What are Longitudes and Latitudes?
By Balaji
Updated on: February 17th, 2023
Latitude is a set of imaginary horizontal lines used to measure distances from north to south. Longitude, on the other hand, is a vertical imaginary line used to measure the distance from east to west. Latitude and longitude coordinates are used to pinpoint the location of any point on Earth. They comprise a coordinate system or plan for finding or locating geographic positions anywhere on the Earth’s surface.
Table of content
-
1. Define Longitudes and Latitudes
Define Longitudes and Latitudes
Latitudes are horizontal lines that indicate how far a location is from the equator. Longitudes are vertical lines that represent the east and west directions in relation to the meridian in Greenwich, England.
- Cartographers, geographers, and others can use latitude and longitude to pinpoint locations on the globe.
- They also show the angular separation of any location from the Earth’s centre. Degrees (°) and minutes (′) are used to express latitude and longitude, respectively.
- At the equator, lines of latitude begin at 0 degrees and conclude at 90 degrees, respectively.
- So, the closer anything is to the North or South Pole, the higher the degree of latitude value.
- The Northern Hemisphere is everything that lies north of the equator, and the Southern Hemisphere is everything that lies south of the equator.
- These two lines are imaginary lines that are used to measure distance on the earth.
Related Questions:
