Grade 8 Geography : Uniqueness of the Earth - Part 3 (Latitudes and Longitudes )

Latitudes and Longitudes

 

These are the imaginary horizontal and vertical lines that are utilized to position points on the globe. It is basically a coordinate system that helps to find the location of any place on the surface of the earth. These coordinates portray the angular distance of a particular location from the center of the Earth. The equator can be cited as the imaginary line that divides the northern and southern hemispheres on the globe. It is the 00 latitude that is perpendicular to the rotational axis of the earth. The equator shares an equal distance from both the north and south poles. The latitudes range from 00 at the equator to 900 at the north and south poles. The latitudes that are located in the northern hemisphere are northern latitudes and those located in the southern hemisphere are called the southern latitudes.

 

 

As we move towards the poles on the globe, we can observe a gradual reduction of the size of the circles of these latitudes in to a point in those poles. On the other hand, the longitudes are the imaginary lines drawn vertically connecting the North and South Pole. These are measured in a particular angle to the east or west of the imaginary vertical longitude (00) called the Greenwich Meridian Line that passes through Greenwich in England. Just like the equator separates the two hemispheres, this line also separates the east and west on the globe. The longitudes are also of two types namely, the east longitudes and west longitudes. The east longitudes run up to 1800 east from the Greenwich meridian line and those positioned up to 1800 west from the Greenwich meridian line are called the west longitudes. However, it should be noted that the longitude marked at 1800 as a single line that does not belong to east nor west. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Mekhala Egodawele

 Photo source : Internet