<P> In geography , latitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the north -- south position of a point on the Earth 's surface . Latitude is an angle ( defined below ) which ranges from 0 ° at the Equator to 90 ° ( North or South ) at the poles . Lines of constant latitude , or parallels , run east -- west as circles parallel to the equator . Latitude is used together with longitude to specify the precise location of features on the surface of the Earth . Without qualification the term latitude should be taken to be the geodetic latitude as defined in the following sections . Also defined are six auxiliary latitudes which are used in special applications . </P>
<P> In geography , latitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the north -- south position of a point on the Earth 's surface . Latitude is an angle ( defined below ) which ranges from 0 ° at the Equator to 90 ° ( North or South ) at the poles . Lines of constant latitude , or parallels , run east -- west as circles parallel to the equator . Latitude is used together with longitude to specify the precise location of features on the surface of the Earth . Without qualification the term latitude should be taken to be the geodetic latitude as defined in the following sections . Also defined are six auxiliary latitudes which are used in special applications . </P>
what are the lines parallel to the equator called
what are the lines parallel to the equator called
Lines of constant latitude
Lines of constant latitude