If offset
and region
are NA
(the default), then
all time zones are returned. Otherwise,
only time zone identifiers with a given raw offset from GMT
and/or time zones corresponding to a given region are provided.
Note that the effect of daylight savings time is ignored.
A time zone represents an offset applied to the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
to obtain local time (Universal Coordinated Time, or UTC, is similar,
but not precisely identical, to GMT; in ICU the two terms
are used interchangeably since ICU does not concern itself with
either leap seconds or historical behavior).
The offset might vary throughout the year, if daylight savings time (DST)
is used, or might be the same all year long.
Typically, regions closer to the equator do not use DST.
If DST is in use, then specific rules define the point at which
the offset changes and the amount by which it changes.
If DST is observed, then three additional bits of information are needed:
The precise date and time during the year when DST begins.
In the first half of the year it's in the northern hemisphere,
and in the second half of the year it's in the southern hemisphere.
The precise date and time during the year when DST ends.
In the first half of the year it's in the southern hemisphere,
and in the second half of the year it's in the northern hemisphere.
The amount by which the GMT offset changes when DST is in effect.
This is almost always one hour.