Plain English Meaning

It’s the grid system used to pinpoint exactly where something is on Earth. Latitude tells you how far north or south you are; longitude tells you how far east or west. The east–west lines on a chart are parallels (latitude); the north–south lines are meridians (longitude).

Full Definition

Latitude and longitude are the two coordinates used to describe any position on the surface of the Earth. Latitude is measured in degrees north or south of the Equator, from 0° at the Equator to 90° at each pole. Longitude is measured in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian (which runs through Greenwich, England), from 0° to 180°. On a chart, lines of latitude are called parallels because they run east–west parallel to the Equator, and lines of longitude are called meridians because they run north–south from pole to pole.

Context Anchor

Seen on aeronautical charts, location , displays, and .