The world's grid address
Every house has an address; so does every point on Earth. Latitude lines run like ladder rungs north-south and longitude like orange slices east-west, and together they pin down any spot on the planet exactly.
A grid over the globe
Latitude lines run east–west and measure how far north or south you are; the equator is 0° latitude. Longitude lines run north–south and measure east or west of the Prime Meridian (0° longitude). Together they give every place a unique coordinate.
Lat before long
Coordinates are written latitude first, then longitude — e.g. (40° N, 74° W) is New York City.
Lab · Find zero
- Identify the line of 0° latitude.
- Identify the line of 0° longitude.
- Note which one circles the middle of the Earth.
What you should see: The equator is 0° latitude (the middle); the Prime Meridian is 0° longitude.