Definition of Latitude Longitude and The Grid

These Geography Notes will help you understand the basic definitions and properties Latitude and Longitude.

Latitudes Definition

The lines that run parallel to the equator.
These lines are called Parallels or Latitudes.
They are numbered from zero degrees to 90 degrees, the equator is at 0 degrees.
The North Pole is at 90 degrees North and the South Pole is at 90 degrees South.

The Equator is the largest latitude. It is also called the Great Circle.
Latitudes don’t touch or cut each other.
All latitudes are complete circles, except the North Pole and the South Pole which are points.
All latitudes are located at an equal distance from each other.
There are 181 latitudes.
Latitudes are marked in degrees (°) and minutes (‘), where 60’ = 1°.

The semi-circles running from the North Pole to the South Pole are called Longitudes or Meridians.
The word Meridian means ‘midday’.
Longitudes are equal in length, unlike the Latitudes.
They are 360 in numbers.
The Meridian passing through Greenwich near London is taken as a 0-degree meridian.
This Meridian is also called the Prime Meridian.
Meridians to the East of Prime Meridians are called East Meridians and those to the West are called West Meridians.
There are 180 meridians to the east of the Prime Meridian and 180 meridians to the west of the Prime Meridian.
India is located to the east of the Prime Meridian.

All Longitudes are equal in length.
Longitudes cross the latitude at right angles.
The distance between any two longitudes decreases as one moves away from the equator towards the Poles.
Longitudes are marked in degrees and minutes.

The longitudes and longitudes intersect each other and form squares called Grids.
This network of Grids is known as the Grid System.
It helps us to locate places accurately on the globe and maps.
The point that crosses each other will be the location of that place.