Circle of latitude

On the Earth, a circle of latitude is an imaginary east-west circle that connects all locations with a given latitude. A location's position along a circle of latitude is given by its longitude. Circles of latitude are often called parallels because they are parallel to each other. It is measured in absolute location.

Diagram of major circles of latitude on the Earth.

The five major circles of latitude are, from north to south:

• The Arctic Circle (66.5°N)
• The Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N)
• The Equator (0°)
• The Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S)
• The Antarctic Circle (66.5°S)