8 Difference Between Latitude and Longitude

Latitude and longitude are generally used for geographical coordinates. With the help of these coordinates, a systematic and continuous network of lines is formed. This line network represents the coordinates. These points show the exact location, distance and direction of the particular place, or object. When we see a map or globe we see two types of lines which are running from east-west and north-south. The lines which are running from east-west are known as latitude lines and the line which looks run from north to south are known as the longitude lines. The post will help you to know more about the difference between Latitude and Longitude.

Latitude vs Longitude

Sr.no	Latitude	Longitude
1	Latitudes are the geographic coordinates that determine the distance of a point, north-south of the equator.	Longitudes are the geographic coordinate, which indicates the distance of a point, east-west of the Prime Meridian.
2	Latitude lines run east to west.	Longitude lines run from north to south.
3	Latitude is known as parallels	Longitude is known as meridians
4	The largest latitude equator divides the earth into two parts which are the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere.	The longitude prime meridian divides the earth into two parts which are known as the eastern hemisphere and the western hemisphere.
5	Latitude classifies heat zones	Longitude classifies time zones
6	Latitude lines are parallel and never meet each other.	Longitude lines are not parallel and meet at poles.
7	There are 180 lines of latitudes	There are 360 lines of latitudes
8	The lengths of the latitude lines are different	The length of the longitude lines is the same

 What is Latitude

Latitudes are the lines that run from the east to the west. Latitude lines determine the north-south position on the earth. Latitude lines start from 0° from the equator and end up at the 90°at the north or the south poles. So the higher value shows the closeness to the North or South Pole.

The largest latitude divides the earth into two parts which are the Northern hemisphere and the Southern hemisphere.

What is the distance between the Lines of Latitude?

The lines of the latitude are known as parallels. The latitude line divides the earth at 180°. The parallel distance between each degree of latitude is about 110 kilometres and around 69 miles. This means the 1 degree of latitude is equal to 110 km on the earth’s surface. The parallel lines connect all points in the same line.

What are the Major Lines of Latitude

There are major five lines of latitude from the North to the South Pole. These major lines are known Arctic Circle (66° 33′ 44″ (or 66.5622°), Tropic of Cancer 23° 26′ 14.675(23° 26′ 16″) the Equator, Tropic of Capricorn (23° 26′ 14.440″), and the Antarctic Circle. On a 2d map, latitude appears as horizontal lines.

What is the Equator?

The equator is the latitude line that divides the earth into two equal parts. The equal parts of the earth are known as the Northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere which marks the location of 0° latitude

The equator connects the points on earth that are equidistant from the North and South Poles. The Equator is the largest line or circle of latitude, all the other lines of latitude are small circles than the equator line or circle.

The equator covers 78.7% water and 21.3% land and is about 40075 kilometres on earth (24,901 miles ).

What are the Horse Latitudes

The latitudes which are found at about 30° North or South of the equator are known as the horse latitudes. These lines represent the subtopic areas from where the prevailing winds diverge and start to flow towards the poles which are known as the westerlies and the winds which flow towards equators are known as trade winds.

What is Longitude

Longitude is lines that run from north to south and represents the position east-west of a particular point. In this way, longitude is the angular distance east or west from the Prime Meridian.

Longitude lines run from pole to pole and cross the equator at right angles. All lines of longitude are equal in length because all lines start from the same points and also end on the same point. Each longitude line also is one-half of a great circle.

Longitude lines divide the earth in 360° degrees of longitude which are180° eastward and −180° westward. The longitude line which is at 0° is known as the Prime Meridian and it divides the Earth into two equal parts which are known as Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere.

Longitude lines are also known as the meridians.

Identification of Meridian is East or West

Distances that are west of the Prime Meridian are considered with a – negative sign in front of the number and distances which are at the east side of the Prime Meridian are considered as positive numbers (-180°  of longitude west and 180°of longitude east).

Distance between Lines of Longitude

Longitude lines are not parallel to each other. The maximum distance between lines at the equator narrows the further away from the equator. The distance becomes smaller until they converge at the North and South Poles.

The distance between longitude lines at the equator intersection point is the same as latitude, roughly 110 kilometres. At 45° north or south, the distance between is about 79 kilometres. The distance between the lines at the pole reaches zero.

What is the Prime Meridian?

The line of longitude with the value 0°is known as the prime meridian.  This line passes through England and the place is known as the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, England, Prime meridian is also known as the Greenwich Meridian and divides Earth into two equal parts or halves.  These two equally divided halves are known as the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere.

 

Longitude and Latitude Coordinates

In the latitude and the longitude coordinate system a pair of numbers known as coordinates are used. In these coordinates degree(°) Minute (‘) and seconds(”) are mentioned (DMS). Latitude DMS is always written first in the coordinates.

For example coordinates of the London are 51° 30′ 35.5140” N   0° 7′ 5.1312”. Latitude and longitude are used at many places like military operations, and major construction projects like Dam, Hydroelectric projects, Bridges etc. if we think about the largest hydroelectric project Three gorges dam its latitude and longitudes are 30.8233°N, 111.0037°E. With these coordinates, it is become very simple to locate its location very easily in an accurate way.

Key points of Latitude and Longitude

Sr.no	Key points of Latitude and Longitude
1.	The degree, Minute, and Seconds donate the Latitude and longitude.
2.	The Equator is known as a zero degree of latitude.
3.	Zero degrees of longitude is known as the Prime meridian.
4.	The Equator passes through 13 countries.
5.	The close relation between longitude and Time.
6.	The distance between the pole and the equator is 10013 km.
7.	1 degree of longitude and latitude is the same at the equator.

Main Difference between Latitude and Longitude

1. Latitudes are the geographic coordinates that determine the distance of a point, north-south of the equator. Longitudes are the geographic coordinate, which indicates the distance of a point, east-west of the Prime Meridian.
2. Latitude lines run east to west. Longitude lines run from north to south.
3. The largest latitude equator divides the earth into two parts which are the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere. The longitude prime meridian divides the earth into two parts which are known as the eastern hemisphere and the western hemisphere.
4. Latitude lines are parallel and never meet each other. Longitude lines are not parallel and meet at poles.

Conclusion

Latitude and Longitude are very important to find or mark the points and locations on the earth’s surface. These days everywhere longitude and latitude are used for the eject locations. All measure projects like hydroelectric projects, dams and reservoirs are mentioned with the help of the latitude and longitude. the coordinate system is widely used by the military for missiles these coordinate system is latitude and longitude.

This is mainly about the difference between latitude and longitude. we hope you understand the topic very well. if you have any confusion about latitude and longitude feel free to comment on us. if you want to read more articles like this visit our website differenceebetween.