How Many Meridians of Longitude are There in The Globe

Introduction

A Meridian is only an imaginary line connecting the North and the South poles of the earth, and perpendicular with each parallel of latitude, so we can connect the two poles of the earth through as many lines as we want. They all are of equal length. Meridians are the lines of Longitude. So there are 360 Degrees of longitude and a line of 0 Degrees is called Prime Meridian which passes through an observatory in Greenwich, London and divides the Globe into two halves. The Meridian term comes from the Latin meridies, meaning “midday”.

Need of The Meridians of Longitude

As the economy was growing at a fast pace, there was an urgent need for setting an international prime meridian, to make navigation easier, especially for the sailors. Hence, International Meridian Conference was held in 1884 in Washington, in which 26 countries participated. In the meeting it was decided that a single meridian would only be used, the meridian was to go through Greenwich.

Geography

All the lines of the Longitudes are measured from the Prime Meridian. With the help of the Prime Meridian, we can decide whether we are going east or west. It also helps us in determining the time zone. As we move towards the east direction from the prime meridian the time increases by 4 minutes per degree of longitude, and it decreases by 4 minutes per degree of longitude if we move towards the west of the prime meridian. It passes through 8 countries, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Ghana.

The Prime Meridian is internationally accepted as the line of 0 Degrees Longitude. The International Date Line is based on the Antimeridian, which is 180 Degrees from the Prime Meridian, also it passes through the mid-Pacific Ocean.

Longitude Degrees are divided into 60 Minutes. Further, each minute can be divided into 60 Seconds. A degree of latitude can have the highest width of 111 Kilometers near the equator. Because of the curvature of the earth, the distance of a degree per minute and a second depends on its distance from the equator. Longitude is related to Latitude. Lines of the Latitude are called parallels and the Maps are marked with Meridians and Parallels, creating a grid structure. The point in this grid, where the two lines intersect is called a coordinate, which can be used to locate any point on the Earth.

The three major longitudes are:

0 Degree- Greenwich Mean Time

82.5 Degree- Indian Standard Time

180 Degree- International Date Line

Conclusion

Knowing the correct coordinates of a location (degrees, minutes, and seconds of longitude and latitude) is critical for military, engineering, and rescue operations. These Coordinates give military leaders the location of weapons or enemy troops. With the use of the coordinates. Engineers plan the best spot for a building or other structures. Aeroplane pilots fly planes or drop aid packages with the use of these coordinates. Studying and knowing the Meridian Lines are a necessity.