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The dramatic story of 41 delegates from 25 nations who changed global timekeeping forever
The 1884 International Meridian Conference was the most important gathering in timekeeping history. Held in Washington D.C. from October 1 to October 22, 1884, this conference brought together 41 delegates representing 25 countries to solve a critical problem: the world needed a single prime meridian to standardize global navigation and time.
The question wasn't whether the world needed a prime meridian—it was which meridian to choose. Before 1884, different countries used different starting points for longitude, creating chaos for international navigation and communication.
Greenwich had several advantages:
President Chester A. Arthur issued invitations to the International Meridian Conference October 1884, and the response showed global interest in solving the meridian problem:
France's Alternative Proposal: French delegates, led by astronomer M. Janssen, strongly opposed Greenwich. They argued for either:
French delegates argued that choosing Greenwich gave Britain unfair prominence in global timekeeping. This opposition created the conference's most heated debates.
October 13, 1884
| Vote | Countries | Count |
|---|---|---|
| YES | USA, Britain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Japan, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Hawaii, Liberia, Mexico, Paraguay, Salvador | 22 |
| NO | None | 0 |
| ABSTAIN | France, Brazil | 2 |
| ABSENT | Russia | 1 |
Result: Greenwich Meridian adopted as universal prime meridian
The 25 nations Greenwich time conference established seven key resolutions that still govern global timekeeping today:
The International Meridian Conference 1884 results didn't immediately change daily life, but they set the foundation for modern global coordination:
Every time you check London time, schedule an international call, or coordinate with GMT, you're using the system established by the 1884 International Meridian Conference explained above. The delegates' decision to choose Greenwich over Paris or other locations created the time standard that governs:
Who decided on Greenwich Mean Time?
The 41 delegates from 25 nations at the 1884 International Meridian Conference in Washington, D.C., voted 22-0 (with 2 abstentions) to adopt the Greenwich meridian as the world's prime meridian.
Why did France abstain from the 1884 vote?
France abstained because they wanted the Paris Observatory meridian chosen instead of Greenwich. French delegates argued that selecting Greenwich gave Britain unfair international prominence.
What would have happened if Paris had been chosen in 1884?
If the Paris meridian had been selected, France would be the world's time center today instead of London. All global time coordination would reference Paris time rather than Greenwich Mean Time.
How long did the 1884 International Meridian Conference last?
The conference ran for 22 days, from October 1 to October 22, 1884, with multiple sessions debating technical and political aspects of meridian selection.