Using Globes and Maps

Longitude （经度） The vertical longitude lines are also known as mer

idians （经线） . They converge at the poles and are widest at the equator. Zero degrees longitude is located at Greenwich, England (0°). The degrees continue 180° east and 180° west where they meet and form the International Date Line （国际日期变更线） in the Pacific Ocean. Greenwich, the site of the British Royal Greenwich Observatory, was established as the site of the prime meridian（本初子午线） by an international conference in 1884.

When looking at a map, latitude lines run horizontally. Latitude lines are also known as parallels （纬线） since they are parallel and are an equal distant from each other. Each degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles (111 km) apart. Degrees latitude are numbered from 0° to 90° north and south. Zero degrees is the equator（赤道） , the imaginary line which divides our planet into the northern and southern hemispheres （半球） . 90° north is the North Pole and 90° south is the South Pole.

Latitude （纬度）

Location

b:

a:

c:

d:

e:

North Pole:

00,200W

200N,600W

400N,200W

00,200E

600N,600E

900N

13

2

1 2 3SE N SW

Identify each significant line of latitude with a body area:

North Pole （北极点） = top of head Arctic Circle （北极圈） = ears

Tropic of Cancer （北回归线） = shoulders Equator （赤道） = waist

Tropic of Capricorn （南回归线） = knees Antarctic Circle （南极圈） = shins

South Pole （南极点） = toes

“Be The Earth"

North Pole

Arctic Circle

Tropic of CancerEquator

Tropic of Capricorn

Antarctic Circle

South Pole