Distribution of Standard Time Zones Across the Globe

The following chart illustrates the distribution of the 24 standard time zones around the world. Each bar represents a time zone, labeled with its UTC offset, and the height of the bar indicates the approximate number of major countries or regions that primarily use that time zone.

Key observations from the chart:

The most commonly used time zones are UTC+1 and UTC+2, which cover much of Europe and Africa.
UTC-5 (covering eastern North America) and UTC+3 (parts of Eastern Europe, Middle East, and East Africa) are also widely used.
The least used time zones are generally those far from the prime meridian, such as UTC-12, UTC+12, and UTC-11.
There's a noticeable cluster of frequently used time zones around UTC 0, reflecting the concentration of population and countries in Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

It's important to note that this chart simplifies a complex reality. Many countries span multiple time zones, and some regions use offsets that aren't exactly on the hour (like UTC+5:30 or UTC+4:30). Additionally, the use of Daylight Saving Time in many regions means that the effective time zone can change seasonally.

This visualization helps to understand why international coordination can be challenging and why it's crucial to always specify time zones in global communications and scheduling.