3.

LATITUDES

7The latitude of a plue is the

angular distanee
that place North or South
of the Equator, as meas
from the entre of the Earth. PZV
the
The imaginary circle angle
Earth around the centre circumscribing th. of th
of the Earth,
bein,
equidistant from the poles and drawn throun
the centre with a
plane perpendicular to th.
axis is called the
Equator.
.The lines of latitude are drawn parallel to th
Equator circles and grow smaller toward
in
the poles. Thus, the Great Circle
Equator is th
largest latitude and merely a point at the
poles
N.P 90°N
Parallel of 60°N
latitude

Parallel of 30°N
latitude
60 s0
30 30° 0° Equator

Equator

111
oft
S.P 90°S

Fig. 2.5 Latitude-1the Angular Distance

lati
Latitude of the Equator is 0 and that of
the poles are 90° N and 90° S in North and glo-
South, respectively. It is measured either to the and

North or to the South of the Equator and are

accordingly specified as N or S. 20
Eq
Each latitude is an imaginary circle parallel
4.
to the Equator and centred on the polar axis
These are called Parallels of Latitude.

Altogether there are 180 parallels at 1° interval

the
i.e., 90 to the North of the Equator and 90 to
South of the Equator while Equator is taken
as

0° latitude and is theonly Great Circle.

The radius and the lengthof parallels gradualy
decrease from its maxima at
the Equator to Is
minima at the Poles.
ATe
A Textbook ofICSE Geography
Class
 Example, to find loCatlon on the
i s a circle. If we wish to determine globe, suppose that distance hetween each parallel
the position of
is 11 km
noint V, on the Earth s to north and south of
Equator.
surface, one can see
that if
angle PCa is 50 this line of latitude is P 50°N, north (b) Tropie of Cancer The 23%° N latitude is
of the Equator.
The point V is where
latitude
important as the Sun is overhead on 21 June
longitude 20, and as this is the 50 crosses or this
latitude, making it the longest day in
they intersect,it follows that point at
which the Northern Hemisphere.
50° N, 20°W is
position fixed for point V on the
Earth's surface. (c)
For all the places which are Tropic of Capricorn The 23%°S latitude
located on the circle is the southernmost limit of
PZV, latitude is fixed at 50 N. the apparent
movement of the Sun.
The Sun is overhead at this latitude on
December 22. It experiences the longest
day on December 22 as it is summer in
50
the southern hemisphere when Sun shines
directly overhead on Tropic of Capricorn.
(d) Arctic Circle It is the 66°N latitude. This
-

latitude is important because the area within this

circle receives oblique rays of the Sun. Because
of the inclination of the axis it
6 months of
experiences
day and 6 months of night.
Fig. 2.6: To determine the position of a place N
ARCTIC CIRCLE N

The distance between each latitude, is

approximately
11l km, as Earth represents 360° and the circumference
of the Earth is approximately 40,000 km. TROPIC OF CANCER
23%" N

Thus, 40,000 / 360° = 111 km

EQUATOR
Thus, the distance between each degree of 0

latitude is equal to 111 km.

To determine the exact position of a place on the TROPIC OF|CAPRICORN
23% S
globe, the degree is further divided into 60 minutes
and 1 minute is subdivided into 60 seconds. ANTARCTI¢ CIRCLE
For example, 20° 50' 20" N means that a place is 66% S

20 degrees, 50 minutes, 20 seconds North of the

Equator. Fig. 2.7 Five main parallells of latitudes

4. THE MAIN FIVE PARALLELS OF

(e) Antarctic Circle Conditions within this circle
LATITUDES are the same as those in the Arctic Circle.
(a) Equator - The 0° latitude divides the Earth North and South Pole mark the 90°N and 90°S
into two equal halves. This is the only Great latitudes in the form of points. Sun's rays do
not reach here
Circle and all others are smaller circles. except when sun is overhead
The distance from Equator to the Pole is
on
Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.

approximately 10,000 km. All the latitudes run Importance of Latitudes

parallel to the Equator towards north and south. Life exists only on earth and it is
possible
The rays of the sun fall vertically over the because of various phenomena closely related
Equator almost throughout the year. The to climate and vegetation.

