Latitude

• Latitude lines are parallel lines that measure distance from the equator, an imaginary line running around the exact middle of the earth. The equator is 0 degrees latitude, while the South Pole is 90 degrees south latitude and the North Pole is 90 degrees north latitude. Latitude coordinates are divided into degrees and minutes. One degree equals 69 miles or 111 km on land, or 60 nautical miles. One minute is 1.15 miles or 1.85 km on land, or 1 nautical mile. So, a point on earth at 45 degrees 3 minutes north latitude would be 3,108.45 miles north of the equator.