Theme 1: LOCATION
0° Latitude =
Equator
N
S
W
E
0° Longitude =
Prime Meridian
Location: Where is it? Location is
the spot on the earth’s surface where a
geographic feature is located. There
are two types of location: Absolute
location and Relative location.
Absolute location – the exact spot
on the earth where a geographic feature
is found
˜
to describe absolute location,
geographers use a grid system of
imaginary lines for precisely
finding/locating places on the earth’s
surface
˜
The earth can be divided into two
halves. The halves are called
hemispheres.
*
Can be the Northern and Southern
Hemispheres
*
Can be the Western and Eastern
Hemispheres
Theme 1: Location
Finding Absolute Location
Absolute location is the exact
spot on the earth’s surface
where a geographic feature is
located. Geographers use a
grid system to find absolute
location; it is called the Global
Grid. The Global Grid is
created using imaginary lines
called latitude and longitude.
LATITUDE
Latitude lines – a set of imaginary lines
that run parallel to the Equator (0°
Latitude), used in locating places north
and south of the equator. Latitude is
measured in degrees, minutes, and
seconds.




Equator – designated as the
zero degree line for latitude
Lines north of the equator are
called north latitude lines (Ex.
30° N Latitude). These lines
will appear only in the
Northern Hemisphere.
Lines south of the equator are
called south latitude lines (Ex.
65° S Latitude). These lines
will appear only in the
Southern Hemisphere.
Latitude lines run only to 90°N
(North Pole) and 90°S (South
Pole)
LONGITUDE
Longitude lines – a set of imaginary lines
that run north to south and converge at
North Pole and the South Pole; used in
locating places east and west of the Prime
Meridian (0°degrees longitude).
 Prime Meridian - designated as
the zero degree line for longitude.
This imaginary lines runs through
Greenwich, England.
 Lines east of the Prime Meridian
are called east lines of longitude
(Ex. 20° E Longitude). These
lines appear only in the Eastern
Hemisphere.
 Lines west of the Prime Meridian
are called west lines of longitude
(Ex. 45° W Longitude). These
lines will appear only in the
Western Hemisphere.
 East & west lines of longitude
converge at the Poles and meet
the 180° Line of Longitude called
the International Date Line.
Lines of
Longitude
Lines of
Latitude
0° Latitude
0° Longitude
A Simple Grid
A simple grid system is a series of horizontal
and vertical lines that overlap. This grid is
useful in finding location and measuring
distance. Grid systems are often used on
maps. They can help you find cities or
landmark in the area represented on the map.
1. In what coordinate region would you
find:
a. Brandy Springs - ________________
b.
2.
Thompson Estates - _____________
2. In what two vertical coordinate zones
would you find Interstate 83?
3. Can you think of a question to ask the
class?
Location – The Global Grid
Review: The starting point for measuring
latitude is the __________________ at
Geographers also use a global grid system of
imaginary lines called latitude and longitude.
Absolute location – the exact spot on the
earth where a geographic feature is found
∞
to describe absolute location,
geographers use a grid system of
imaginary lines for precisely
finding/locating places on the
earth’s surface. These lines are
called latitude and longitude.
______________ degrees latitude.
Latitude lines run from __________ to
____________ and measure distance
_____________ and _____________ of the equator.
Latitude lines measure distance in
______________, minutes and seconds.
The starting point for measuring
longitude is the __________________ at
______________ degrees longitude.
Longitude lines run from __________ to
____________ and measure distance
_____________ and _____________ of the Prime
Meridian.
Longitude lines measure distance in
______________, minutes and seconds.
Theme 1: LOCATION
Relative location – also a spot (not
exact) on the earth’s surface where
a geographic feature is found
˜
Relative location must be made
in reference to its surroundings,
perhaps a place or location you may
already be familiar with
˜
Relative location describes the
spatial relationships between
locations or places and how they are
related to their surroundings

Can you give a relative location
using this map?