A Textbook of ICSE Geography Class IX

21
 the Micdday Sun
() By observing
When the Sun is overhend, one sheua
determine the
Iatitude (a) The zenith distance the angt tio
To
Poie Star with the 2enith of a place at 12 mr
() By observing the determined by
be
The latithude of a place
cen
of the Sun or t
Pole Star from
that (b) The declination e ang
altitude of the Sun makes North or South of the e
measurtng the 28)
Hemisphere (See Fig. a particular day of the year Beca
plecein the Northen
inclination of the axis of the Eart
Pole Sta
which the Sun makes at any sing the
varies from day
to day. Thus, varia
listed in a book off astronomical data
Pole Star
almanac.
Zenith
Lstitude NP 5 4
30% (Zenithdistance)
Latitude
2 3 g (Declinaton)
Fig. 2.8: To determine latitude of a place by
observing the Pole Star SP
Latitudes alongwith longitudes enable us to To determine the Latitude by
FiG. 2.9
observing the Sun
spot the whereabouts of the various places on
the Earth's surface. latitude of
know the
For example if we wish to
.Equator, the 0° latitude, is the only Great Circle place X in Northern Hemisphere The zenith distance =
because it The Latitude of the place
passes through the exact centre of the 54°N =
earth and divides it into two (304) + declination of the Sun (23%°) of Capricorn,
equal halves. All the Tropic
other latitudes are the small circles, whereas all
f the Sun is overhead at the declination is
the Meridians of 1.e, in the Southern Hemisphere,
longitude are Great Circles. subtracted.
The sailors and aircrafts all over
the world use
the Great Circle route to save time
and fuel.
5. THE CLIMATIC zONES
5. ZONES OF THE EARTH
CLIMATIC O
These Great Circle routes Because of the earth's spherical shape,
inclination
are drawn between
two points of its axis, rotation and revolution, all the places
with reference to their latitude and on
longitude. the Earth's surface do not receive same amount or
The main five heat from the Sun.
parallels of latitudes mark the
main Climatic Zones of the
earth becausc Latitudes help us to divide the whole earth into
of their
position with reference to climatic zones with reference to Equator, the
movement of the Sun. These are also
apparent latitude. The world's climate is determinea
called on the basis of these Temperature Zones, as
the
Temperature Zones or Heat Zones. the amount of heat
Therefore, latitudes, the imaginary lines drawn
on the varies because of
received from the u
globe, are most inclination of the Earth and
important while studying the its spherical shape.
geography of any
country. The main Heat Zones
22 are -
the Torrid or
A7
ICSE G
 Tropical Zones, Temperate Zones and
Zones
Frigid (c) The Frigid Zones The region between Arctic
Circle to North Pole and Antarctica Circle to
ol The Torrid or Tropical 7ones lie
between the South Pole is extremely cold. Because of the
Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of
Capricorm which inclination of the axis, this area in North and
mark the limit of the overhead Sun to
North South of the Equator receives very slant rays
and South of the Equator, i.e., from
to 23/,°S with Equator
23/,°N during winter.
dividing it into North
Torrid Zone and South Torrid Zone. Here, the sun's rays cover a much larger
.The areas between 5°N to 5°S of the area and lose heat in the process. In fact,
equator are called Doldrums or Equatorial these regions, have about 9 months of
Zones and are areas of low winter during one year and remains frozen
because they pressure
receive direct rays of the for the major part of the year. Hence, they
Sun. are named Frigid Zones.
(b)Temperate Zones-The North Temperate Zone 6. THE CONCEPT OF LONGITUDES
(23/,°N to 66/,°N) and South Temperate Zone
(23/,°S 66/,°S) stretch from Torrid Zone
to The
longitude of a place is the angular
to Frigid Zone. Here the climate is distance of that place east or west of the
moderate,
e.g. neither too hot nor too cold. Prime Meridian.
This area does not receive direct On the globe, longitudes are drawn as a series
rays of
the Sun. t receives slant of semi circles that run from North Pole to
rays of the Sun.
Hence, there is great difference between the South Pole passing through the equator. These
summer and winter lines are called meridians, meaning "mid-day'"
temperature conditions,
thus affecting the weather changes which as all the
places on the same meridians have
mostly occur within this region. their noon at the same time.
During summer, the days in Northern Unlike latitudes, where equator is the
only
Hemisphere within this region are longer as Great Circle dividing the earth into two halves,
we go towards the poles, but in winter all meridians are complete circles
they dividing the
become shorter. More than half of the human earth into Eastern and Western
Hemispheres.
population stays in this region because the
temperature conditions are ideal for living.
N. Pole N. Frigid zone
66%°N
TTTTTT
Arctic circle N. Temperate
23%°N Zone
40W 20"W 20E 40'E 0
Opic of Cance
0°
Tropical or
Torrid Zone
HHHHtt
TropiC dpricor
23%°S Fig. 2.11: Meridians of Longitude
AntarcuC Circle Temperate
Zone
66%°S .Thus, the 180° longitude (thatlies just opposite
S. Pole S. Frigid zone
to the Prime Meridian) and Prime Meridian
Fig. 2.10: Heat Zones or Climatic Zones of the Earth together form one complete circle.
ATextbook of ICSE Geography Class IX - 23
 D Prime mendian

