Latitude and Longitude
Latitude and longitude form a grid that pinpoints any place on Earth.
About this topic
Latitude and longitude form a grid of imaginary lines that pinpoint any place on Earth, which makes them the foundation of navigation and mapping. Lines of latitude (parallels) run east-west and measure degrees north or south of the Equator (0 degrees), reaching 90 degrees at the poles; key ones are the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. Lines of longitude (meridians) run pole to pole and measure degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian (0 degrees) at Greenwich.
Coordinates are written latitude first, then longitude, such as 51.5 N, 0.1 W for London. Each degree is divided into 60 minutes, and each minute into 60 seconds, so a position can be given to within a few metres. A handy memory trick is that latitude lines are like the rungs of a ladder (ladder-tude), while longitude lines are long lines running top to bottom. GPS receivers calculate your position in exactly this system by timing signals from several satellites.
Latitude strongly influences climate because it controls the angle of the sun: places near the Equator receive direct sunlight and are hot, while polar regions receive slanting rays and are cold. A common mistake is to think one degree of longitude is always the same distance; it is about 111 km at the Equator but shrinks to zero at the poles, whereas a degree of latitude stays near 111 km everywhere. Pilots, sailors, hikers and emergency services all rely on these coordinates every day.
Key ideas
- Latitude measures north–south from the equator
- Longitude measures east–west from the Prime Meridian
- Written as degrees, e.g. 51°N 0°
Quick check
Use cases: where Latitude and Longitude helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Latitude and Longitude before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Latitude and Longitude without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Latitude and Longitude changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Latitude and Longitude in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Geography helps with city planning, climate, trade and migration.
Frequently asked questions
What is Latitude and Longitude?
Latitude and longitude form a grid that pinpoints any place on Earth.
What will I learn in Latitude and Longitude?
Latitude measures north–south from the equator. Longitude measures east–west from the Prime Meridian. Written as degrees, e.g. 51°N 0°.
Is Latitude and Longitude part of Geography?
Yes. It is one of 40 Geography topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Latitude and Longitude lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Latitude and Longitude?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.