WORLD GEOGRAPHY

GLOBE LINES

Axis – an imaginary line that passes through the center of Earth between the North and South Poles on which Earth rotates

Equator – an imaginary line that runs around the center of Earth horizontally, halfway between the North and South Poles at 0 degrees latitude

Prime Meridian – an imaginary line that runs around the center of Earth from the North Pole to the South Pole at 0 degrees longitude

Lines of Latitude – Imaginary lines on the Earth that run parallel to the Equator

Lines of Longitude – Imaginary lines on the Earth that meet at the poles.

HEMISPHERES

The Earth is divided into four major areas, or hemispheres.

There are four hemispheres:

Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western

The Equator divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

The Prime Meridian divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres

HEMISPHERES

POLES

North Pole – the point farthest north on the Earth at 90 degrees north latitude

South Pole – the point farthest south on the Earth 90 degrees south latitude

CONTINENTS

Earth’s largest areas of landmass

There are 7 North America South America Africa Europe Asia Australia Antarctica

The world’s largest continent is Asia.

The world’s smallest continent is Australia.

OCEANSGreat bodies of water that cover ¾ of the Earth’s

surface

There are 5 Artic Atlantic Indian Pacific Southern (not always recognized as an ocean)

The world’s largest ocean is the Pacific Ocean.

The world’s smallest ocean is the Indian Ocean.

LINES OF LATITUDE

Equator – 0 degrees latitude

Tropic of Cancer – 23.5 degrees north latitude

Tropic of Capricorn – 23.5 degrees south latitude

Artic Circle – 66.5 degrees north latitude

Antarctic Circle - 66.5 degrees south latitude