What is the equator?
The equator is an imaginary line that divides the Earth into two halves: top and bottom. The top half is called the Northern Hemisphere and the bottom half is called the Southern Hemisphere.
The equator isn’t the only line that divides the Earth. Have a look at the globe, there are lots of lines that run from east to west. These lines are called 'latitudes'.
The latitude line that crosses through the middle of the Earth, halfway between the North Pole and the South Pole, is the only one that is called the equator.
Earth is divided into these imaginary lines because it makes it easier to measure distances from one place to another. The distance is measured in degrees.
The equator is the starting point. It measures 0 degrees.
Did you know?
The distance around the equator is around 25,000 miles (40,000 km).
