Test: Globe Latitudes And Longitudes - UPSC MCQ

A Prime Meridian is a meridian (a line of longitude) in a geographic coordinate system at which longitude is defined to be 0°. 

• The imaginary line that divides the globe into two equal parts is called the Equator. It's like the middle line on a circle.
• The Equator helps us know which part of the Earth we are in - whether it's the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere.

The area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn receives the maximum heat and is called the Torrid Zone, not the Frigid Zone. The Frigid Zones are the areas closer to the poles which are very cold because the sun's rays there are always slanting and provide less heat.

The standard meridian of India is 82°30'E. It passes through Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh). The time of this meridian is taken as the standard time for the whole country.

Explanation:

The Temperate Zone in the Northern Hemisphere is located between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N) and the Arctic Circle (66.5° N). This zone experiences moderate temperatures, with distinct seasons of summer, winter, spring, and autumn.

• The Torrid Zone is between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator.
• The Frigid Zone lies beyond the Arctic Circle.
• The Equatorial Zone is near the Equator.

• The Prime Meridian runs through Greenwich, England and is at 0° longitude. For many years, different countries measured longitude from different meridians.
• The French and Algerians, for example, used the Paris Meridian; the Swedes measured from one that passed through Stockholm.

The Frigid Zone lies near the Poles. The climate in the Polar Regions is very cold that is why the area is known as the Frigid Zone. It includes the area around the North Pole and the South Pole.