The date line, also called the International Date Line, is a boundary from which each calendar day starts. Areas to the west of the date line are one calendar day ahead of areas to the east. The date line runs from the North Pole to the South Pole through the Pacific Ocean . It is not a straight line, however.
Where does the day starts first in the world?
Each day on Earth begins at midnight in Greenwich, England , where the prime meridian is located. Originally, the prime meridian's purpose was to help ships at sea find their longitude and determine accurately their position on the globe.
What city is closest to the International Date Line?
The International Date Line (IDL) on the map. The International Date Line is located halfway around the world from the prime meridian (0° longitude) or about 180° east (or west) of Greenwich, London , UK, the reference point of time zones.
Where does the International Date Line begin?
The International Date Line, established in 1884, passes through the mid-Pacific Ocean and roughly follows a 180 degrees longitude north-south line on the Earth. It is located halfway round the world from the prime meridian —the zero degrees longitude established in Greenwich, England, in 1852.
Where does the International Date Line end?
The IDL remains on the 180° meridian until passing the equator . Two US-owned uninhabited atolls, Howland Island and Baker Island, just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean (and ships at sea between 172.5°W and 180°), have the latest time on Earth (UTC−12:00 hours).
What country sees 2020 first?
The Pacific island of Tonga is first to ring in the New Year and celebrated at 10am GMT on December 31 – making the tiny island nation the first to head into a fresh year.
Which country sees the sun last?
Samoa ! As you may know the international date line is as crooked as the contents of a badly packed suitcase, and Samoa, once known as the last place to see the sun set, is now the first place on the planet you can see the sun rise. This makes it's neighbour American Samoa the last.
What is the International Date Line Class 6?
International Date Line is an imaginary line that runs across the surface of the earth at 180 0 longitude . Since this longitude is diametrically opposite to that of the Greenwich Meridian, it results in a difference of 24 hours on crossing the line.
Why isn't the International Date Line a straight line?
In order to avoid the confusion of having different dates in the same country, the International Date Line bends and goes zig zag at the Bering Strait between Siberia and Alaska, Fiji, Tonga and in some other islands. ...
Is the International Date Line the prime meridian?
The prime meridian separates the eastern hemisphere from the western hemisphere. Halfway around the world, at 180 degrees longitude , is the International Date Line. The prime meridian is the line of 0 longitude, the starting point for measuring distance both east and west around the Earth.
Do you lose a day crossing the International Date Line?
The international date line (IDL) is an imaginary line that runs along the Earth's surface from the North Pole to the South Pole in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. When you cross it, you either gain or lose a day depending on which way you are traveling .
Where is 180 degrees longitude?
The meridian that runs through Greenwich, England, is internationally accepted as the line of 0 degrees longitude, or prime meridian. The antimeridian is halfway around the world, at 180 degrees. It is the basis for the International Date Line.
How many time zones are there in the world?
The world is divided into 24 time zones . The course of one day is broken down to the seconds and calculated to define the correct time of a particular place. However, it is not that easy. The 24 time zones, created in accordance to each hour of the day, are theoretically drawn vertically like longitudes over the globe.
Why do we need an international date line?
The date line is necessary to avoid a confusion that would otherwise result . For example, if an airplane were to travel westward with the sun, 24 hr would elapse as it circled the globe, but it would still be the same day for those in the airplane while it would be one day later for those on the ground below them.
What are the 2 main lines of longitude?
1. Prime Meridian = Longitude 0 o (Greenwich Meridian). 2. International Date Line (Longitude 180 o ) .
Why is the prime meridian in Greenwich?
The prime meridian is arbitrary, meaning it could be chosen to be anywhere. Any line of longitude (a meridian) can serve as the 0 longitude line. ... They chose the meridian passing through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. The Greenwich Meridian became the international standard for the prime meridian .
