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Prime meridian

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

The Prime Meridian is an important imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole through Greenwich, England, and helps us measure time zones around the world.

Prime Meridian

The prime meridian is a very special line on our planet called Earth. It helps us know where places are. Think of it like the starting line in a race. From this line, we can measure distances east and west all around the world. This makes it easy to give every place a unique address so we can find it on maps.

Long ago, people used many different lines to measure where they were. But today, everyone agrees to use one special line called the IERS Reference Meridian. This line is very close to the Greenwich Meridian, which used to be the main line. The equator and the prime meridian help us understand where we are on Earth.

We measure distances from the prime meridian from 0° to 180° east and west. This system helps everyone, including scientists and mapmakers, describe exactly where things are in our world.

The prime meridian runs through Greenwich in the United Kingdom. It is very important for knowing time zones and finding places on maps. It even helps our Global Positioning System give us correct locations anywhere on the planet.

The prime meridian is just one of many lines that help us understand our world. It shows how people worked together to create a system that helps everyone find their way.

Images

The Prime Meridian Line (Longitude 0) passing through Somanya, Ghana, marking the starting point for measuring longitude around the world.
An old world map from 1587 showing continents and oceans, with decorative borders.
An ancient world map from the year 1300 showing Ptolemy's first projection, made by Greek scholars in Constantinople.
An old map from 1529 showing early explorers' understanding of the world, including the Pacific Coast of the Americas and the Spice Islands.
A historical map from a 16th-century atlas by Abraham Ortelius, showing a region of Africa. This map is a valuable piece of cartographic history.
An old map of China from the 1600s showing its provinces and regions.
Sign marking the Prime Meridian in Parnay, France
A world map centered on the Pacific Ocean, showing the 180th meridian.
A stunning view of planet Earth from space.
A stunning view of our planet Earth from space, showing Africa, Antarctica, and the Arabian Peninsula.
Map showing the International Date Line in the Aleutian Islands region.

Related articles

Earth
Equator
United Kingdom
Global Positioning System

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Prime meridian, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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