Geography SSS1 First Term

Week 4

Latitude and Longitude

Latitude
Latitude is the angular distance of a point on the earth’s surface, measured in degree from the centre of the earth. Latitude (00), called the equator, divides the earth into two equals- the Northern and Southern hemisphere. All other latitudes are parallel to the equator and to each other; hence, the latitudes are also called parallels of latitude.

Importance of latitude lines include:
(i) The equator (0,0)
(ii) Tropic of Cancer (lat 231/2oN), tropic of Capricorn (lat 231/2oN), arctic circle (661/2oN), Antarctic Circle (661/2oS), North pole (90oN) and South pole (90oS)

Uses of Lines of Latitude
(i) The lines of latitude in conjunction with that of longitude are used to determine the exact location of places on the atlas map.
North pole 90oN
Arctic circle 661/2oN
Tropic of cancer 231/2oN
Equator 0o
Tropic of Capricorn 231/2oS
Antarctic Circle.... View More