Last updated: October 2026 Β· 3 min read
Just as a street address helps a courier find your home, latitude and longitude help us pinpoint any place on Earth. Together they form a grid of imaginary lines called coordinates, used by maps, ships and the GPS in your phone.
Latitude: lines that run east-west
Latitude measures how far north or south a place is from the Equator (0Β°). Lines of latitude, called parallels, run east to west and go up to 90Β°N at the North Pole and 90Β°S at the South Pole.
Longitude: lines that run north-south
Longitude measures how far east or west a place is from the Prime Meridian (0Β°) passing through Greenwich, London. Lines of longitude, called meridians, run from pole to pole and go up to 180Β°E and 180Β°W.
Important lines
| Line | Degree | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Equator | 0Β° | Divides Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres |
| Tropic of Cancer | 23.5Β°N | Passes through 8 Indian states |
| Tropic of Capricorn | 23.5Β°S | Southern limit of the tropics |
| Arctic and Antarctic Circles | 66.5Β°N and S | Midnight sun and polar night |
| Prime Meridian | 0Β° | Greenwich, UK |
| International Date Line | About 180Β° | The date changes when you cross it |
India’s location
India lies roughly between 8Β°4’N and 37Β°6’N latitude and 68Β°7’E and 97Β°25’E longitude (mainland). The Tropic of Cancer cuts through Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram. Indian Standard Time is based on the 82.5Β°E meridian near Mirzapur.
How to read coordinates
The Taj Mahal is at about 27.17Β°N, 78.04Β°E: 27 degrees north of the Equator and 78 degrees east of Greenwich. Coordinates can also be written in degrees, minutes and seconds, such as 27Β°10’N.
Longitude and time
Earth turns 360Β° in 24 hours, so every 15Β° of longitude equals one hour of time difference. That is why Indian time is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Frequently asked questions
Which line divides India almost into two halves?
The Tropic of Cancer (23.5Β°N) passes through the middle of India.
How many lines of latitude and longitude are there?
Conventionally 180 parallels (90 north, 90 south, plus the Equator) and 360 meridians at one-degree spacing, though any number can be drawn.
Why is IST 5:30 hours ahead of GMT?
IST is based on 82.5Β°E; 82.5 Γ· 15 = 5.5 hours.
Keep exploring
Facts are based on widely accepted official, scientific and historical sources at the time of writing. Spotted something that needs updating? Let us know.
