Practical Work in Geography

26 Chapter 3

Latitude, Longitude and

Time
THE EARTH is nearly a sphere. It is because of the fact that the
equatorial radius and the polar radius of the earth is not the same.
The rotation of the earth over its axis produces bulging at the equator.
Hence, the actual shape resembles that of an oblate spheroid. The
shape of the earth presents some difficulties in positioning its surface
features, as there is no point of reference from which to measure the
relative positions of other points. Hence, a network of imaginary lines
is drawn on a globe or a map to locate various places. Let us find out
what are these lines and how are they drawn.
The spinning of the earth on its axis from west to east provides
two natural points of reference, i.e. North and South Poles. They form
the basis for the geographical grid. A network of intersecting lines is
drawn for the purpose of fixing the locations of different features.
The grid consists of two sets of horizontal and vertical lines, which
are called parallels of latitudes and the meridians of longitudes.
Horizontal lines are drawn parallel to each other in east-west
direction. The line drawn midway between the North Pole and the
South Pole is called the equator. It is the largest circle and divides
the globe into two equal halves. It is also called a great circle. All the
other parallels get smaller in size, in proportion to their distance
from the equator towards the poles and divide the earth into two
unequal halves, also referred to as the small circles. These imaginary
lines running east-west are commonly known as the parallels of
latitude.
The vertical lines running north-south, join the two poles. They
are called the meridians of longitude. They are spaced farthest apart
at the equator and converge at a point at each pole.
Latitude, Longitude and Time

The latitudes and longitudes are commonly referred to as geographical

coordinates as they provide systematic network of lines upon which the
position of various surface features of the earth, can be represented.
With the help of these coordinates, location, distance and direction of
various points can be easily determined.
Although an infinite number of parallels and meridians may be drawn
on a globe, only a selected number of them are usually drawn on a map.
Latitudes and longitudes are measured in degrees () because they
represent angular distances. Each degree is further divided into 60
minutes ( ) and each minute into 60 seconds ( ).

Glossary

Parallels of Latitude : The parallels of latitude refer to the angular

distance, in degrees, minutes and seconds of a point north or south of
the Equator. Lines of latitude are often referred to as parallels.

Meridians of Longitude : The meridians of longitude refer to the angular

distance, in degrees, minutes, and seconds, of a point east or west of
the Prime (Greenwich) Meridian. Lines of longitude are often referred to
as meridians.

PARALLELS OF LATITUDES

The latitude of a place on the earths surface is its distance north or

south of the equator, measured along the meridian of that place as an
angle from the centre of the earth. Lines joining places with the same
latitudes are called parallels. The value of equator is 0 and the latitude
of the poles are 90N and 90S (Fig. 3.1 on the next page). If parallels of
latitude are drawn at an interval of one degree, there will be 89 parallels
in the northern and the southern hemispheres each. The total number
of parallels thus drawn, including the equator, will be 179. Depending
upon the location of a feature or a place north or south of the equator,
the letter N or S is written along with the value of the latitude.
27
If the earth were a perfect sphere, the length of 10 of latitude (a one
degree arc of a meridian) would be a constant value, i.e. 111 km
everywhere on the earth. This length is almost the same as that of a
 Practical Work in Geography

degree of longitude at the equator. But to be precise,

a degree of latitude changes slightly in length from
the equator to the poles. While at the equator, it is
28 110.6 km at the poles, it is 111.7 km. Latitude of a
place may be determined with the help of the
altitude of the sun or the Pole Star.

DRAWING THE PARALLELS OF LATITUDES

How to draw the parallels of latitudes? Draw a circle

Figure 3.1 Parallels of Latitudes and divide it into two equal halves by drawing a
horizontal line in the centre. This represents the
equator. Place a protractor on this circle in a way
that 0 and 180 line on the protractor coincide with
the equator on the paper. Now to draw 20S, mark
two points at an angle of 20 from the equator, east
and west in the lower half of the circle, as shown in
Fig. 3.2. The arms of the angle cut the circle at two
points. Join these two points by a line parallel to
the equator. It will be 200S.

