Following are circles of latitude between the 35th parallel north and the 40th parallel north:

36th parallel north

Line across the Earth
36th parallel north (interactive map)

The 36th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 36 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean. In the ancient Mediterranean world, its role for navigation and geography was similar to that played by the Equator today.

From 7 April 1991 to 31 December 1996, the parallel defined the limit of the northern no-fly zone in Iraq.

At this latitude the sun is visible for 14 hours, 36 minutes during the summer solstice and 9 hours, 43 minutes during the winter solstice.

United States

In the United States, the 36th parallel north is occasionally used as a rough northern boundary for the Sun Belt, a region spanning most Southern and Southwestern states and comprising most of the nation's warmest climates.

Cities and landmarks close to the parallel include the following: Kettleman City, California; Henderson, Nevada; Hoover Dam; South Rim of the Grand Canyon; Los Alamos National Laboratory; Tulsa, Oklahoma (passing through the southern portion of the city); Nashville, Tennessee (passing through the southern portion of the city); Knoxville, Tennessee; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; High Point, North Carolina; Greensboro, North Carolina; Durham, North Carolina; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and others. The parallel helped define the North Carolina–Tennessee–Virginia Corners.

The sixth standard parallel south of Mount Diablo Range at 35°48′ north, 13.8344 miles south of the 36th parallel, forms a continuous boundary between the California counties of Monterey, Kings, Tulare, and Inyo on the north and the counties of San Luis Obispo, Kern, and San Bernardino on the south. It is sometimes taken as the boundary between Central California and Southern California.

The parallel 36° north approximately forms the southernmost boundary of the Missouri Bootheel with the State of Arkansas.

The 36th parallel passes through Duke University in several places. Its Campus Drive that connects the campuses crosses the parallel several times.[citation needed] The Duke Gardens has a "36th Parallel Club" although the garden itself is just north of the parallel.[citation needed]

Around the world

Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 36° north passes through:

