What is the equator?
The equator is an imaginary line around the middle of the Earth, halfway between the North and South Poles. It divides the planet into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
The equator is the line of 0 degrees latitude, and it is about 40,075 kilometers long, the widest part of the Earth. Because the planet spins, it bulges slightly at the equator, so the distance through the Earth is greater there than from pole to pole.
Places on the equator get about 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness all year. The Sun is high in the sky at midday, so most equatorial areas are warm. Many have tropical rainforests, but high places such as the Andes can be cool and even snowy.
Countries on the equator
The equator passes through 13 countries, including Ecuador, which is named after it, Colombia, Brazil, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia and Indonesia. Visitors at monuments in Ecuador and Uganda often take photos standing in both hemispheres at once.
Did You Know?
The highest point on the equator is on the slopes of Cayambe, a volcano in Ecuador, where there is snow and ice right on the line.