Geography Notes on Latitude and Longitude

Map Skills: Finding Direction and Bearing

• Introduces young geographers to skills needed to locate places using latitude and longitude.
• Objectives:
  • Define latitude and longitude.
  • State characteristics of latitude and longitude lines.
  • Locate places using latitude and longitude lines.
  • Use 8 point Cardinal points to locate places.

Lines of Latitude

• Imaginary lines running East-West.
• The Equator divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
• The Equator is a Great Circle and is at 0° latitude.
• Latitude is measured in degrees North or South from the Equator.
• Maximum angle from the Equator is 90° at the North and South Poles.
• Lines of latitude are parallel and equidistant, known as Parallels.
• Connect places of equal latitude.
• Earth's widest point is at the Equator; the size decreases towards the poles.
• The length of latitude lines decreases as one moves away from the Equator.

Lines of Longitude

• Imaginary lines that run North-South.
• The main line of Longitude is the Greenwich Meridian.
• The Greenwich Meridian divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
• Lines of Longitude are numbered from Greenwich (0°) either East or West.
• Lines of longitude are all the same length, known as Meridians.
• All lines of longitude meet at the poles.
• The Greenwich Meridian is the Prime Meridian.
• Longitude covers 360°, with a maximum of 180° West or East of the Prime Meridian.
• Each line connects places of equal longitude.