Coordinates Country, territory or sea Notes 36°0′N 0°0′E/36.000°N 0.000°E/ 36.000; 0.000(Prime Meridian) Mediterranean Sea 36°0′N 0°7′E/36.000°N 0.117°E/ 36.000; 0.117(Algeria) Algeria Passing through Mostaganem 36°0′N 8°18′E/36.000°N 8.300°E/ 36.000; 8.300(Tunisia) Tunisia 36°0′N 10°31′E/36.000°N 10.517°E/ 36.000; 10.517(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Passing just north of the island of Linosa, Italy Passing between the islands of Comino and Malta, Malta 36°0′N 23°10′E/36.000°N 23.167°E/ 36.000; 23.167(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea Passing between the islands of Kythira and Antikythera, Greece Passing just north of Saria Island, Greece 36°0′N 27°45′E/36.000°N 27.750°E/ 36.000; 27.750(Greece) Greece Island of Rhodes 36°0′N 27°55′E/36.000°N 27.917°E/ 36.000; 27.917(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea 36°0′N 35°59′E/36.000°N 35.983°E/ 36.000; 35.983(Turkey) Turkey Hatay Province 36°0′N 36°22′E/36.000°N 36.367°E/ 36.000; 36.367(Syria) Syria Passing just north of Raqqa 36°0′N 41°17′E/36.000°N 41.283°E/ 36.000; 41.283(Iraq) Iraq 36°0′N 45°21′E/36.000°N 45.350°E/ 36.000; 45.350(Iran) Iran 36°0′N 61°10′E/36.000°N 61.167°E/ 36.000; 61.167(Turkmenistan) Turkmenistan 36°0′N 63°49′E/36.000°N 63.817°E/ 36.000; 63.817(Afghanistan) Afghanistan 36°0′N 71°15′E/36.000°N 71.250°E/ 36.000; 71.250(Pakistan) Pakistan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Gilgit-Baltistan - claimed by India 36°0′N 76°6′E/36.000°N 76.100°E/ 36.000; 76.100(Shaksgam Valley) Shaksgam Valley Area administered by China, claimed by India 36°0′N 76°48′E/36.000°N 76.800°E/ 36.000; 76.800(China) China Xinjiang Tibet Qinghai Gansu — passing just south of Lanzhou Ningxia Gansu Shaanxi Shanxi Henan Shandong Henan (for about 15 km (9.3 mi)) Shandong — passing just south of Qingdao 36°0′N 120°18′E/36.000°N 120.300°E/ 36.000; 120.300(Yellow Sea) Yellow Sea 36°0′N 126°42′E/36.000°N 126.700°E/ 36.000; 126.700(South Korea) South Korea South Chungcheong Province - North Jeolla Province Border, Passing just north of Gunsan, Iksan North Jeolla Province-North Chungcheong Province-North Gyeongsang Province Border North Gyeongsang Province - Passing just south of Gumi passing just north of Daegu-Palgong Mountain North Gyeongsang Province- Passing through Pohang 36°0′N 129°35′E/36.000°N 129.583°E/ 36.000; 129.583(Sea of Japan) Sea of Japan 36°0′N 133°1′E/36.000°N 133.017°E/ 36.000; 133.017(Japan) Japan Island of Chiburi-shima: — Shimane Prefecture, Passing through the northern of Ageo, Fukui 36°0′N 133°4′E/36.000°N 133.067°E/ 36.000; 133.067(Sea of Japan) Sea of Japan 36°0′N 135°58′E/36.000°N 135.967°E/ 36.000; 135.967(Japan) Japan Island of Honshū: — Fukui Prefecture — Gifu Prefecture — Nagano Prefecture — Gunma Prefecture − for about 4 km (2.5 mi) — Saitama Prefecture — Chiba Prefecture − for about 6 km (3.7 mi) — Ibaraki Prefecture 36°0′N 140°40′E/36.000°N 140.667°E/ 36.000; 140.667(Pacific Ocean) Pacific Ocean 36°0′N 121°30′W/36.000°N 121.500°W/ 36.000; -121.500(United States) United States California Nevada - Just South Of Las Vegas Arizona New Mexico Texas Oklahoma Arkansas Missouri / Arkansas border (approximate) Tennessee North Carolina (Madison County, for about 14 km (8.7 mi)) Tennessee (Unicoi County, for about 12 km (7.5 mi)) North Carolina 36°0′N 75°39′W/36.000°N 75.650°W/ 36.000; -75.650(Atlantic Ocean) Atlantic Ocean 36°0′N 5°36′W/36.000°N 5.600°W/ 36.000; -5.600(Strait of Gibraltar) Strait of Gibraltar Passing 2 m (6.6 ft) south of Punta de Tarifa, Spain - the most southerly point of the European mainland 36°0′N 5°25′W/36.000°N 5.417°W/ 36.000; -5.417(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea

37th parallel north

Line across the Earth
37th parallel north (interactive map)

The 37th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 37 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Africa, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean.

At this latitude, the Sun is visible for 14 hours, 42 minutes during the summer solstice and 9 hours, 37 minutes during the winter solstice.

The 37th parallel north is roughly the northern limit of the visibility of Canopus, the second-brightest star of the night sky. Along with the 37th parallel south, it is the latitude at which solar irradiance is closest to the planetary average, with higher solar irradiance equatorward and lower poleward.

United States

The 37th parallel defining borders between states in the United States.
Exit Point of the 37th Parallel North from the United States.

In the United States, the parallel defines the southern borders of Utah, Colorado, and Kansas, and the northern borders of Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. It dates to the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 when Congress divided Unorganized Territory into Kansas and Nebraska north of the 37th parallel and a remainder Indian Territory to the south. Before that, the line had been thought to be the boundary between the Cherokee and Osage reservations – the 2.46 miles (3.96 km) discrepancy resulting in the creation of the Cherokee Strip. Congress extended the line west to New Mexico Territory, thus defining which states and territories would constitute The South between the Colorado and Mississippi Rivers, and creating what later became the Oklahoma Panhandle.

The parallel 37° north formed the southern boundary of the historic and extralegal Territory of Jefferson.

