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what are latitudes and longitudes

Latitudes are horizontal lines drawn on a globe or map that go around the Earth, parallel to the equator. Latitudes are also known as parallels. They are at an equal distance from each other. All of them form  complete circles, except the North and South poles, which are points. The latitudes decrease in length as it move from the equator to the poles.

Longitudes are vertical lines drawn on a globe or map, that run from the North pole to the South Pole. It measures the distance of a place east or west of the Prime Meridian. Longitudes are also known as meridians. They run in a true North- South direction. They are farthest apart at the equator and come together to a point at the poles.

The latitudes and longitudes cut each other at right angles.


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