Although France looks small on a map of Europe, its islands and territories are scattered all over the globe, giving it more time zones than even Russia or the USA!
When people think of "big" countries, they usually think of Russia or the United States. While those countries are giant on land, France holds a unique world record: it spans more time zones than any other nation on Earth.
Mainland France (the part in Europe) only uses one time zone. However, France has many overseas departments and territories located in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and even South America. Because these places are spread so far apart, France officially uses 12 different time zones. During certain times of the year, when some territories use Daylight Saving Time, that number can even go up to 13!
For a long time, people thought Russia had the most because it is so wide. Russia has 11 time zones, all stretched across one continuous piece of land. The United States also has 11 time zones when you include its overseas territories like Hawaii and Guam. But France, with its scattered islands from French Polynesia to Reunion Island, beats them both.
The reason France has so many territories is linked to its history as a global power. Today, places like French Guiana, Martinique, and New Caledonia are all legally part of France. This means that at any given moment, the sun is literally always rising or setting somewhere in "France."
France holds the world record for the most time zones, with a total of 12. This is not because the mainland is large, but because its territories are spread across every ocean on the planet. It is the country where the sun truly never sets!
