Latitude lines

Latitudes represent the angular distance of a point on the Earth’s surface, measured in degrees
from the center of the Earth.
The equator marks the longest parallel latitude. The gap between the longest and shortest days
increases with latitude.
Important Parallels of Latitudes include:
Equator:
An imaginary line dividing the globe into two equal parts.The Earth is divided into two halves:
the Northern hemisphere and the Southern hemisphere.
The Equator, representing zero degrees latitude, divides these hemispheres. The distance from
the Equator to the poles is one-fourth of the Earth’s circumference, measuring 90°.
The Equator is the largest circle that can be drawn around the Earth, with a total length of 40,076
km.
At 90° North latitude, we find the North pole, and at 90° South latitude, the South pole. Parallels
north of the equator are North latitudes, while those south of the equator are South latitudes,
indicated by N or S following the value of each latitude.
The equator receives maximum insolation, as the Sun’s rays fall vertically on it on March 21 st
and September 23rd. This results in high temperatures and low annual and daily temperature
differences.
The equator’s temperature leads to a deficiency in the winter season, with consistent day and
night durations throughout the year.
As we move towards the poles, Earth’s gravity increases gradually, reaching its maximum at the
poles and minimum at the equator due to the Earth’s somewhat flat shape at the poles.
The equator passes through three continents—Asia, Africa, and South America—and divides
the Congo River in Africa twice It also passes through Lake Victoria, situated on the borders of
Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, located at 23.5°N, divides India into nearly two equal parts, passing
through Asia, Africa, and Central America. It traverses 18 countries, including Mexico, Algeria,
Egypt, Libya, India, Saudi Arabia, China, and others. The Tropic of Cancer crosses various water
bodies like the Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Red Sea, and Gulf of Mexico.
The Earth’s tilt on its axis causes opposite seasons in the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
The Northern Hemisphere, known as the Land Hemisphere, contains the majority of Earth’s
landmass.
Tropic of Capricorn
The Tropic of Capricorn, at 23.5°S in the Southern Hemisphere, experiences summer on
December 22nd when the Sun’s rays fall vertically. This leads to long days and short nights in the
Southern Hemisphere.
This circle traverses three continents: South America, Africa, and Australia.
The Tropic of Capricorn passes through 12 countries, including Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina,
Chile, French Polynesia (France), Botswana, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Togo,
Namibia, and Australia.
Arctic Circle:
The Arctic Circle is the northernmost of the five major latitude regions on Earth’s map.
At an angular distance of 66.5°N from the equator in the Northern Hemisphere, it is known as
the Arctic Circle.
Due to this angular distance, the Sun’s rays fall obliquely on the Arctic Circle’s areas, resulting in
limited insolation and an extremely cold climate.
The Arctic Circle passes through regions such as the Arctic Ocean, the Scandinavian Peninsula,
North Asia, North America, and Greenland.
It intersects eight countries, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, the United States of
America, Alaska, Canada, and Iceland.
Moscow in Russia lies south of the Arctic Circle, and it also passes through Canada’s Great Weir
Lake.
Antarctic Circle:
Located in the Southern hemisphere, the Antarctic Circle, or Polar Circle, is positioned at an
angular distance of 66.5° South of the equator.
Abundant large icebergs and glaciers characterize this region.
The entire area is covered in a sheet of snow, earning it the moniker “white continent.“
Longitudes
Longitude is an angular distance, measured in degrees along the equator East or West of the
Prime Meridian equivalent to nearly 111 km. On the globe, longitude is shown as a series of
semi-circles that run from pole to pole passing through the equator.
Local time Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), is sometimes referred to as World Time.
The Earth makes one complete revolution of 360° in one day or 24 hrs, it passes through 15° in
one hour or 1° in four min.
The Earth rotates from West to East, so every 15° we go Eastwards, local time is advanced by
one hour. Conversely, for every 15° we go Westwards, local time is retarded by one hour.
Places East of Greenwich see the Sun earlier and gain time, whereas, places West of Greenwich
see the Sun later and lose time.
There are 8 countries that Prime Meridian passes through i.e., the United Kingdom (England
only). France, Spain, Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo and Ghana.
It traverses six water bodies, including the Arctic Ocean, the Norwegian Sea, the Greenland Sea,
the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Southern Ocean
Indian Standard Time (IST):
In India, the longitude of 82° 30° E is considered the standard meridian. The local time at this
meridian is adopted as the standard time for the entire country, known as Indian Standard Time
(IST). This meridian passes through Mirzapur near Prayagraj.
Daylight Saving Time (DST) Schedule:
During summer, several temperate countries practice advancing clocks to maximize evening
daylight and reduce morning daylight. Typically, clocks are moved forward by 1 hour at the start
of spring and backward in autumn. While this benefits retailing, sports, and other activities using
sunlight after working hours, it may pose challenges for evening entertainment and occupations
tied to the sun.
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT):
GMT refers to the Mean Solar Time at the Royal Greenwich Observatory’s Prime Meridian (0°
longitude) in England.
It is used to avoid ambiguous references to local time zones, providing a clear epoch designation.
Apart from Britain, countries like Iceland, Ireland, Portugal, Canary Islands (Spain), Mauritania,
Mali, Senegal, Ascension Island (UK), Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Togo,
Gambia, Guinea, and Ghana use only GMT standard time.
International Date Line (IDL):
The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line around 180° North-South on the Earth’s
surface, with the Bering Strait being its closest point.
Crossing the IDL results in a change of exactly one day, and it is known as the Line of
Demarcation, separating two calendar dates.
A traveler moving from East to West across the date line loses a day, while the reverse gains a
day due to the time difference.