U.S. Landmarks located on or in close proximity of the 37th parallel

Around the world

Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastward, the parallel 37° north passes through:

Coordinates Country, territory or sea Notes 37°0′N 0°0′E/37.000°N 0.000°E/ 37.000; 0.000(Prime Meridian) Mediterranean Sea 37°0′N 6°15′E/37.000°N 6.250°E/ 37.000; 6.250(Algeria) Algeria 37°0′N 6°34′E/37.000°N 6.567°E/ 37.000; 6.567(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea 37°0′N 7°15′E/37.000°N 7.250°E/ 37.000; 7.250(Algeria) Algeria 37°0′N 7°33′E/37.000°N 7.550°E/ 37.000; 7.550(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea 37°0′N 8°52′E/37.000°N 8.867°E/ 37.000; 8.867(Tunisia) Tunisia 37°0′N 10°11′E/37.000°N 10.183°E/ 37.000; 10.183(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Gulf of Tunis 37°0′N 10°53′E/37.000°N 10.883°E/ 37.000; 10.883(Tunisia) Tunisia Cap Bon 37°0′N 11°4′E/37.000°N 11.067°E/ 37.000; 11.067(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Strait of Sicily, passing just north of the island of Pantelleria, Italy 37°0′N 14°20′E/37.000°N 14.333°E/ 37.000; 14.333(Italy) Italy Island of Sicily — Province of Ragusa — Province of Siracusa 37°0′N 15°16′E/37.000°N 15.267°E/ 37.000; 15.267(Ionian Sea) Ionian Sea 37°0′N 21°39′E/37.000°N 21.650°E/ 37.000; 21.650(Greece) Greece Peloponnese (Messenia) 37°0′N 21°57′E/37.000°N 21.950°E/ 37.000; 21.950(Ionian Sea) Ionian Sea Messenian Gulf 37°0′N 22°09′E/37.000°N 22.150°E/ 37.000; 22.150(Greece) Greece Peloponnese — Messenia — Laconia 37°0′N 23°0′E/37.000°N 23.000°E/ 37.000; 23.000(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea Myrtoan Sea 37°0′N 24°40′E/37.000°N 24.667°E/ 37.000; 24.667(Greece) Greece Island of Sifnos 37°0′N 24°44′E/37.000°N 24.733°E/ 37.000; 24.733(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea 37°0′N 25°1′E/37.000°N 25.017°E/ 37.000; 25.017(Greece) Greece Islands of Antiparos and Paros 37°0′N 25°13′E/37.000°N 25.217°E/ 37.000; 25.217(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea 37°0′N 25°23′E/37.000°N 25.383°E/ 37.000; 25.383(Greece) Greece Island of Naxos 37°0′N 25°34′E/37.000°N 25.567°E/ 37.000; 25.567(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea 37°0′N 26°26′E/37.000°N 26.433°E/ 37.000; 26.433(Greece) Greece Island of Levitha 37°0′N 26°30′E/37.000°N 26.500°E/ 37.000; 26.500(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea 37°0′N 26°55′E/37.000°N 26.917°E/ 37.000; 26.917(Greece) Greece Island of Kalymnos 37°0′N 27°3′E/37.000°N 27.050°E/ 37.000; 27.050(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea 37°0′N 27°15′E/37.000°N 27.250°E/ 37.000; 27.250(Turkey) Turkey 37°0′N 27°47′E/37.000°N 27.783°E/ 37.000; 27.783(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea 37°0′N 28°13′E/37.000°N 28.217°E/ 37.000; 28.217(Turkey) Turkey Passing through Adana and Nizip 37°0′N 40°25′E/37.000°N 40.417°E/ 37.000; 40.417(Syria) Syria 37°0′N 42°18′E/37.000°N 42.300°E/ 37.000; 42.300(Iraq) Iraq 37°0′N 44°16′E/37.000°N 44.267°E/ 37.000; 44.267(Turkey) Turkey Şemdinli district (for about 7 km (4.3 mi)) 37°0′N 44°20′E/37.000°N 44.333°E/ 37.000; 44.333(Iraq) Iraq 37°0′N 44°54′E/37.000°N 44.900°E/ 37.000; 44.900(Iran) Iran 37°0′N 50°32′E/37.000°N 50.533°E/ 37.000; 50.533(Caspian Sea) Caspian Sea 37°0′N 54°0′E/37.000°N 