
Maps & Time
Why Time Zones Zigzag Instead of Following Longitude
Time zones zigzag because civil time is a political and social agreement, not a direct longitude readout.
Longitude offers tidy time-zone strips. Governments, communities, borders, trade, and daylight rules take one look at tidy strips and begin editing. These guides separate solar geometry from civil time and use current databases for current rules, because clocks are physical instruments supervised by legislatures.

Time zones zigzag because civil time is a political and social agreement, not a direct longitude readout.