Lines of latitude
Latitude lines are imaginary lines that run east to west and measure how far a place is north or south of the equator. Lines of latitude are parallel and never meet. The equator is 0° latitude, and the greatest latitude is 90° at the North Pole and the South Pole.
Key idea
Latitude runs east–west (measures north/south); longitude runs north–south (measures east/west). Together they give a place's coordinates.
Lines of longitude
Longitude lines are imaginary lines that run north to south and measure how far a place is east or west of the Prime Meridian. Lines of longitude meet at the poles. The Prime Meridian is 0° longitude, passing through Greenwich, and the greatest longitude is 180°.
Example
Malaysia lies roughly between 1°N and 7°N latitude, that is, in the northern hemisphere near the equator.
Special lines
Some important latitudes include the Tropic of Cancer (23½°N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23½°S). Where a line of latitude crosses a line of longitude, we get exact coordinates, which is the absolute location of a place. This system lets any place in the world be identified exactly, and it is used in maps, GPS devices and navigation. Lines of longitude are also used to set the time zones around the world.
Remember
State latitude first (N/S), then longitude (E/W), for example 3°N, 101°E.