Latitude and Longitude

latitude

Measured North and South of the Equator. These lines run east to west.

longitude

Measured East and West of the Prime Meridian. These lines run north to south.

hemisphere

Half of the globe

Northern Hemisphere

From the Equator to 90° North

Southern Hemisphere

From the Equator to 90° South

Eastern Hemisphere

East of the Prime Meridian to 180° (Africa, Europe, Australia & Asia)

Western Hemisphere

West of the Prime Meridian to 180° (North & South America)

Equator

0° latitude, divides the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Prime Meridian

0° longitude, divides the Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

International Date Line

Approximately 180° longitude; the longitude where the date changes.

Tropic of Cancer

23.5° North latitude

Tropic of Capricorn

23.5° South latitude

North Pole

90° North, northernmost latitude on Earth

South Pole

90° South, southern most latitude on Earth

Arctic Circle

66.5° North latitude

Antarctic Circle

66.5° South latitude

degrees

a unit for measuring lines of latitude and longitude; can be further broken down into minutes and seconds

meridians

Another name for lines of longitude

parallels

Another name for lines of latitude