Eastern Time Zone (North America) facts for kids

The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is like a big clock that helps people in the eastern parts of North and South America know what time it is. It's used in many places, including parts of the United States, Canada, and some countries in South America and the Caribbean.

During most of the year, especially in winter, the Eastern Time Zone is called Eastern Standard Time (EST). This means it's five hours behind UTC. UTC is the main time standard that the whole world uses to keep track of time.

In the summer, many places in the Eastern Time Zone switch to Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). This is when they move their clocks forward one hour for Daylight saving time. So, during EDT, it's only four hours behind UTC. This change helps make better use of daylight during the longer summer evenings.

Eastern Time Zone Explained

The Eastern Time Zone helps keep time organized across a large area. It's important for travel, business, and daily life in these regions. When it's 12:00 PM (noon) in the Eastern Time Zone, it's 5:00 PM in London, which uses UTC. When Daylight Saving Time is active, and it's EDT, then 12:00 PM ET would be 4:00 PM in London.

Where is Eastern Time Used?

The Eastern Time Zone covers many different countries and regions. Let's explore where you can find it.

Eastern Time in Canada

In Canada, several provinces and territories use the Eastern Time Zone:

• Ontario (most of the province, except for areas west of Thunder Bay)
• Quebec (most of the province, except for the far eastern Côte-Nord area and the Magdalen Is.)
• East-central Nunavut (this includes parts of the Melville Pen. and most of Ellesmere and Baffin Islands, including Iqaluit; however, Southampton Island in Nunavut does not use Daylight Saving Time)

Eastern Time in the United States

In the United States, many states are fully within the Eastern Time Zone:

• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Georgia
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Vermont
• Virginia
• West Virginia

Some other states use Eastern Time in only parts of their area:

• Almost all of Florida (except for the western border with Alabama)
• Most of Indiana (all areas except the Evansville region and the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois)
• The eastern half of Kentucky
• Most of Michigan (except for four counties that border Wisconsin: Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson, and Menominee)
• The eastern third of Tennessee
• A few towns in eastern Alabama, such as Phenix City and Smiths Station, also observe Eastern Time. They do this because they are very close to Columbus, Georgia, which is in the Eastern Time Zone.

Other Countries Using Eastern Time

Several other countries also use the Eastern Time Zone:

• Mexico - The eastern state of Quintana Roo used EST for a short time in the 1990s.
• Panama
• Jamaica
• Haiti
• Cuba
• The Bahamas
• It's important to note that not all Caribbean countries observe Daylight saving time.

Eastern Time in South America

In South America, this time zone is observed in:

• Colombia
• Ecuador (except for the Galápagos)
• Peru
• Parts of Brazil:
  • The state of Acre
  • The southwestern region of the state of Amazonas

Big Cities in the Eastern Time Zone

Many large and well-known cities are located within the Eastern Time Zone. This means they all share the same time, making it easier for people to communicate and travel between them.

See also

In Spanish: Horario del este de América del Norte para niños