Government > Capital city > Note: Countries Compared
DEFINITION:
This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
| COUNTRY | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Australia | Australia is divided into three time zones |
| Benin | Cotonou (seat of government) |
| Bolivia | Sucre (constitutional capital) |
| Brazil | Brazil is divided into four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands |
| Burma | Nay Pyi Taw is administrative capital |
| Canada | Canada is divided into six time zones |
| Chile | Valparaiso is the seat of the national legislature; the Chilean Government announced on 4 March 2010 that the end of DST would be delayed until 4 April 2010 providing respite to those affected by the 8.8 magnitude earthquake of February 2010 |
| China | despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone |
| Cote d'Ivoire | although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan |
| Denmark | applies to continental Denmark only, not to its North Atlantic components |
| European Union | the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, Belgium; the European Parliament meets in Brussels and Strasbourg, France; the Court of Justice of the European Union meets in Luxembourg |
| France | applies to metropolitan France only, not to its overseas departments, collectivities, or territories |
| Greenland | Greenland is divided into four time zones |
| Indonesia | Indonesia is divided into three time zones |
| Israel | Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv |
| Kazakhstan | Kazakhstan is divided into two time zones |
| Malaysia | Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur |
| Mexico | Mexico is divided into three time zones |
| Moldova | pronounced kee-shee-now |
| Montserrat | Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat |
| Netherlands | The Hague is the seat of government; time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, not to the Caribbean components |
| New Zealand | New Zealand is divided into two time zones, including Chatham Island |
| Russia | Russia is divided into 11 time zones |
| South Africa | Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital) |
| Spain | Spain is divided into two time zones including the Canary Islands |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) |
| Swaziland | Lobamba (royal and legislative capital) |
| Tanzania | legislative offices have been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets there on a regular basis |
| Tuvalu | administrative offices are located in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet |
| Ukraine | pronounced KAY-yiv |
| United Kingdom | applies to the United Kingdom proper, not to its overseas dependencies or territories |
| United States | the 50 United States cover six time zones |