MERIDIANS OF LONGITUDE
Figure 3.2 Drawing of Parallels of
Latitudes Unlike the parallels of latitude which are circles,
the meridians of longitude are semi-circles that
converge at the poles. If opposite meridians are taken
together, they complete a circle, but, they are valued
separately as two meridians.
The meridians intersect the equator at right
angles. Unlike the parallels of latitude, they are all
equal in length. For convenience of numbering, the
meridian of longitude passing through the
Greenwich observatory (near London) has been
adopted as the Prime Meridian by an international
agreement and has been given the value of 0.
The longitude of a place is its angular distance
east or west of the Prime Meridian. It is also measured
in degrees. The longitudes vary from 0 to 180
Latitude, Longitude and Time

eastward and westward of the Prime Meridian

(Fig. 3.3). The part of the earth east of the Prime
Meridian is called the eastern hemisphere and
in its west referred to as the western hemisphere.

Drawing the Meridians of Longitude

How to draw the lines of longitude? Draw a
circle whose centre represents the North Pole.
The circumference will represent the equator.
Draw a vertical line through the centre of the
circle, i.e. crossing the North Pole. This Figure 3.3 Meridians of Longitude
represents the 0 and 180 meridians, which
meet at the North Pole (Fig. 3.4).
When you look at a map, the east is towards
your right and the west is towards your left.
However, to draw a longitude, imagine that you
are on the North Pole, i.e. at the centre of the
circle as shown in Fig. 3.4. Observe now that
the relative directions of east and west would
reverse in this case and east would be towards
your left while west would be towards your right.
Now, draw 45 E and W as shown in Fig. 3.5
For this, place your protractor along the vertical
line, coinciding with the 0 and 180 meridians Figure 3.4 Meridians of 00 and 1800
join at the North Pole
and then measure 45 on both the sides, which
will denote 45 E meridian and 45 W meridian
on your left and right, respectively. The diagram
will represent the appearance of the earth if we
look at it from directly above the North Pole.

LONGITUDE AND TIME

We all know that the earth rotates from west to
east over its axis. It makes the sun rise in the
east and set in the west. The rotation of the earth 29
over its axis takes 24 hours to complete one circle
or 360 of longitudes. As 180 of longitudes fall Figure 3.5 Drawing of Meridians of
both east and west of the Prime Meridian, the Longitude
sun, thus takes 12 hours time to traverse the
 Practical Work in Geography

Table 3.1 A Comparison between the Parallels of Latitudes and t

he Meridians of Longitudes

30 S. No. Parallels of Latitude Meridians of Longitude

1. Latitude is the angular Longitude is the angular
distance of a point north or distance along the
south of the equator as equator measured in
measured in degrees. degrees. It is measured
east or west of
Greenwich (0), from 0
to 180.
2. All latitudes are parallel All meridians of
to the equator. longitude converge at
the poles.
3. On a globe, parallels of All meridians of
latitudes appear as circles. longitude appear as
circles running through
the poles.
4. The distance between two The distance between
latitudes is approximately two longitudes is
111 km. maximum at the
equator (111.3 km) and
minimum at the poles (0
km). Midway, at 450 of
latitude, it is 79 km.
5. The 00 latitude is referred to There are 360 of
as the equator and the 90 longitude, 180 each in
as the poles. the east and west of the
Prime Meridian.
6. The latitudes from the The longitudes are used
equator to the poles are to determine the local
used to demarcate time with reference to
temperature zones, i.e. 0 to the time at Prime
23 north and south as the Meridian.
torrid zone, 23 to 66
as the temperate zone and
66 to 90 as the frigid
Latitude, Longitude and Time

eastern and western hemispheres. In other words, the sun traverses 150
of longitudes per hour or one degree of longitude in every four minutes of
time. It may further be noted that the time decreases when we move from
west to east and increases with our westward movement.
The rate of the time at which the sun traverses over certain degrees of
longitudes is used to determine the local time of an area with respect to
the time at the Prime Meridian (0Longitude). Let us try to understand
the question of the determination of time with respect to the Prime Meridian
with the following set of examples :

