📘 IAS Prelims 2025 — GS-I | Q.76 | Classroom Explanation
(Geography | Time Zones & Political Geography)

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📌 Question

Q.76)
Consider the following countries:

I. United Kingdom
II. Denmark
III. New Zealand
IV. Australia
V. Brazil

How many of the above countries have more than four time zones?

(a) All the five
(b) Only four
(c) Only three
(d) Only two

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✅ Correct Answer: (c) Only three

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🧑‍🏫 Classroom Explanation

UPSC loves time zones because they combine geography + political control over overseas territories.
The key trick here is not to look only at the mainland, but to include overseas territories and dependencies.

Let us examine country by country.

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🌍 Country-wise Breakdown (Exam-Oriented)

🔹 I. United Kingdom ✅ (> 4 Time Zones)

• Mainland UK: 1 time zone (GMT/BST)
• Overseas territories add multiple zones:
  • Bermuda
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Falkland Islands
  • Pitcairn Islands
• Total: ~9 time zones

📌 UPSC Trap: UK mainland ≠ UK sovereign time span

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🔹 II. Denmark ✅ (> 4 Time Zones)

• Mainland Denmark: 1 time zone (CET)
• Danish Realm includes:
  • Faroe Islands → 1 time zone
  • Greenland → 3 time zones
• Total: 5 time zones

📌 Concept Link: Realm of Denmark (not colonies, but constitutional territories)

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🔹 III. New Zealand ❌ (≤ 4 Time Zones)

• Mainland (North & South Islands): 1 time zone
• Chatham Islands: +45 minutes offset
• Tokelau (dependency): 1 time zone
• Total: 3 time zones

📌 UPSC Trap: Fractional time zones don’t increase count

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🔹 IV. Australia ✅ (> 4 Time Zones)

• Mainland Australia: 3 standard time zones
• Including territories & external islands:
  • Norfolk Island
  • Lord Howe Island
  • Australian Antarctic Territory
• Total: ~9 time zones

📌 Static fact: Australia = federal + continental + external territories

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🔹 V. Brazil ❌ (Exactly 4 Time Zones)

Brazil has 4 standard time zones:

1. Acre Time (ACT)
2. Amazon Time (AMT)
3. Brasília Time (BRT)
4. Fernando de Noronha Time (FNT)

📌 UPSC Precision: “More than four” → Brazil excluded

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🧮 Final Count

Countries with more than four time zones:

• United Kingdom ✅
• Denmark ✅
• Australia ✅

➡️ Total = 3 countries

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🧠 One-Line Memory Hook (Prelims Gold)

“Empires and realms stretch time — continents don’t.”

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📍 GS Mapping

World Time Zones

GS Paper I

Geography

Political Geography

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