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Latitude and Longitude

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. The lines which run from west to east are known as lines of latitude. The lines which run from north to south are known as lines of longitude.

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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 1/2 degrees north. It is the northern limit of the tropics.
  • The Tropic of Capricorn: This line of latitude is located 23 1/2 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 1/2 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 1/2 degrees south of the Equator. The area south of the Antarctic Circle is known as the Antarctic.

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.

Lines of Longitude

Lines of longitude are imaginary lines which run from north to south on a map or globe. They are also called meridians. Lines of longitude do not go all the way around the globe. Each line of longitude runs from the North Pole to the South Pole. Lines of longitude are not parallel to each other. They meet at the poles and are farthest apart at the Equator. Some important lines of longitude are:

  • The Prime Meridian: This line of longitude is the zero degree line of longitude. It passes through Greenwich in London. For this reason it is also called the Greenwich Meridian. All other lines of longitude are measured in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian.
  • The International Date Line: This is the 180 degree line of longitude. By international agreement, this line marks the point where each new calendar day begins. Because if this, places on the eastern side of the International Date Line are one calendar day earlier than places on the western side of it.

Some lines of longitude are used to divide the world into time zones. There are twenty-four time zones, each with its own local time. The following example will show you how this works:

St. Lucia is located in one time zone. It is one hour later in the time zone to the east of it. It is one hour earlier in the time zone to the west of it.

However, if you cross the International Date Line, things are not that simple. If you cross it heading east, it will be one day earlier. If you cross it going west, it will be one day later.

 

Question: Can you state some differences between lines of latitude and lines of longitude?

 

Location

Latitude and longitude can be used to locate areas on a map or globe. Every place in the world is located at a particular latitude and longitude. The latitude and longitude of a place is known as the coordinates of that place. Different points on the map of globe will have different coordinates. Therefore, if you are given the coordinates, such as 18 degrees North, 77 degrees West, you can easily find that place on a map or globe. The video below explains this in more detail.

 

 

References

http://geography.about.com/od/learnabouttheearth/a/The-Equator-Hemispheres-Tropic-Of-Cancer-And-Tropic-Of-Capricorn.htm

http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/dateline.htm