Latitude and Longitude
Finding Your
Location on
Earth
Pinpointing Locations On
Earth
• In order to find exact locations
on Earth a system of grid lines is
used. (Similar to graph paper).
• Lines of latitude run east/west
around the earth, parallel to the
equator.
• Lines of longitude run north/south
through the poles of the earth.
Latitude
• The latitude lines are east/west lines based
on the geometry of the earth using the axis
of the earth and the equator.
– Latitude range is 00 to 900.
• The equator is 00 latitude, (this is the
longest distance around the earth traveling on
the same latitude line).
• The North Pole is 900 North latitude.
• The South Pole is 900 South latitude.
• Your latitude is the angle created using the
axis (center of the earth), the equator and
your location.
Latitude Lines
Important Lines of Latitude
• There are several basic reference lines of latitude on
the earth that everyone should be familiar with. These
are:
– The Equator (0O latitude) – which divides the earth into the
north and south hemispheres
– The Tropic of Cancer (23.5O North) – which marks the
northern end of the tropics, the highest point the sun is directly
overhead during the year.
– The Tropic of Capricorn (23.5O South) - which marks the
southern end of the tropics, the lowest point the sun is directly
overhead during the year.
– The Arctic Circle (66.5O North) – which marks the northern
polar region of the earth that spends part of the year without
sun
– The Antarctic Circle (66.5O South) – which marks the southern
polar region of the earth that spends part of the year without
sun.
Longitude
• The longitude lines are north/south lines,
based on time (the revolution of the earth),
using the Prime Meridian and the North and
South Poles. Longitude range is 00 to 1800.
• Longitude lines are all the same length as
each one connects the North and South Poles
and splits the earth into equal halves – this is
why they are often referred to as meridians.
• The Prime Meridian is 00 longitude.
• The Prime Meridian passes through
Greenwich, England which is the time keeping
capital of the world.
• Your longitude is your time (of the Earth’s
rotation) away from the Prime Meridian.
Earth’s Lines of Longitude