3. Location
To locate areas on Earth with precision, people drew a grid over maps and globes.
One of the most important is the equator, which divides the world in half.

4. Hemispheres Northern Hemisphere is located north of the equator.
Southern Hemisphere is located south of the equator.

5. Latitude
Lines that run parallel to the equator are called lines of latitude.
Distance north or south of the equator are measured in degrees. The latitude of the equator is 0 degrees.

6. The Poles
The latitude of the north pole is 90 degrees north. The latitude of the south pole is 90 degrees south.

7. Longitude
Lines of longitude runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and intersect the latitude lines.
Longitude lines are also measured in degrees.

8. Prime Meridian
The 0 degree longitude line is called the prime meridian and runs through Greenwich, England.
Earth is divided into 24 meridians.

9. Meridians Meridians are 15 degrees apart.
They cover 180 degrees east and 180 degrees west of the prime meridian.

10. Practice What is the location of Houston, Texas? Paris, France?
Melbourne, Australia?
29°N, 95°W
48°N, 2°E
37°S, 144°E