Time is an important factor that divides the world. When we talk about the world and time in a single statement then we can’t miss talking about Time Zone. It is a term used to describe a region where the same standard time is used. There are 24 time zones in this whole world. Understanding the time zones from the perspective of GMT is tough though. Like, a lot of people don’t know what is Caribbean time zone from GMT, nor do they know where is the Caribbean on time zone map. Let’s learn all the fascinating facts about the Caribbean and its time zone in this article.
1. Is Caribbean a Country?
The Caribbean is a part of North America. Several islands and archipelagos stretched across the Caribbean sea come under the Caribbean area. It has about 700 islands but only 28 islands of them are regarded as dependent territories and sovereign states. So, it’s quite clear that the Caribbean isn’t a country but it rather includes several countries and territories under it. The most famous among these islands are the Bahamas, Trinidad, and Tobago, St. Martin, Cayman Islands, Martinique, Guadeloupe, U.S Virgin Islands, etc.
Now we know a great deal of information about the Caribbean but still, there can be a lot of questions looming over your head about the Caribbean, like, some people strongly argue that the Caribbean is a part of the United States. But really, is Caribbean part of United States? Let’s find this in the succeeding para. (See What Country am I in?)
2. Is Caribbean Part of United States?
No, the Caribbean isn’t a part of the United States but it is generally considered a part of North America. The Caribbean consists of more than 7000 islands, 12 dependencies, and 13 independent states. Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands are the most populated US territories in the Caribbean. (See Is Bahamas part of US?)
3. Does the Caribbean Change Time?
The Caribbean has about 7000 islands, 12 dependencies, and 13 independent states. Seeing the vast area it covers, it isn’t wrong to question- Does the Caribbean change time? To define the correct time of a particular place, the 24 hours of the day are further broken down into seconds. The time zones are then created in accordance with each hour of the day. They are laid out vertically like longitudes.
The date and time around the world are regulated by the Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC). Well, during Daylight Saving Time the Caribbean also changes its time. In fact, the Daylight Saving Time of the Caribbean is used by several countries like Cuba, Haiti, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Each nation though has varying beginning and ending times. Like, the Bahamas started Daylight Saving Time on March 12, 2022, at 2:00 AM local time; and will end on November 6, 2022, at 2:00 AM local time. Whereas, Bermuda started Daylight Saving Time on March 13, 2022, at 2:00 AM local time and will end it on November 6, 2022, at 2:00 AM local time. Now that you have understood this current question let’s look at the next question that explains what is Caribbean Time Zone from GMT. (Also learn Why Doesn’t Arizona Observe Daylight Savings Time?)
4. What is Caribbean Time Zone from GMT?
Just now you have learned about the change in Caribbean times and it’s about time that you move forward and also learn the relation between GMT and Caribbean Time Zone. Most of the Caribbean nations use one of two time zones. So, what is Caribbean time zone from GMT? From west to east they are GMT -5 and GMT -4. The areas in the Caribbean using GMT -4 time zone corresponds with the Atlantic Time Zone which is used in Puerto Rico, whereas the areas of the Caribbean using the GMT -5 time zone correspond with the Eastern Standard Time used in Canada and the United States.
These time zones though don’t always result in the same local time due to Daylight Saving Time which is observed in some locations and ignored in others. With this explanation, you have learned what is Caribbean Time Zone from GMT. (See What is Florida Time Zone Right Now?)
5. Where is the Caribbean on Time Zone Map?
While learning what is Caribbean Time Zone from GMT, you must have wondered where is the Caribbean on Time Zone Map. According to the Caribbean Time Zone map, most of the islands and nations in the Caribbean observe the Eastern or Atlantic Time Zones. The regions following Eastern Standard Time use UTC-5 and the regions following Atlantic Standard Time uses UTC-4. (See Are EST And EDT The Same Thing? If Not, What Is The Difference?)
6. What’s the Time Difference Between UK and Caribbean?
Now that you know the answer to what is Caribbean time zone from GMT, it’s time to learn the time difference between the countries. There is a time difference of 6 hours between the UK and the Caribbean. London, United Kingdom is 6 hours ahead of the Caribbean. For example, If the current time and date in the Caribbean are 3:00 AM on Thursday, September 8th, 2022 then the current time and date in the UK will be 9:00 AM on Thursday, September 8th, 2022. (Learn What is the Time Difference between Australia and USA?)
7. How to Convert EST to Caribbean Time?
The Eastern Standard Time is UTC-4:00 hours. There is a 0-time difference between Caribbean time and EST. so, if it is 5 AM in Caribbean time it is also 5 AM EST. (Must read Why Do We Have Different Time Zones?)
8. Can You Convert Caribbean Time to IST?
The Caribbean Standard Time is 10 hours and 30 minutes behind the Indian Standard Time. So, if it’s 12:00 AM (midnight) in the Caribbean it’s 10:30 AM in India. You just need to add 10 hours and 30 min to covert Caribbean Tine into IST. But if you still find these conversions hard, then there are a lot of websites online that efficiently convert Caribbean time into IST. (See What Time is it in Africa Nigeria Right Now?)
9. What Time is Right Now in America?
If you are talking about America as a country, then by law it has 9 time zones. If you also count the 2 inhibited US territories named Baker Island and Howland Island then there are 11 time zones in America. The most generalized time zones used in the USA are Pacific Time (-8:00/-7:00), Mountain Time (UTC -7:00/-6:00), Central Time (UTC -6:00/-5:00), and Eastern Time ( UTC -5:00/-4:00).
Moreover, some regions of the USA observe Daylight Saving Time and some don’t. So, the time all over America is not the same. To know the correct time, you will have to specifically mention the region or state of America you are asking the time for. For example, the current time in Chicago(GMT-5) is 3:27 Am, Denver(GMT-6) is 2:27 AM, Phoenix (GMT-7) is 1:27 AM, etc. They all are part of the USA but have different times. So, never ask vague questions about the current time in the USA rather be specific. (See What is the Instrument used to Measure Time?)
