10 interesting facts about time zones
Interesting fact 1. Step 3.5 hours long
Where: Afghan-Chinese border
Crossing this border, the clock needs to be transferred immediately to 3.5 hours ahead. There is no more place in the world where one step would take so much time.
Interesting fact 2. Sunsets are here at midnight.
Where: China
China is one of the longest countries in the world: 5700 km from west to east. Before the 1949 revolution, the state was divided into five time zones. But the Great Pilot decided that it smacks of separatism, and introduced a single time in the whole huge country — Peking. Therefore, for example, in Tibet, the sunsets are “late” by five o’clock: the sun sets at midnight.
Interesting fact 3. Land of the Rising Sun
Where: Far East
It is believed that the Japanese are the first to meet the dawn of the new day on Earth – that is why Japan is called the Land of the Rising Sun. And absolutely nothing. In the city of Vladivostok (Russian Primorye), GMT turns one hour earlier than in Tokyo.
Interesting fact 4. Winding time
Where: Himalayas
The Himalayan mountain range is considered to be mystical for good reason. Not only the enlightened sages and philosophers, but also ordinary geographers, adhere to this point of view. Himalayas cross several countries with different times. As a result, the traveler, who decided to go all 1000 km along this ridge, will have to change the clock six times: on the Indo-Nepalese border – 15 minutes ahead, on the Nepalo-Indian – 15 minutes ago, on the Indo-Chinese – 2.5 hours forward, on the Sino-Bhutan – 2 hours ago, on the Butano-Indian – another half an hour ago, and on the Indo-Myanmar one – an hour ahead.
Interesting fact 5. Life without present
Where: Date Change Line
This conditional line runs in the Pacific Ocean along the 180th meridian. Crossing the LDD from west to east, you can go back 24 hours ago – to “yesterday,” and when moving from east to west, get a day ahead — to “tomorrow.” “Present” is here ephemeral, like nowhere else on the planet.
Interesting fact 6. From Thursday to Wednesday
Where: Ratmanov Islands (Russia) and Kruzenshtern (USA)
These two pieces of land are separated by only four kilometers of the sea. On a conventional motor boat, you can drive this distance in 15-20 minutes. But it was not there. According to Greenwich, the island is separated by exactly 21 hours: if on the island of Ratmanov, suppose it is noon on Thursday, then on the island of Kruzenshtern – three in the afternoon of Wednesday.
Interesting fact 7. Upside down from England
Where: India
India chose five and a half hours of difference with Greenwich. The British know: “If you are in England, turn the clock upside down – you will see what time it is in India.”
Interesting fact 8. Meeting of three belts
Where: Border of Finland, Norway and Russia
In the small village of Rayakoski, which is located on the border of these three states, there are three time zones at once: when it is noon in Russia, 11 in the morning in Finland, and 10 in Norway.
Interesting fact 9. 15-minute independence
Where: Nepal
A small but proud state for many centuries tried to separate from India, which surrounds it from three sides. To emphasize its independence, Nepal at first “separated” from the menacing neighbor with time: the gunners moved 10 minutes ahead. But this was not enough, and in 1986, the arrogant Nepalese monarchy moved away from India for another 5 minutes.
Interesting fact 10. Universal Time
Where: At the North and South Poles
At the North and South Poles, all the meridians converge to a point, and they can not be attributed to any time zone. Therefore, it is assumed that there is universal time (GMT). However, at the American Antarctic station Amundsen – Scott, located exactly at the South Pole, New Zealand time is in effect. so how exactly from there are flights to the station.
