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Geographic location refers to a position on the Earth. Your absolute geographic location is defined by two coordinates, longitude and latitude. These two coordinates can be used to give specific locations independent of an outside reference point. Relative location, on the other hand, defines a location in terms of another. For example, Lille is north of Paris. These two types of geographic location are useful in different circumstances.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
Your geographic location refers to your specific location on earth, defined by your current latitude and longitude.
Longitude and the Prime Meridian
Longitude denotes the east/west position of a geographic location. Longitude lines run north and south across the Earth, between the two poles. The prime meridian is the zero line for longitude. It runs between the North and South poles, through Greenwich, England. The prime meridian splits the Earth into the Eastern and Western hemispheres; the International Date Line divides the Earth opposite the prime meridian. The International Date Line is not straight due to social reasons, but all other longitude lines are parallel to the prime meridian.
Units of Measurement
The units of measurement for longitude and latitude are degrees, minutes and seconds. The Eastern and Western hemispheres each contain 180 degrees of longitude, totaling 360 degrees. The Northern and Southern hemispheres each contain 90 degrees of latitude, totaling 180 degrees. The minute and second components of these coordinates correspond to more precise divisions between degree lines. Each degree contains 60 minutes, and each minute contains 60 seconds.
