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Course: Latitude and Longitude
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Latitude and Longitude

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Lines of Latitude

When we look at at a globe or a map of the world, we may see some lines running from west to east and other lines running from north to south. Can you see these lines on the map below? The lines which run from west to east are known as lines of latitude.

 

Can you see the lines of latitude on the map of the world?

 

What are lines of latitude?

Lines of latitude are imaginary lines which run from west to east on a map or globe. They go all the way around the globe forming large circles. Lines of latitude are parallel to each other. This means that they never meet or touch each other. Some important lines of latitude are listed below.

  • The Equator: One very important line of latitude is the Equator, the zero degree line of latitude. Because it goes around the widest part of the Earth, it is the longest line of latitude. The Equator divides the Earth into the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. All other lines of latitude are measured in degrees north or south of the Equator.
  • The Tropic of Cancer: This line of latitude is located 23 ½ degrees north. It is the northern limit of the tropics.
  • The Tropic of Capricorn: This line of latitude is located 23 ½ degrees south. It is the southern limit of the tropics. It is important to note that the area between the tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn is known as the tropics.
  • The Arctic Circle: This line of latitude is located about 66 ½ degrees north of the Equator. The area north of the Arctic Circle is known as the Arctic.
  • The Antarctic Circle: This line of latitude is located about 66 ½ degrees south of the Equator. The area south of the Antarctic Circle is known as the Antarctic.

Take a look at these lines of latitude on the map below.

The major lines of latitude. (Image by Thesevenseas and used under a creative commons license)

 

The northernmost point on Earth is located 90 degrees north of the Equator. This point is known as the North Pole. Earth’s southernmost point is located 90 degrees South of the Equator. This point is known as the South Pole.

Note: Instead of writing the word “degrees”, you can use the symbol °. For example, 90 degrees can be written as 90° and zero degrees can be written as 0°.