Understanding Latitude and Longitude | Geography for Year 6 PDF Download

What is latitude and longitude?

To pinpoint a location on Earth, we use a system of imaginary lines called latitude and longitude.

Latitude lines help us measure how far north or south a place is from the Equator. These lines run parallel to the Equator, which is at 0° latitude. Key lines of latitude include:

• The Arctic Circle, located at 66.5°N, surrounding the North Pole.
• The Antarctic Circle, located at 66.5°S, surrounding the South Pole.
• The Tropic of Cancer, approximately 23.5°N of the Equator.
• The Tropic of Capricorn, approximately 23.5°S of the Equator.
• The Equator itself, at 0° latitude.

Longitude lines indicate how far east or west a place is. These lines stretch from the North Pole to the South Pole. The Prime Meridian, also known as the Greenwich Meridian, is at 0° longitude and passes through London.

What are hemispheres?

• The Equator, located at 0° latitude, serves as the central line dividing the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Locations north of the Equator are in the Northern Hemisphere and marked with °N, while those south are in the Southern Hemisphere and marked with °S. The North Pole lies at 90°N, and the South Pole is at 90°S.

• The Arctic Circle encircles the North Pole at 66.5°N, and the Antarctic Circle surrounds the South Pole at 66.5°S.
• The Tropic of Cancer is positioned roughly 23.5°N of the Equator, and the Tropic of Capricorn is approximately 23.5°S of the Equator.
• The Prime Meridian, or Greenwich Meridian, at 0° longitude, passes through London. Areas east of this line fall in the Eastern Hemisphere and are labeled °E, while areas west are in the Western Hemisphere and labeled °W.