Example 1 : Determine the local time of Thimpu (Bhutan) located at 90

east longitude when the time at Greenwich (0) is 12.00 noon.
Statement : The time increases at a rate of 4 minutes per one degree of
longitude, east of the Prime Meridian.
Solution :
Difference between Greenwich and Thimpu = 90 of longitudes
Total Time difference = 90 x 4 = 360 minutes
= 360/60 hours
= 6 hours\Local time of Thimpu is 6 hours more than that at
Greenwich, i.e. 6.00 p.m.

Example 2 : Determine the local time of New Orleans (the place, which
was worst affected by Katrina Hurricane in October 2005), located at 900
West longitude when the time at Greenwich (00) is 12.00 noon.
Statement : The time decrease, at a rate of 4 minutes per one degree of
longitude, west of the prime meridian.
Solution :
Difference between Greenwich and New Orleans = 90 of longitudes
Total Time difference = 90 x 4 = 360 minutes
= 360/60 hours
= 6 hours\Local time of New Orleans is 6 hours less than that at
Greenwich, i.e. 6.00 a. m.
In the same way, the time may be determined for any place in the
world. However, in order to maintain uniformity of time as far as possible 31
within the territorial limits of a country, the time at the central meridian of
the country is taken as the Standard Meridian and its local time is taken
as the standard time for the whole country. The Standard Meridian is
selected in a manner that it is divisible by 150 or 7 30 so that the difference
 Practical Work in Geography

between its standard time and the Greenwich Mean Time may be
expressed as multiples of an hour or half an hour.
The Indian Standard Time is calculated from 8230E meridian passing
32 through Mirzapur. Therefore, IST is plus 5.30 hours from the GMT ((8230
x 4) (60 minutes=5 hours 30 minutes). Similarly, all countries of the world
choose the standard meridian within their territory to determine the time
within their administrative boundaries. The countries with large east-
west span may choose more than one standard meridian to get more than
one time zone such as Russia, Canada and the United States of America.
The world is divided into 24 major time zones (Fig. 3.6).

Figure 3.6 Major Time Zones of the World

INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE

While the world is divided into 24 time zones, there has to be a place
where there is a difference in days, somewhere the day truly starts on
the planet. The 180 line of longitude is approximately where the
International Date Line passes. The time at this longitude is exactly 12
hours from the 00 longitude, irrespective of one travels westward or
eastward from the Prime Meridian. We know that time decreases east of
Latitude, Longitude and Time

the Prime Meridian and increases to its west. Hence, for a person moving
east of the Prime Meridian, the time would be 12 hours less than the
time at 0 longitude. For another person moving westward, the time
would be 12 hours more than the Prime Meridian. For example, a person
moving eastward on Tuesday will count the day as Wednesday once the
International Date Line is crossed. Similarly, another person starting
his journey on the same day, but moving westward will count the day as
Monday after crossing the line.

EXERCISE

1. Answer the following questions in about 30 words:

(i) Which are the two natural points of references on the earth?
(ii) What is a great circle?
(iii) What are coordinates?
(iv) Why does the sun appear to be moving from east to west?
(v) What is meant by local time?

2. Distinguish between latitudes and longitudes.

ACTIVITY

1. Find out the locations of the following places with the help of your
atlas and write their latitudes and longitudes.
Place Latitude Longitude
(i) Mumbai
(ii) Vladivostok
(iii) Cairo
(iv) New York
(v) Ottawa 33
(vi) Geneva
(vii) Johannesburg
(viii) Sydney
 Practical Work in Geography

2. What would be the time of the following cities if the time at Prime
Meridian is 10 a.m.
(i) Delhi
34 (ii) London
(iii) Tokyo
(iv) Paris
(v) Cairo
(vi) Moscow