Centre

D 9

WEST
W LONGITUDE
50 Arc of
(Latitude)Mèridian
PRIMEMERIDIAN,

ueipi ajN BWDd

 m MEMERiDIAN

ueipiseNBuud

adnuuo

5
 Table 2. A Comparison between the Parallels of Latitude and Meridians of Longitude
Latitude
Longitude
de is the
atitude the angular distance of a point, 1. Longitude is the angular distance along the equator
.
north or south ofthe equator, as mcasured measured east or west of
measured in degrees. It is
in degrees. Greenwich 0° to 180°.
All latitudes are paralle to the equator. 2. All meridians of longitude converge at the poles.
2.
The distance between two latitudes is 3. The distance between two longitudes is approximately
3. Th
approximately 111 km one
111 km at the equator but goes on decreasing as
goes towards the poles. It is 0° at the poles.
The 0° latitude is referred to as the equator. 4. There are 360° of longitude, 180° each in east and west
There are 90° of latitudes in the north and of the prime meridian.
south of the equator.
90° latitudes
time with|
The latitudes from equator poles 5. The longitudes are used to determine
to
5.
are
reference to the time at prime meridian (GMT)
the
used to demarcate temperature zones.
Basis of Torrid/Tropical Temperate Frigid
Distinction
Zone Zone Zone
23°N 66°N [Northern Hemisphere] 66%°N - 90°N (N.frigid Zone)
Extent 23°N
257, 23,°s 23°S - 66/,°S [Southern Hemisphere] 66S-90°s (S. frigid Zone)
Sunrays Direct rays Slanting rays Extremely slantingg
Very hot Neither too hot nor too cold Very cold
Climate
CONTENT ANALYSIS IN BRIEF
Circle. Rest are all small circles.
1. The four directions, North, South, East & West,
known as the cardinal points help us to locate the (b) There are 181 parallels of latitudes, 90 to the
places on the map. north and 90 to the south of the Equator where
of horizontal lines drawn Equator is taken as 0°.
2. Earth's grid is a network latitude is 111 km
parallel to the Equator and vertical lines
drawn from (c) The distance between each
North Pole to South Pole. The exact position of a (approx.)
is fixed where they intersect each (d) There five main parallels of latitudes,
particular point are
other at right angles. Equator (0°), Tropic of Cancer (23%° N). Tropic
of Capricorn (23%° S), Arctic Circle (66%° N)
3. The horizontal lines drawn parallel to the equator are
and Antarctic Circle (66%°S).
called latitudes and vertical lines from North Pole to
90° N
South Pole are called longitudes. North Pole and South Pole represent the
and 90° S in the form of points.
-Latitude is the angular distance north and south
is the only
of the Equator. (e) Amongst all the latitudes Equator (0°) Northerm
the Earth into
east west great circle which divides
Longitude is the angular distance or
of the Prime Meridian (0°) Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere.
aii 5. Latitudes along with longitudes enable
us to spo
4 The lines of latitude
al, the exact position of a place on the globe.
(a) The ines of latitudes grow smaller towards the
6. The lines of longitude
pole. Thus Equator at (0°) is the only Great
29
A Terthoatc ICCr