Latitude & Latitude & LongitudeLongitude

Social StudiesSocial Studies

66thth Grade 2009/10 Grade 2009/10

Developed by Elin Richmond

using illustrations from National Geographic’s Journey Through Time

Hemispheres Hemispheres The earth is divided into 4 hemispheres

as shown (with grey shading) in the pictures below.

• The Equator at 0° degrees latitude (horizontal), divides the earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

• The Prime Meridian at 0° degrees longitude (vertical), and at 180° degrees, divides the earth into the Western and Eastern hemispheres.

Hemispheres Hemispheres

ExamplesExamples• Phoenix, Arizona, USA, North America: North Western Hemisphere• Galveston, Texas, USA, North America: North Western Hemisphere• Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, North America: North Western Hemisphere

• Malmö, Sweden, Europe: North Eastern Hemisphere • Ceylon, Sri Lanka, Asia: North Eastern Hemisphere • Tokyo, Japan, Asia: North Eastern Hemisphere

• Cape Town, South Africa, Africa: South Eastern Hemisphere • Sydney, Australia, Australia: South Eastern Hemisphere

Latitude & Latitude & LongitudeLongitude

• Latitude measure the distance from the Equator, and are horizontal lines.

• For example: To find 45°N, you’d start from the Equator (which is 0°) and go up (because North is up) until you find 45°N.

• Remember: North is up on a map, and South is down on a map.

Latitude and longitude are the imaginary linesthat tell us the distance from the Equator

and the Prime Meridian. Both are measured in degrees.

Latitude

Latitude & Latitude & LongitudeLongitude

• Longitude measure the distance from the Prime Meridian and are vertical lines.

• For example: To find 30°W, you’d start from the Prime Meridian (which is 0°) and go left (because West is left) until you find 30°W.

• Remember: West is left on a map, and east is right on a map.

Latitude and longitude are the imaginary linesthat tell us the distance from the Equator

and the Prime Meridian. Both are measured in degrees.

Longitude

Latitude & Latitude & Longitude Longitude ExamplesExamples

• Phoenix, Arizona, USA, North America: 33°N,112°W• Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, North America: 35°N,111°W• Galveston, Texas, USA, North America: 29°N, 94°W• Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, North America: 21°N, 157°W• Malmö, Sweden, Europe: 55°N, 13°E• Tokyo, Japan, Asia: 35°N, 139°E• Ceylon, Sri Lanka, Asia: 7°N, 81°E• Sydney, Australia, Australia: 33°S, 151°E• Cape Town, South Africa, Africa: 33°S, 18°E

Please see the Journey Across Time Please see the Journey Across Time Geography Handbook for more details. more details.