<P> The IDL remains on the 180 ° meridian until passing the equator . Two US - owned uninhabited atolls, Howland Island and Baker Island, just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean (and ships at sea between 172.5 ° W and 180 °), have the latest time on Earth (UTC − 12 hours). </P> <P> The IDL circumscribes Kiribati by swinging far to the east, almost reaching the 150 ° W meridian . Kiribati's easternmost islands, the southern Line Islands south of Hawaii, have the most advanced time on Earth, UTC + 14 hours . South of Kiribati, the IDL returns westwards but remains east of 180 °, passing between Samoa and American Samoa . </P> <P> In much of this area, the IDL follows the 165 ° W meridian . Accordingly, Samoa, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu and New Zealand's Kermadec Islands and Chatham Islands are all west of the IDL and have the same date . American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Niue, and French Polynesia are east of the IDL and one day behind . </P> <P> The IDL then bends southwest to return to 180 ° . It follows that meridian until reaching Antarctica, which has multiple time zones . Conventionally, the IDL is not drawn into Antarctica on most maps . (See § Cartographic practice and convention below .) </P>

Where do the international date line and equator cross