diff --git a/src/pytz/__init__.py b/src/pytz/__init__.py
index 5c05066..2eb8066 100644
--- a/src/pytz/__init__.py
+++ b/src/pytz/__init__.py
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@ See the datetime section of the Python Library Reference for information
 on how to use these modules.
 '''
 
-import sys
+import collections
 import datetime
 import os.path
+import re
+import sys
 
 from pytz.exceptions import AmbiguousTimeError
 from pytz.exceptions import InvalidTimeError
@@ -297,6 +299,52 @@ def _p(*args):
 _p.__safe_for_unpickling__ = True
 
 
+def _zone_tab():
+    zonetype = collections.namedtuple('Zone', ('code', 'coordinates', 'zone', 'comment'))
+    with open_resource('zone.tab') as fobj:
+        for line in fobj:
+            line = line.decode('UTF-8')
+            if line.startswith('#'):
+                continue
+            pieces = line.split(None, 4)
+            code, coordinates, zone = pieces[:3]
+            comment = len(pieces) == 4 and pieces[3] or ''
+            if zone not in all_timezones_set:
+                continue
+
+            coordinates = _parse_iso6709(coordinates)
+            if not coordinates:
+                continue
+            lat, lon = coordinates
+
+            yield zonetype(code, (lat, lon), zone, comment)
+
+
+zone_tab = LazyList(_zone_tab())
+
+
+def _parse_iso6709(iso6709):
+    match = re.match('^([-+][0-9]+)([-+][0-9]+)$', iso6709)
+    if not match:
+        return
+    return map(_parse_iso6709_coord, match.groups())
+
+
+def _parse_iso6709_coord(coord):
+    if len(coord) % 2:
+        deg = float(coord[:3])
+        coord = coord[3:]
+    else:
+        deg = float(coord[:4])
+        coord = coord[4:]
+    div = 60
+    while coord:
+        deg += float(coord[:2]) / div
+        div *= 60
+        coord = coord[2:]
+    return deg
+
+
 class _CountryTimezoneDict(LazyDict):
     """Map ISO 3166 country code to a list of timezone names commonly used
     in that country.
@@ -334,23 +382,10 @@ class _CountryTimezoneDict(LazyDict):
         return self[iso3166_code]
 
     def _fill(self):
-        data = {}
-        zone_tab = open_resource('zone.tab')
-        try:
-            for line in zone_tab:
-                line = line.decode('UTF-8')
-                if line.startswith('#'):
-                    continue
-                code, coordinates, zone = line.split(None, 4)[:3]
-                if zone not in all_timezones_set:  # noqa
-                    continue
-                try:
-                    data[code].append(zone)
-                except KeyError:
-                    data[code] = [zone]
-            self.data = data
-        finally:
-            zone_tab.close()
+        data = collections.defaultdict(list)
+        for code, _, zone, _ in zone_tab:
+            data[code].append(zone)
+        self.data = data
 
 
 country_timezones = _CountryTimezoneDict()