Which line runs around the middle of the Earth at 0 degrees latitude?

• A. Prime meridian
• B. Tropic of Cancer
• C. International Date Line
• D. Equator

Answer: (D)

Lines of latitude tell how far north or south you are from the equator, which sits at 0 degrees. The line at zero degrees latitude runs all the way around the middle of the Earth, dividing it into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. This is the equator, the circle that encircles the globe exactly halfway between the poles. Other lines mentioned are at different measurements: the Prime Meridian is 0 degrees longitude and runs from pole to pole, the Tropic of Cancer is about 23.5 degrees north, and the International Date Line is roughly opposite the Prime Meridian at 180 degrees longitude. So the line that goes around the middle at 0 degrees latitude is the equator.