54.000°E/ 37.000; 54.000(Iran) Iran 37°0′N 60°3′E/37.000°N 60.050°E/ 37.000; 60.050(Turkmenistan) Turkmenistan 37°0′N 64°47′E/37.000°N 64.783°E/ 37.000; 64.783(Afghanistan) Afghanistan 37°0′N 67°56′E/37.000°N 67.933°E/ 37.000; 67.933(Tajikistan) Tajikistan 37°0′N 68°10′E/37.000°N 68.167°E/ 37.000; 68.167(Afghanistan) Afghanistan 37°0′N 71°28′E/37.000°N 71.467°E/ 37.000; 71.467(Tajikistan) Tajikistan 37°0′N 72°28′E/37.000°N 72.467°E/ 37.000; 72.467(Afghanistan) Afghanistan 37°0′N 74°34′E/37.000°N 74.567°E/ 37.000; 74.567(Pakistan) Pakistan Gilgit-Baltistan - claimed by India 37°0′N 74°50′E/37.000°N 74.833°E/ 37.000; 74.833(China) China Xinjiang - for about 14 km (8.7 mi) 37°0′N 75°0′E/37.000°N 75.000°E/ 37.000; 75.000(Pakistan) Pakistan Gilgit-Baltistan - for about 14 km (8.7 mi), claimed by India 37°0′N 75°9′E/37.000°N 75.150°E/ 37.000; 75.150(China) China Xinjiang Qinghai Gansu Ningxia Gansu Shaanxi Shanxi Hebei Shandong - Passing through Yantai 37°0′N 122°32′E/37.000°N 122.533°E/ 37.000; 122.533(Yellow Sea) Yellow Sea Asan Bay 37°0′N 126°20′E/37.000°N 126.333°E/ 37.000; 126.333(South Korea) South Korea South Chungcheong Province Gyeonggi Province - passing through Pyeongtaek, Anseong North Chungcheong Province - passing just north of Chungju North Gyeongsang Province 37°0′N 129°25′E/37.000°N 129.417°E/ 37.000; 129.417(Sea of Japan) Sea of Japan 37°0′N 136°46′E/37.000°N 136.767°E/ 37.000; 136.767(Japan) Japan Island of Honshū: — Ishikawa Prefecture 37°0′N 137°3′E/37.000°N 137.050°E/ 37.000; 137.050(Sea of Japan) Sea of Japan Toyama Bay 37°0′N 137°42′E/37.000°N 137.700°E/ 37.000; 137.700(Japan) Japan Island of Honshū: — Niigata Prefecture — Nagano Prefecture — Niigata Prefecture — Gunma Prefecture − for around 10 km (6.2 mi) — Niigata Prefecture − for around 7 km (4.3 mi) — Fukushima Prefecture — Tochigi Prefecture — Ibaraki Prefecture — Fukushima Prefecture 37°0′N 140°59′E/37.000°N 140.983°E/ 37.000; 140.983(Pacific Ocean) Pacific Ocean 37°0′N 122°11′W/37.000°N 122.183°W/ 37.000; -122.183(United States) United States California - landfall at Bonny Doon Beach just north of Santa Cruz and falling in Fresno Nevada - Falling South of Alamo and Gold Point Utah / Arizona border Colorado / New Mexico border Colorado / Oklahoma border Kansas / Oklahoma border Missouri Illinois (at its southernmost point) Kentucky - passing through Bowling Green and just south of Paducah Virginia - passing through Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel (specifically, the bridge between the two tunnels) 37°0′N 76°18′W/37.000°N 76.300°W/ 37.000; -76.300(Atlantic Ocean) Atlantic Ocean 37°0′N 25°10′W/37.000°N 25.167°W/ 37.000; -25.167(Portugal) Portugal Santa Maria Island in the Azores 37°0′N 25°3′W/37.000°N 25.050°W/ 37.000; -25.050(Atlantic Ocean) Atlantic Ocean 37°0′N 8°57′W/37.000°N 8.950°W/ 37.000; -8.950(Portugal) Portugal Sagres Point 37°0′N 8°56′W/37.000°N 8.933°W/ 37.000; -8.933(Atlantic Ocean) Atlantic Ocean 37°0′N 7°59′W/37.000°N 7.983°W/ 37.000; -7.983(Portugal) Portugal Cape Santa Maria 37°0′N 7°50′W/37.000°N 7.833°W/ 37.000; -7.833(Atlantic Ocean) Atlantic Ocean Gulf of Cádiz 37°0′N 6°32′W/37.000°N 6.533°W/ 37.000; -6.533(Spain) Spain 37°0′N 1°53′W/37.000°N 1.883°W/ 37.000; -1.883(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea

