Editing 12-hour clock (section)

===Use by country===
{{Main|Date and time representation by country}}
[[File:Westclox Big Ben.jpg|thumb|right|Typical [[Clock#Analog|analogue 12-hour clock]]]]
[[File:12 24 Hours World Map.svg|thumb|World map showing the usage of 12 or 24-hour clock in different countries{{legend|#f0027f|24-hour}}{{legend|#990052|24-hour (12-hour orally)}}{{legend|#7fc97f|Both in common use}}{{legend|#386cb0|12-hour (except in special circumstances such as [[aviation]])}}]]
In several countries the 12-hour clock is the dominant written and spoken system of time, predominantly in nations that were part of the former British Empire, for example, the [[United Kingdom]], [[Republic of Ireland]], the [[United States]], [[Canada]] ([[Date and time notation in Canada#Time notation in French|excluding Quebec]]), [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[South Africa]], [[India]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Bangladesh]], and others follow this convention as well, such as [[Mexico]] and the former American colony of the [[Philippines]]. Even in those countries where the 12-hour clock is predominant, there are frequently contexts (such as science, medicine, the military or transport) in which the 24-hour clock is preferred. In most countries, however, the [[24-hour clock]] is the standard system used, especially in writing. Some nations in Europe and Latin America use a combination of the two, preferring the 12-hour system in colloquial speech but using the 24-hour system in written form and in formal contexts.

The 12-hour clock in speech often uses phrases such as'' ...&nbsp;in the morning'','' ...&nbsp;in the afternoon'','' ...&nbsp;in the evening'', and ''...&nbsp;at night''. ''Rider's British Merlin'' almanac for 1795 and a similar almanac for 1773 published in London used them.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4881611|title=National Library of Australia catalogue entry for ''Rider's British merlin: for the year of Our Lord God 1795''|year=1795 |publisher=Printed for the Company of Stationers, and sold by R. Horsfield, at Stationers-hall, near Ludgate-street |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522172644/http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4881611|archive-date=22 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Other than in English-speaking countries and some Spanish-speaking countries, the terms ''a.m.'' and ''p.m.'' are seldom used and often unknown.{{efn-lg|name=Other}}