Major Circles of Latitude
There are five major circles of latitude, listed below from north to south. The position of the Equator is fixed (90 degrees from the Earth's axis of rotation) but the latitudes of the other circles depend on the tilt of this axis relative to the plane of the Earth's orbit, and so are not perfectly fixed. The values below are for 2011.:
- Arctic Circle (66° 33′ 44″ N)
- Tropic of Cancer (23° 26′ 16″ N)
- Equator (0° latitude)
- Tropic of Capricorn (23° 26′ 16″ S)
- Antarctic Circle (66° 33′ 44″ S)
These circles of latitude, excluding the Equator, mark the divisions between the five principal geographical zones.
Read more about this topic: Circle Of Latitude
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