38th parallel north

Line across the Earth
38th parallel north (interactive map)

The 38th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The 38th parallel north formed the border between North and South Korea prior to the Korean War.

At this latitude, the Sun is visible for 14 hours, 48 minutes during the summer solstice and 9 hours, 32 minutes during the winter solstice.

Korea

From 1910 to 1945, Korea was ruled by the Empire of Japan as a colony. On 11 August 1945, as World War II drew to a close, U.S. military officials in Washington "chose an invisible line across Korea, the 38th Parallel, for dividing the former Japanese colony into Soviet and American zones, north and south.” After Japan surrendered in August 1945, the 38th parallel was established as the boundary between Soviet and American occupation zones, marking the beginning of Soviet and American command of what is known today as North and South Korea, respectively. This parallel divided the Korean peninsula roughly in the middle. In 1948, this parallel became the boundary between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea), both of which claim to be the government of the whole of Korea.

On 25 June 1950, after a series of cross-border raids and gunfire from both the Northern and the Southern sides, the North Korean Army crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea. This sparked UN Security Council Resolution 82 which called for the North to return its troops to behind the 38th parallel, commencing the Korean War with United Nations troops (mostly American) — the United Nations Command — helping South Korean troops to defend South Korea from “Communist aggression".

After the Armistice agreement was signed on July 27, 1953, a new line was established to separate North Korea and South Korea. This Military Demarcation Line is surrounded by a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The demarcation line crosses the 38th parallel, from the southwest to the northeast.

Around the world

Starting at the Prime Meridian heading eastward, the 38th parallel north passes through:

