World Geography / Unit 1: Geography Skills
1.2 Latitude and Longitude
Notes
The global grid lets us give the absolute location of any spot on Earth, using degrees.
- Latitude lines (parallels) run east-west and measure distance north or south of the equator (0°). They range from 0° to 90° N or S.
- Longitude lines (meridians) run north-south and measure distance east or west of the prime meridian (0°, passing through Greenwich, England). They range from 0° to 180° E or W.
- The equator splits Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres; the prime meridian and the 180° line split it into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
- Important latitudes: Tropic of Cancer (about 23.5° N), Tropic of Capricorn (about 23.5° S), Arctic Circle (about 66.5° N), Antarctic Circle (about 66.5° S).
- Earth turns 360° in 24 hours, so it turns 15° of longitude per hour. This is the basis of time zones.
- Write latitude first: Tokyo is about 36° N, 140° E.
Practice
Which statement about lines of latitude is correct?
Latitude lines (parallels) are parallel circles around Earth, measured north or south of the equator.
A city is located at about 34° S, 58° W. In which hemispheres is it?
S means south of the equator and W means west of the prime meridian.
Earth rotates 360° in 24 hours. About how many degrees of longitude does it turn in one hour?
360 divided by 24 equals 15.
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