Hemisphere (2024)

A circle drawn around Earth’s center divides it into two equal halves called hemispheres, or half spheres. Though this can be done in infinite ways. However, there are generally considered to be four hemispheres: Southern, Northern, Eastern, and Western. To get the Western and Eastern hemispheres, the intersection happens at the prime meridian. To get the Northern and Southern hemispheres, the intersection happens at the Equator.

The Equator, or line of 0 degrees latitude, divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The Northern Hemisphere contains North America, the northern part of South America, Europe, the northern two-thirds of Africa, and most of Asia. The Southern Hemisphere contains most of South America, one-third of Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and some Asian islands.

There are differences in the climates of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres because of Earth's seasonal tilt toward and away from the sun. In the Northern Hemisphere, the warmer summer months are from June through September. In the Southern Hemisphere, summer begins in December and ends in March.

Earth can also be divided into hemispheres along meridians, or lines of longitude. The prime meridian, or 0 degrees longitude, and the International Date Line, 180 degrees longitude, divide Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Many geographers consider the 20 degree west line of longitude and the 160 degree east line of longitude as the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. This calculation is made so that Africa and Europe are not split.

The idea of Eastern and Western Hemispheres has become politically and historically significant since European nations began colonizing North America and South America. In this context, the Eastern Hemisphere is sometimes called the "Old World," and the Western Hemisphere is called the "New World." However, the Western Hemisphere is a purely geographic term and should not be confused with other mentions of the "Western" world, which is often used to describe parts of Europe, North America, and other world regions that share some economic, social, and cultural values.

Fast Fact

Internal Hemisphere
The word "hemisphere" is usually used to refer to halves of Earth, but it is also used to identify the halves of the brain. The brain is divided down the middle into the right and left hemispheres. Each brain hemisphere is considered to be specialized for certain behaviors. For example, the right hemisphere of the brain controls muscles on the left side of the body, and the left hemisphere of the brain controls muscles on the right side of the body.

Hemisphere (2024)

FAQs

What are the 4 hemispheres of the Earth? ›

However, there are generally considered to be four hemispheres: Southern, Northern, Eastern, and Western. To get the Western and Eastern hemispheres, the intersection happens at the prime meridian. To get the Northern and Southern hemispheres, the intersection happens at the Equator.

What do you mean by hemisphere? ›

hemisphere. / hĕm′ĭ-sfîr′ / One half of a sphere, formed by a plane that passes through the center of the sphere. Either the northern or southern half of the Earth as divided by the equator, or the eastern or western half as divided by a meridian, especially the prime meridian.

Which hemisphere has the most water responses? ›

the northern hemisphere is dominated by water. most of earth's water is in the atlantic basin. the northern hemisphere has fewer land masses than the southern hemisphere. the greatest amount of earth's water is found in the arctic ocean.

What hemisphere is the United States in? ›

Any given location in the world is in two hemispheres at once: Northern or Southern and Eastern or Western. The United States, for example, is in both the Northern and Western hemispheres and Australia is in the Southern and Eastern hemispheres.

What is a hemisphere for kids? ›

Hemisphere is the name given to half a sphere, cut in half through its widest point. It is most commonly used when describing different areas of the earth. Any circle drawn around the earth divides it into two halves, called hemispheres.

Is the hemisphere 2 or 4? ›

The world is a sphere (or very close to one). “Hemisphere” literally means half a sphere. So the world cannot be divided into more than two hemispheres (halves) at a time. You'll notice that the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Hemispheres are not completely distinct from each other.

Where is a hemisphere? ›

A hemisphere can be defined as any circle that has been drawn around the Earth and divides the Earth into two similar halves. Four different hemispheres are generally considered by geographers. These are the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western hemispheres.

How does a hemisphere look like? ›

It has a flat circular base and a curved surface. Note that the radius of the hemisphere is equal to the radius of the sphere it is cut from. In everyday life, we come across a variety of hemisphere-shaped objects. For instance, if we cut a perfectly round lemon or an orange in identical halves, we get two hemispheres.

What are the faces of a hemisphere? ›

Properties of a hemisphere

A hemisphere has 2 faces. 1 curved face and 1 flat circular face. A hemisphere has no vertices. A hemisphere has 1 edge.

Which hemisphere is stronger? ›

But no evidence suggests that a person's left or right brain is stronger than the other. It's all about the neural connections. When you experience sensory input, process it, and take action, neurons in your brain light up with activity.

Which hemisphere is more warm? ›

In Earth's present-day climate, the annually-averaged surface air temperature in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) is? 1.5°C higher than in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). This interhemispheric temperature difference has been known for a long time, and scientists have pondered over its origin for centuries.

Which hemisphere has more land? ›

The Mollwiede projection of Earth shows that there is more landmass in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere. While perhaps not obvious just at a glance, the Northern Hemisphere's surface is about 40% landmass and is covered by about 60% water in the Northern Hemisphere.

What hemisphere is Texas in? ›

How far is Texas from the equator and on what hemisphere is it? Texas is 2,208.82 mi (3,554.75 km) north of the equator, so it is located in the northern hemisphere.

What hemisphere is Florida in? ›

Assuming you mean Fort Lauderdale, FL, then the answer is it is in the Northern hemisphere.

What hemisphere is Mexico in? ›

Mexico is in the continent of North America. This means it is in the Northern hemisphere of the Earth. The Northern Hemisphere is the part of the planet that is north of the equator.

What are the 4 hemispheres and what is their purpose? ›

A hemisphere can be defined as any circle that has been drawn around the Earth and divides the Earth into two similar halves. Four different hemispheres are generally considered by geographers. These are the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western hemispheres.

Why is the Earth divided into 4 hemispheres? ›

The equator divides the Earth into Northern and Southern hemispheres. The Earth's orbit around the sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis affect the seasonal changes in these two hemispheres. Because the Earth's axis is tilted, it is angled with respect to the sun.

What is the difference between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres? ›

Eastern Hemisphere: The half that lies east of the prime meridian and west of the 180th meridian. This hemisphere includes most of Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia, as well as the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. Western Hemisphere: The half that lies west of the prime meridian and east of the 180th meridian.

What is the difference between the Northern and Southern hemispheres? ›

The Northern Hemisphere includes North America, Central America, Europe, and mainland Asia. About half of Africa and a small part of South America are also in the Northern Hemisphere. The rest of Africa, most of South America, and all of Australia and Antarctica lie in the Southern Hemisphere.

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