Name ________________________________________
Date _________________________________________
Class_________________________________________
Earth’s Latitude Zones
Directions: Read the passage about climate and latitude. Complete the graphic organizer and the
diagram. Use the diagram to determine the latitude zones of the locations given. Use the diagram
in Geography: Tools and Concepts to guide you.
The Earth is tilted on its axis. As the Earth’s orbits the sun, the Northern Hemisphere may tilt toward or away
from the sun. At other points in the orbit, neither hemisphere tilts toward or away from the sun. The revolution
of the tilted Earth causes seasons. Depending on the latitude of a location, the type of climate can be predicted.
There are three latitude zones in the northern and southern hemispheres. The areas between the Tropic
of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn are called the low latitudes, or the tropics. The tropics have fairly direct
sunlight and hot weather all year long. The area north of the Arctic Circle and the area south of the Antarctic
Circle are the high latitudes, or the polar zones. The polar zones receive very little direct sunlight throughout the
year so it is cool or very cold all year. The areas between the high and low latitudes are the middle latitude, or
the temperate zones. In summer, these areas will receive more direct sunlight and will be warmer. In the winter,
these areas receive less direct sunlight and will be colder. The middle latitudes have seasons: hot summer, cold
winter and a moderate spring and fall.
Latitude Zone
Alternate Name
Location
Weather/Climate
Diagram
1. Label the following lines of latitude by writing the name on the line:
Equator
Tropic of Capricorn
Tropic of Cancer
Arctic Circle
Antarctic Circle
2. Color the low latitudes Red—this means between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn is red.
3. Color the middle latitudes green—this means between the Artic Circle and the Tropic of Cancer is green and
between the Antarctic Circle and Tropic of Capricorn is green.
4. Color the high latitudes blue—this means north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle are
blue.
Name ________________________________________
Date _________________________________________
Class_________________________________________
Identifying Latitude Zones
Answer the following questions based on latitude zones.
1. What is another name for high latitude zone? ____________________________________________
2. What is another name for tropics? _____________________________________________________
3. What is another name for middle latitude zones? _________________________________________
Given the information, identify which latitude zone each location is in and what the climate
would most be like (warm year round, cold year round, or seasonal).
4. Washington, DC 39 N, 77 W _________________________________________________________
5. Anchorage, Alaska 61 N, 150 W ______________________________________________________
6. Chad, Africa 15 N, 18 E ____________________________________________________________
7. Baffin Bay 74 N, 65 W _____________________________________________________________
8. Campinas, Brazil 23 S, 47 W ________________________________________________________
9. Argentina, South America 35 S, 65 W _________________________________________________
10. Ross Ice Shelf 82 S, 180 E _________________________________________________________
11. Mecca, Saudi Arabia 21 N, 40 E _____________________________________________________
12. Cairo, Egypt 30 N, 31 E ___________________________________________________________
Name ________________________________________
Date _________________________________________
Class_________________________________________
Key:
Low Latitudes
Middle Latitudes
High Latitudes
Alternate Name