Coordinates Country, territory or sea Notes 38°0′N 0°0′E/38.000°N 0.000°E/ 38.000; 0.000(Prime Meridian) Mediterranean Sea Passing just north of the island of Marettimo, Italy (at 37°59′43″N 12°1′47″E/37.99528°N 12.02972°E/ 37.99528; 12.02972(Marettimo)) 38°0′N 12°19′E/38.000°N 12.317°E/ 38.000; 12.317(Italy) Italy Islands of Levanzo and Sicily 38°0′N 15°25′E/38.000°N 15.417°E/ 38.000; 15.417(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Strait of Messina 38°0′N 15°38′E/38.000°N 15.633°E/ 38.000; 15.633(Italy) Italy Passing through Reggio di Calabria (southern suburbs) 38°0′N 16°8′E/38.000°N 16.133°E/ 38.000; 16.133(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Ionian Sea - passing between the islands of Kefalonia (at 38°4′N 20°43′E/38.067°N 20.717°E/ 38.067; 20.717(Kefalonia)) and Zakynthos (at 37°56′N 20°42′E/37.933°N 20.700°E/ 37.933; 20.700(Zakynthos)), Greece 38°0′N 21°16′E/38.000°N 21.267°E/ 38.000; 21.267(Greece) Greece Passing through Athens 38°0′N 24°2′E/38.000°N 24.033°E/ 38.000; 24.033(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea 38°0′N 24°14′E/38.000°N 24.233°E/ 38.000; 24.233(Greece) Greece Islands of Petalioi and Euboea 38°0′N 24°34′E/38.000°N 24.567°E/ 38.000; 24.567(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea Passing just north of the island of Andros (at 37°59′57″N 24°47′23″E/37.99917°N 24.78972°E/ 37.99917; 24.78972(Andros)), Greece 38°0′N 27°7′E/38.000°N 27.117°E/ 38.000; 27.117(Turkey) Turkey Passing through Konya, Niğde and İzmir (southern suburbs) 38°0′N 44°17′E/38.000°N 44.283°E/ 38.000; 44.283(Iran) Iran Passing just south of Tabriz 38°0′N 48°55′E/38.000°N 48.917°E/ 38.000; 48.917(Caspian Sea) Caspian Sea 38°0′N 53°49′E/38.000°N 53.817°E/ 38.000; 53.817(Turkmenistan) Turkmenistan 38°0′N 55°17′E/38.000°N 55.283°E/ 38.000; 55.283(Iran) Iran 38°0′N 57°22′E/38.000°N 57.367°E/ 38.000; 57.367(Turkmenistan) Turkmenistan Passing just north of Ashgabat 38°0′N 66°38′E/38.000°N 66.633°E/ 38.000; 66.633(Uzbekistan) Uzbekistan 38°0′N 68°17′E/38.000°N 68.283°E/ 38.000; 68.283(Tajikistan) Tajikistan 38°0′N 70°19′E/38.000°N 70.317°E/ 38.000; 70.317(Afghanistan) Afghanistan 38°0′N 71°16′E/38.000°N 71.267°E/ 38.000; 71.267(Tajikistan) Tajikistan 38°0′N 74°54′E/38.000°N 74.900°E/ 38.000; 74.900(China) China Xinjiang Qinghai Gansu Inner Mongolia Ningxia Inner Mongolia Shaanxi − for around 5 km (3.1 mi) Inner Mongolia − for around 14 km (8.7 mi) Shaanxi Shanxi — passing just north of Taiyuan Hebei — passing just south of Shijiazhuang Shandong 38°0′N 118°58′E/38.000°N 118.967°E/ 38.000; 118.967(Yellow Sea) Yellow Sea Passing just north of Baengnyeongdo (at 37°59′N 124°41′E/37.983°N 124.683°E/ 37.983; 124.683(Baengnyeongdo)), South Korea 38°0′N 125°7′E/38.000°N 125.117°E/ 38.000; 125.117(North Korea) North Korea Ongjin Peninsula — South Hwanghae Province 38°0′N 125°35′E/38.000°N 125.583°E/ 38.000; 125.583(Yellow Sea) Yellow Sea Ongjin Bay 38°0′N 125°46′E/38.000°N 125.767°E/ 38.000; 125.767(North Korea) North Korea South Hwanghae Province passing just south of Haeju North Hwanghae Province passing just north of Kaesong 38°0′N 126°49′E/38.000°N 126.817°E/ 38.000; 126.817(South Korea) South Korea Gyeonggi Province- Passing through Paju, Yeoncheon County, Pocheon, Gapyeong County Gangwon Province - Passing through Hwacheon County, Chuncheon, (passing just north of Soyang Reservoir), Inje County, Yangyang County 38°0′N 128°44′E/38.000°N 128.733°E/ 38.000; 128.733(Sea of Japan) Sea of Japan 38°0′N 138°14′E/38.000°N 138.233°E/ 38.000; 138.233(Japan) Japan Island of Sado: — Niigata Prefecture 38°0′N 138°33′E/38.000°N 138.550°E/ 38.000; 138.550(Sea of Japan) Sea of Japan 38°0′N 139°14′E/38.000°N 139.233°E/ 38.000; 139.233(Japan) Japan Island of Honshū: — Niigata Prefecture Passing just north of Niigata City — Yamagata Prefecture — Miyagi Prefecture 38°0′N 140°55′E/38.000°N 140.917°E/ 38.000; 140.917(Pacific Ocean) Pacific Ocean 38°0′N 123°1′W/38.000°N 123.017°W/ 38.000; -123.017(United States) United States California - passing through Pinole and Stockton With Sacramento a little to the north Nevada - passing just south of Tonopah Utah - passing through Capitol Reef and Canyonlands National Parks Colorado - passing through Ouray, and then just south of Pueblo Kansas - passing just south of Newton Missouri - passing through Camdenton and just north of Rolla Illinois - passing just south of Mount Vernon Indiana - passing through Evansville Kentucky - passing through Lexington West Virginia - passing just north of Beckley Virginia - passing just south of Charlottesville 38°0′N 76°28′W/38.000°N 76.467°W/ 38.000; -76.467(Chesapeake Bay) Chesapeake Bay 38°0′N 75°53′W/38.000°N 75.883°W/ 38.000; -75.883(United States) United States Maryland - passing just north of Smith Island and Crisfield Virginia - passing just north of Chincoteague 38°0′N 75°16′W/38.000°N 75.267°W/ 38.000; -75.267(Pacific Ocean) Atlantic Ocean Passing between Pico (at 38°23′N 28°14′W/38.383°N 28.233°W/ 38.383; -28.233(Pico)) and São Miguel (at 37°55′N 25°47′W/37.917°N 25.783°W/ 37.917; -25.783(São Miguel)) islands, Azores, Portugal 38°0′N 8°51′W/38.000°N 8.850°W/ 38.000; -8.850(Portugal) Portugal Setúbal District Beja District - passing just south of Beja 38°0′N 7°12′W/38.000°N 7.200°W/ 38.000; -7.200(Spain) Spain Andalusia Extremadura Region of Murcia - passing just north of Murcia Valencian Community 38°0′N 0°39′W/38.000°N 0.650°W/ 38.000; -0.650(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea

