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Watch: Latitude and longitude with Sue Venir

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What are lines of latitude and longitude?

We use imaginary lines to find where a place is in the world.

  • We use lines of latitude to find out how far north or south a place is.
  • These lines run parallel to the Equator.
A globe showing the lines of latitude.
Image caption,
The globe shows the lines of latitude.
  • We use lines of longitude to find out how far east or west a place is.
  • These lines run from the top of the Earth to the bottom.
A globe with lines of longitude running from the top of the globe to the bottom.
Image caption,
Lines of longitude on a globe.
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What are hemispheres?

  • The Equator is an imaginary line of latitude around the centre of the Earth.

  • The Equator is at the centre of the lines of latitude and is at 0掳 latitude.

  • Anything lying south (below) of the Equator is in the Southern Hemisphere and is called 掳厂.

  • Anything lying north (above) of the Equator is in the Northern Hemisphere and is called 掳狈.

  • The North Pole is 90掳狈 and the South Pole is 90掳厂.

A globe showing the two hemispheres, north and south.
Image caption,
The globe above shows the Northern and Southern Hemispheres divided by the Equator.
  • The line labelled 0掳 longitude is called the Prime Meridian or the Greenwich Meridian and runs through London.

  • Anything lying east of the Greenwich Meridian is in the Eastern Hemisphere and is called 掳E.

  • Anything lying west of the Greenwich Meridian is in the Western Hemisphere and is called 掳W.

A globe showing Greenwich meridian and longitude on globe.
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Activity: Quiz 鈥 Latitude and longitude

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