Definition
A pair of values — latitude and longitude — that specify an exact position on the Earth's surface. Latitude measures north or south of the equator; longitude measures east or west of the Prime Meridian. Both are expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds (or decimal degrees).
Plain English
A two-number address for any point on Earth. The first number tells you how far north or south, the second tells you how far east or west.
Context Anchor
Seen in charts, instrument procedure information, notices, and descriptions of special use airspace boundaries.
Derivation
From Greek geo- (earth) and graphein (to describe), combined with 'coordinates' from Latin co- (together) and ordinare (to arrange). Literally, 'arranged-together earth descriptors' — a system for describing where something is on the planet.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots rely on them to locate airspace limits accurately and avoid inadvertent entry into prohibited or restricted zones.
Analogy
Geographic coordinates work like a street address for the Earth, but with numbers instead of street names. A landmark can be vague, but coordinates point to one specific location.
Intuition Check
Do not read geographic coordinates as a general area description. They are exact position numbers tied to the Earth, usually given as latitude and longitude.
Example Sentence 1
The restricted area boundary was defined by four geographic coordinates listed in the chart supplement.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot plotted the geographic coordinates on the sectional chart to confirm the MOA limits.