Eastern Time Zone

Eastern Time Zone is a time zone that covers the eastern part of the United States, parts of Eastern Canada, and certain Caribbean countries. It is one of the four time zones used in the contiguous United States. The Eastern Time Zone is divided into two areas: Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Overview

The Eastern Time Zone is the area that is covered by Eastern Standard Time (EST) during the winter months and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) during the summer months when Daylight Saving Time is in effect. The Eastern Time Zone is four hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC−5 during standard time, and UTC−4 during daylight saving time).

Geographic Coverage

The Eastern Time Zone covers the eastern part of the United States, including cities such as New York City, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. It also covers parts of eastern Canada, including cities like Toronto and Montreal. Certain Caribbean countries, such as the Bahamas and Haiti, also observe Eastern Time.

Daylight Saving Time

In regions that observe Daylight Saving Time, clocks are set forward by one hour on the second Sunday in March and set back by one hour on the first Sunday in November. This is done to extend evening daylight during the warmer part of the year.

Impact

The Eastern Time Zone is of significant importance due to its coverage of the densely populated eastern seaboard, including major economic and political centers such as New York City and Washington, D.C. Many national live broadcasts in the U.S., such as news programs and sports events, are scheduled according to Eastern Time.

See Also

• Time zone
• Central Time Zone
• Mountain Time Zone
• Pacific Time Zone