard time all year. Because of this, a drive through this state during daylight savings time required a lot of clock changing because to further complicate the matter, Indianapolis spans two time zones.

Now, however, Indianapolis will set its clocks ahead on the second Sunday in March and then back again on the first Sunday in November. This is the same as any other place else in the United States. The only exceptions are in Indian territories. They are not governed by the new law.

DST in Australia

There are other countries that still have areas observing DST and areas that don't. Australia is such a country. In the area known as Queensland and another called the Northern Territory, they don't pay any attention to it, but on the mainland, daylight savings time begins on the last Sunday in October and ends on the last Sunday in March.

To we Northern Hemisphere-ians, this seems odd because as our summer is ending; below the equator, their summer is just starting. Therefore, it stands to reason, as our DST ends, theirs will be just beginning or in some cases, has already begun.

DST in the Middle of the Week

Another thing unique about the different time changes around the globe is the fact some countries choose to make them on a date, instead of a weekend. One such country is Egypt. Here, DST starts on May 1st and ends on September 30th. This means the "spring ahead" time changes occur most often on weekdays. So, when this happens, people go to work with one less hour of sleep! I wonder how many people call in sick the years May 1st falls on a Monday?

Though knowing what time it is everywhere in the world is always a monumental task, it is compounded by the different periods in which daylight savings time is observed in different countries. Still, the industrialized world realizes there are many advantages to daylight savings time.

The biggest advantage, which no one seems to argue about, is the fact it saves energy. History tells us the first person to make this observation was Benjamin Franklin. He noted that making use of the later daylight periods of the summer months would save candles.

So, this goes to show us, the idea of DST, as an economic benefit is not new. However, at this time in history when energy is in great demand, turning the clocks ahead one hour in the spring is more important than ever.

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