Geography Basics

Distance north or south of the equator (these lines go sideways [East-West], across the globe).

• Latitude

• Prime Meridian

• Equator

• Longitude

Distance east or west of the prime meridian (these lines go up and down [North-South] on a globe).

• Longitude

• Archipelago

• Political Map

• Equator

An imaginary circle around the middle of the earth, halfway between the North Pole and the South Pole. 0° latitude.

• Equator

• Map Legend/Map Key

• Longitude

• Prime Meridian

An imaginary circle that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and passes through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. 0° longitude.

• Prime Meridian

• Physical Map

• Latitude

• Equator

The exact location of a place or thing on earth. Measured by latitude and longitude.

• Absolute Location
• Prime Meridian
• Physical Map
• Peninsula

Half of the earth; either the northern hemisphere, southern hemisphere, eastern hemisphere, or western hemisphere.

• Hemisphere

• Longitude

• Absolute Location

• Archipelago

A tool on a map showing cardinal (N,E,S,W) and intermediate (NE,SE,NW,SW) directions.

• Compass Rose
• Prime Meridian
• Latitude
• Absolute Location

A box or other display on a map that explains the meaning of the symbols used on the map.

• Map Legend/Map Key
• Latitude
• Political Map
• Peninsula

Compares a distance on a map with a distance in the real world.

• Map Scale
• Map Legend/Map Key
• Archipelago
• Longitude

A type of map that shows the boundaries between countries, states, and cities, as well as the names of those places.

• Political Map
• Equator
• Prime Meridian
• Map Scale