Finding Absolute Location on Maps

To determine the exact, or absolute location of any place on a map or globe, you need two specific pieces of information:

• The latitude of the place (its position north or south of the Equator).
• The longitude of the place (its position east or west of the Prime Meridian).

These two measurements, often expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds, form a unique coordinate pair. This coordinate pair acts like an address, allowing anyone to pinpoint the exact spot on the Earth's surface.

Why Both Coordinates Are Required

Using only latitude would place a location somewhere along a specific parallel line, but its east-west position would still be unknown. Similarly, using only longitude identifies a location along a specific meridian but leaves its north-south position ambiguous.

Only when both latitude and longitude are known can the absolute location be precisely identified. For example, the intersection of a specific line of latitude and a specific line of longitude marks one unique point.

Conclusion

Therefore, to find the absolute location of a place on a map, you require both latitude and longitude of that place.