Eastern Hemisphere facts for kids
The Eastern Hemisphere is one half of our planet Earth. It's the part that lies east of a special imaginary line called the prime meridian. This line goes through Greenwich, London, in the United Kingdom. The Eastern Hemisphere also stretches west of another imaginary line called the antimeridian, which crosses the huge Pacific Ocean.
People often use "Eastern Hemisphere" to talk about the continents of Africa, Eurasia (which is Europe and Asia combined), and Australia. This is different from the Western Hemisphere, which mainly includes North and South America. Sometimes, the Eastern Hemisphere is also called the "Oriental Hemisphere" or the "Old World" when people talk about cultures and world politics.
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What is the Eastern Hemisphere?
The Earth is shaped like a slightly squashed ball, wider around its middle. To divide it into east and west, scientists and mapmakers had to agree on where to draw the line. This is different from the Equator, which naturally divides the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
How We Divide the Earth
The main lines used to divide the Earth into hemispheres are the prime meridian (at 0° longitude) and the antimeridian (at 180° longitude). These lines were chosen in 1884 at a big meeting called the International Meridian Conference in Washington, D.C.. This is also where the idea of standard time zones came from.
Even with these agreed-upon lines, the hemispheres don't perfectly match continents. For example, parts of Western Europe, West Africa, and even a tiny bit of northeastern Russia are actually in the Western Hemisphere. This can be a bit confusing when we talk about "the East" and "the West" in a cultural way.
Other Ways to Divide It
Because of this, sometimes people use different lines to define the Eastern Hemisphere, especially outside of navigation. They might use the 20°W line and the 160°E line. These lines include almost all of Europe and Africa in the Eastern Hemisphere. However, they also include a small part of Greenland (which is usually seen as part of North America). They also leave out more of eastern Russia and some islands in Oceania, like New Zealand.
Center of the Eastern Hemisphere
The very center of the Eastern Hemisphere is found in the Indian Ocean. It's where the Equator crosses the 90th meridian east. This spot is about 910 kilometers (565 miles) west of Indonesia. The closest land to this point is Simeulue Island.
The Eastern Hemisphere has much more land than the Western Hemisphere. It also has a huge variety of different environments and habitats.
Countries in Both Hemispheres
Some countries are so big or spread out that they have land in both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. This happens because the imaginary lines (the prime meridian and the 180th meridian) pass through them or their territories.
Here are a few examples of countries that cross the prime meridian (0° longitude):
The United Kingdom is split by the prime meridian, which runs through Greenwich, London. Most of the country is actually in the Western Hemisphere.
About one-third of France is in the Western Hemisphere. This includes cities like Nantes and Bordeaux, as well as some of its overseas regions like Guadeloupe.
Most of Spain, including its capital Madrid and the Canary Islands, lies in the Western Hemisphere.
About a quarter of Algeria, including its second-largest city Oran, is in the Western Hemisphere.
Most of Mali, including its capital Bamako, is in the Western Hemisphere.
Most of Ghana, including its capital Accra, is in the Western Hemisphere.
Here are some countries that cross the 180th meridian:
A small part of Russia in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug lies east of the 180th meridian, putting it in the Western Hemisphere.
The United States has parts in both hemispheres. Some of its Aleutian Islands in Alaska and territories like Guam are west of the 180th meridian.
Kiribati is a unique country because both the Equator and the 180th meridian cross through its territory. This means it's the only country located in all four hemispheres!
The 180th meridian passes through Fiji, including its island of Taveuni.
Most of New Zealand is in the Eastern Hemisphere. However, some of its islands, like the Chatham Islands, are east of the 180th meridian.
People in the Eastern Hemisphere
A huge number of people live in the Eastern Hemisphere. About 82% of all humans live here, while only 18% live in the Western Hemisphere.
See also
In Spanish: Hemisferio oriental para niños
