How Do You Read A World Map Grid?
To make map reading and geographical positioning easier, world maps include a grid of imaginary lines superimposed over map images. These lines include horizontal “latitude” lines to measure distances north and south of the equator and “longitude” lines to measure distances east and west of the Prime Meridian. When these two numbers are combined, the data point identifies a unique spot on the world map. Both latitude and longitude are measured in degrees, minutes and seconds, and learning how to use the system is a valuable skill for reading geographical information. Locate the closest latitude (horizontal) line to a desired point. In the case of locations in the Southern Hemisphere, choose the closest line north of the point and select the closest line to the south of the point for locations in the Northern Hemisphere. Latitude lines run parallel to the equator, an imaginary line that runs along the circumference earth and is the same distance from each of the poles. After choosing th
