Southern Hemisphere

The Southern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is south of the equator. It includes all of Antarctica and Australia, most of South America, about one-third of Africa, and some islands near Asia. It also has four major oceans: the whole Southern Ocean, most of the Indian Ocean, the South Atlantic Ocean, and the South Pacific Ocean, along with New Zealand and many Pacific Islands.

The Southern Hemisphere from above the South Pole

More than 850 million people live here, which is about 10–12% of all people in the world. The Southern Hemisphere has more water than land, with about 81% of its surface covered by water, compared to 61% in the north.

Because the Earth tilts on its axis, the seasons in the Southern Hemisphere are opposite to those in the north. Summer runs from December to February, while winter is from June to August. The South Pole is at the center of this part of the planet.

Characteristics

The Southern Hemisphere has climates that are often milder than those at the same latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, except in the Antarctic, which is colder than the Arctic. This is because there is more ocean and less land in the Southern Hemisphere. Water heats up and cools down more slowly than land, which helps keep temperatures more balanced.

Aurora australis appearing in the night sky of Swifts Creek, 100 km (62 mi) north of Lakes Entrance, Victoria, Australia

In the Southern Hemisphere, the Sun moves from east to west through the north. Shadows turn in a counter-clockwise direction throughout the day, and sundials show time moving in the same way. The Coriolis effect makes storms and cyclones spin clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. The Southern Hemisphere also offers excellent views of the night sky, with brighter stars and special constellations like Sagittarius. Unique plants such as eucalyptus and special types of beech trees grow here, and penguin populations are mostly found in this part of the world.

Demographics and human geography

More than 850 million people live in the Southern Hemisphere, which is about 10–12% of the world's population. The largest country in the Southern Hemisphere is Brazil, with over 203 million people. Java has the most people of any island in the world, with more than 150 million. The most populous country in the Southern Hemisphere is Indonesia, home to 275 million people. Another country entirely in the Southern Hemisphere is Tanzania, with around 67 million people.

A photo of Earth from Apollo 17 (Blue Marble) with the South Pole at the top and the continent of Africa

Many big cities are found in the Southern Hemisphere, such as Jakarta, São Paulo, and Kinshasa-Brazzaville. Important financial centers include São Paulo, Sydney, Jakarta, Johannesburg, and Buenos Aires. Popular places for tourists are Bali, Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro, and Sydney.

Australia and New Zealand are among the most developed countries in the Southern Hemisphere. Some of the least developed countries are in Africa and Oceania, such as Mozambique and Burundi. The Southern Hemisphere has historically had less influence on the world compared to the Northern Hemisphere, but countries like Australia are working to change that.

The main religions in the Southern Hemisphere include Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. The oldest city still lived in today in the Southern Hemisphere is Bogor on Java, founded in the year 669. Other ancient places include the islands of Easter Island and Zanzibar.

Continents or submerged continents

Africa

About one-third of Africa lies in the Southern Hemisphere, from south of Mogadishu in Somalia to south of Libreville in Gabon. It stretches from the Equator to Cape Agulhas.

Antarctica

The whole continent of Antarctica and its islands are in the Southern Hemisphere, from Prime Head on the Trinity Peninsula to the South Pole.

Asia

Only small parts of southern Maritime Southeast Asia, such as Timor-Leste and most of Indonesia, along with the British Indian Ocean Territory and a couple of islands from the Maldives, are in the Southern Hemisphere. These areas reach from the Equator to Pamana Island in Indonesia.

Australia

The entire continent of Australia and most of its nearby islands are in the Southern Hemisphere, extending from the Equator to Bishop and Clerk Islets in Tasmania.

South America

Most of South America is in the Southern Hemisphere, from south of the Amazon River in Brazil to north of Quito in Ecuador. It goes down to Águila Islet in the Diego Ramírez Islands of Chile.

Zealandia

The entire submerged continent of Zealandia, including New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, and other nearby islands, is in the Southern Hemisphere, from Belep in New Caledonia to Jacquemart Island.

Mainland countries or territories

Africa

Entirely —

Mostly —

Partly —

Asia

The entire continental mainland is wholly within the Northern Hemisphere. Only the southern portion of Maritime Southeast Asia, plus the British Indian Ocean Territory and two out of 26 atolls of Maldives in the Indian Ocean are in the Southern Hemisphere.