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Geographic Coordinate Systems

A geographic coordinate system uses latitude and longitude to identify locations on Earth. Latitude measures the angular distance north and south of the equator, ranging from 0 degrees at the equator to 90 degrees at the poles. Longitude measures the angular distance east and west of the prime meridian, ranging from 0 degrees at the prime meridian to 180 degrees east and west. Together, a location's latitude and longitude specify its position relative to the center of Earth.

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388 views4 pages

Geographic Coordinate Systems

A geographic coordinate system uses latitude and longitude to identify locations on Earth. Latitude measures the angular distance north and south of the equator, ranging from 0 degrees at the equator to 90 degrees at the poles. Longitude measures the angular distance east and west of the prime meridian, ranging from 0 degrees at the prime meridian to 180 degrees east and west. Together, a location's latitude and longitude specify its position relative to the center of Earth.

Uploaded by

Abdul Hafeez
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Geographic Coordinate Systems

A geographic coordinate system is a three-dimensional reference system


that locates points on the Earth's surface.  A point has two coordinate
values: latitude and longitude. Latitude and longitude measure angles.
OR

A geographic coordinate system is a reference system for identifying


locations on the curved surface of the earth. Locations on the earth’s
surface are measured in angular units from the center of the earth
relative to two planes: the plane defined by the equator and the
plane defined by the prime meridian (which crosses Greenwich
England). A location is therefore defined by two values: a latitudinal
value and a longitudinal value.

A latitude measures the angle from the equatorial plane to the


location on the earth’s surface. A longitude measures the angle
between the prime meridian plane and the north-south plane that
intersects the location of interest
LATITUDE:
Latitude is the distance on the earth’s surface, north or south of the Equator, expressed
in angular measurements from 0° at the Equator to 90° (North or South). The total
number of latitude are 180’, the 90 lie are north of equator and the 90 south of equator.
LATITUDES: angular distances East or West of the Equator. Latitudes are also
called Parallels.

 CHARACTERISTICS OF LATITUDE
1. Lines of latitude run east-west, but provide north-south locational reference.
2. Lines of latitude are also called parallels. this is because each line of latitude is parallel to all
other lines of latitude.
3. Line of latitude are numbered from the equator, which is the 0 degree line latitude
4. Starting from equator each successive line of latitude is number consecutively both to the
north and to the south as far as north and south poles. Thus there are maximum 90 degrees worth
of latitude both north and south.
5. Because lines of latitude are numbered consecutively from equator both to the north and to
the south each line (except for the equator ) is identify by a number from 0 to 90 and the letter N
or S ( north or south ).thus the line that is 20 degree north is referred as 20 degree NOTH, it
would be misleading to call this line latitude 20 because there is another line south of the equator
that could be also called latitude 20. The equator is not labeled with a letter it is neither or south
of itself rather it is simply latitude 0 degree.
6. only one line of latitude the equator . is a great circle.

Some Important Latitudes


1. Equator (Latitude 0o)
           

2. Tropic of Cancer (Latitude 23.5oN)


           

3. Tropic of Capricorn (Latitude 23.5oS)


           

4. Arctic Circle (Latitude 66.5oN).


           

5. Antarctic Circle (Latitude 66.5oS).


           

 
 
 LONGITUD:Longitude is the distance east or west measured from the
Greenwich meridian and runs from 0° through Greenwich to 180° east
and west on the other side of the globe OR

Longitudes are angular distances east or west of the prime


meridian. Longitudes are also called Meridians. The Prime
Meridian passes through Greenwich, in England.
Characteristics of longitude

Characteristics of Longitudes
1. Each meridian is half of a great circle.
2. They run in a true north-south direction from
connecting the North and South Poles.
3. They are spaced farthest apart at the equator but
converges at the poles.
4. Meridians help us to determine standard time.
Some Important Longitudes include:
1. Prime Meridian = Longitude 0o (Greenwich Meridian).
   

2. International Date Line (Longitude 180o).


 
 

 
 

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