Which country, including all of its overseas territories, covers the most time zones in the world?

The country that covers the most time zones in the world, when including all of its overseas territories, is France. While many people assume that large nations like Russia or the United States would hold this distinction, it is actually France’s wide network of territories scattered across the globe that gives it this unique position. France spans 12 time zones, making it the country with the greatest time zone spread on Earth.

This extensive time zone coverage is mainly due to France’s overseas departments and territories, which are located far beyond mainland Europe. These territories include regions in the Caribbean, South America, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and even remote islands across the globe. Some well-known examples are French Guiana in South America, Réunion in the Indian Ocean, New Caledonia and French Polynesia in the Pacific, along with islands such as Wallis and Futuna. Each territory follows a time zone that aligns with its geographical placement, resulting in a wide global distribution.

Mainland France itself uses Central European Time, but when you include all its territories, France’s time zones range from UTC−10 to UTC+12, which is unmatched by any other country. This global presence reflects France’s long colonial history and its continued political, cultural, and administrative connections with its territories.