My World QuestColor & Learn
Explorers Geography

Geography · Continents & oceans

Hemispheres

North / South / East / West of the world.

Not started

Splitting the World in Half

A hemisphere is half of the Earth. The word 'hemi' means half. We can split the world in different ways. The Equator is an imaginary line around the middle of the Earth. It divides the world into North and South. Countries above the Equator are in the Northern Hemisphere. Countries below the Equator are in the Southern Hemisphere. The Equator goes through places like Ecuador, Kenya and Indonesia.

East and West Hemispheres

We can also split the world into East and West. The Prime Meridian is an imaginary line running from North Pole to South Pole. It passes through London in the United Kingdom. One half is the Western Hemisphere. The other half is the Eastern Hemisphere. The Americas are mostly in the Western Hemisphere. Africa, Europe and Asia are mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Where Do Continents Sit?

Some continents fit neatly into one hemisphere. Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. Antarctica is entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. North America is in the Northern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere. But some continents cross the lines! Africa sits in all four hemispheres. The Equator cuts through the middle of Africa. The Prime Meridian also runs through Africa.

Using Hemispheres to Describe Places

Hemispheres help us describe where countries and oceans are. Brazil is in the Southern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere. India is in the Northern Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. The Pacific Ocean spreads across both Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Knowing hemispheres helps explorers, pilots and ship captains find their way.

Worked examples

  1. 1. Is the United Kingdom in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere?

    1. Find the Equator on a map or globe.
    2. The UK is far above the Equator.
    3. Countries above the Equator are in the Northern Hemisphere.
    4. The United Kingdom is in the Northern Hemisphere.

  2. 2. Which hemisphere is New Zealand in – Eastern or Western?

    1. Find the Prime Meridian running through London.
    2. New Zealand is a long way east of London.
    3. It is in the half of the world called the Eastern Hemisphere.
    4. New Zealand is in the Eastern Hemisphere.

  3. 3. Which continent is in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres?

    1. Look for continents that the Equator passes through.
    2. The Equator runs through the middle of Africa.
    3. Part of Africa is above the Equator, part is below.
    4. Africa is in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Try it yourself

Is Argentina in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere?

Ready to test yourself?

Take a short topic test — every question maps to a syllabus point so you’ll see exactly which parts you’ve mastered.