gen-briefly-explain-latitude-and-longitude-and-one-common-miscon-fb07

Briefly explain latitude and longitude and one common misconception about it.

# Latitude and Longitude **Latitude** measures how far north or south you are from the equator (0°), ranging from 90°N (North Pole) to 90°S (South Pole). Lines of latitude run horizontally around the globe. **Longitude** measures how far east or west you are from the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, England (0°), ranging from 180°W to 180°E. Lines of longitude run vertically from pole to pole. ## Common Misconception Many people believe that **one degree of latitude equals the same distance as one degree of longitude everywhere on Earth**. In reality, while one degree of latitude is always approximately 111 km (69 miles), the distance covered by one degree of longitude *varies* depending on your latitude. At the equator, it's about 111 km, but this shrinks as you move toward the poles—becoming zero at the poles themselves, where all longitude lines converge.