Which parallel has the largest diameter

Examples of small circles include all lines of latitude except the equator, the Tropical of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, the Arctic Circle, and Antarctic Circle. Latitude is actually an angular measurement north or south of the equator. So 30 degrees north means a point that is 30 degrees north of the equator. Latitude varies from 0 degrees equator to 90 degrees north and south the poles. A line connecting all points of the same latitude is called a parallel , because the lines run parallel to each other.

The only parallel that is also a great circle is the equator. All other parallels are small circles. The following are the most important parallel lines:. Latitude is also sometimes described as zones of latitude. Some of these zones of latitude include:. Longitude is the angular measurement east and west of the Prime Meridian image on the right. Like latitude, longitude is measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds. Lines connecting equal points of longitude are called meridians. But unlike parallels, meridians do not run parallel to each other.

Rather they are farthest apart from each other at the equator and merge toward each other toward the poles. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives. One of the oldest tenets of geography is the concept of place.

Location is the position of a particular point on the surface of the Earth. Locale is the physical setting for relationships between people, such as the South of France or the Smoky Mountains. Finally, a sense of place is the emotions someone attaches to an area based on their experiences. Place can be applied at any scale and does not necessarily have to be fixed in either time or space.

Additionally, due to globalization, place can change over time as its physical setting and cultures are influenced by new ideas or technologies. Learn more about the physical and human characteristics of place with this curated resource collection.

Lines of latitude and longitude help us navigate and describe the Earth. Explore them with MapMaker, National Geographic's classroom interactive mapping tool. Students look at lines of latitude and longitude on United States and world maps, discuss why these lines are helpful, and identify landmarks with similar latitude and longitude. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students.

Skip to content. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary. Straddling the Equator in Ecuador. Photograph by Lacey Jeffreys, My Shot. Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit.

Media If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Text Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

Climate describes the average weather conditions of a particular place over a 30 year period. All places on earth have their own climates. Different from weather events, which are short-term and temporary phenomenon, climates are usually steady and predictable, and shape how organisms and human civilizations evolve and adapt in any given region.

However, climates are not always permanent, and can change drastically due to human activity. Explore the world's climates and how they affect local regions and the planet with this curated collection of resources. The northern hemisphere experiences summer during the months of June, July, and August because it is tilted toward the sun and receives the most direct sunlight.

Inversely, summer for the southern hemisphere takes place during the months of December, January, and February because that is when it receives the most direct sunlight. Did you know that the earth is approximately 3. Learn more about the relationship between the earth and the sun with these resources.

Encyclopedic entry. A great circle is the largest possible circle that can be drawn around a sphere. All spheres have great circles. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Skip to content. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary. Kenya is one of 13 nations that straddle the Equator.

Photograph by W. Robert Moore. Arctic Circle. Also called an astronomical object. There are two equinoxes a year. Northern Hemisphere. North Pole. Satellites can be natural, like moons, or artificial. Southern Hemisphere. South Pole. Tropic of Cancer. Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit.

Media If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Text Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Interactives Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Related Resources.