A hemisphere is half a sphere. The Equator divides Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The prime meridian and the opposite 180° meridian divide it into Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
These are two different divisions of the same globe, not four separate pieces. A place away from the dividing lines belongs to one north–south half and one east–west half.
Model the idea
Draw two circles on paper. On the first, label a horizontal Equator and mark north and south. On the second, sketch the east–west division. Use an atlas to compare your flat drawings with a globe.
Coordinate practice
- Which hemispheres contain 20° N, 30° E?
- Which contain 15° S, 70° W?
- What does latitude 0° mean?
- Why is “at the top of the map” less precise than a latitude?
Show answers and reasoning
- Northern and Eastern.
- Southern and Western.
- The location is on the Equator.
- A map can be rotated or centered differently; latitude is measured from the Equator.
Keep exploring in social studies: the seven continents, compass directions, and time zones.
Sources & further reading
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