39th parallel north

Line across the Earth
39th parallel north (interactive map)

The 39th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 39 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean.

At this latitude the sun is visible for 14 hours, 54 minutes during the summer solstice and 9 hours, 26 minutes during the winter solstice.

Daylight along the 39th parallel north falls under 10 hours a day starting on 18 November and returns to over ten hours a day beginning 24 January. The growth of crops and other plants is considerably slowed during this period of reduced sunlight.[citation needed]

In the United States, the eastern boundary of the state of California was defined as following the 120th meridian west south from the 42nd parallel north to its intersection with the 39th parallel north, beyond which it follows a diagonal line to where the Colorado River crosses the 35th parallel north. The intersection of the 120th meridian and 39th parallel is in Lake Tahoe.

Around the world

Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 39° north passes through:

Coordinates Country, territory or sea Notes 39°0′N 0°0′E/39.000°N 0.000°E/ 39.000; 0.000(Prime Meridian) Mediterranean Sea 39°0′N 1°17′E/39.000°N 1.283°E/ 39.000; 1.283(Spain) Spain Island of Ibiza 39°0′N 1°35′E/39.000°N 1.583°E/ 39.000; 1.583(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Passing just south of the island of Cabrera, Spain 39°0′N 8°23′E/39.000°N 8.383°E/ 39.000; 8.383(Italy) Italy Islands of Sant'Antioco and Sardinia 39°0′N 9°1′E/39.000°N 9.017°E/ 39.000; 9.017(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Tyrrhenian Sea - passing just north of the island of Stromboli, Italy 39°0′N 16°8′E/39.000°N 16.133°E/ 39.000; 16.133(Italy) Italy 39°0′N 17°10′E/39.000°N 17.167°E/ 39.000; 17.167(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Ionian Sea 39°0′N 20°42′E/39.000°N 20.700°E/ 39.000; 20.700(Greece) Greece Mainland and island of Euboea 39°0′N 23°22′E/39.000°N 23.367°E/ 39.000; 23.367(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea Passing just north of the island of Skyros, Greece 39°0′N 26°17′E/39.000°N 26.283°E/ 39.000; 26.283(Greece) Greece Island of Lesbos 39°0′N 26°32′E/39.000°N 26.533°E/ 39.000; 26.533(Aegean Sea) Aegean Sea 39°0′N 26°48′E/39.000°N 26.800°E/ 39.000; 26.800(Turkey) Turkey 39°0′N 44°11′E/39.000°N 44.183°E/ 39.000; 44.183(Iran) Iran 39°0′N 45°26′E/39.000°N 45.433°E/ 39.000; 45.433(Azerbaijan) Azerbaijan Nakhchivan exclave 39°0′N 46°6′E/39.000°N 46.100°E/ 39.000; 46.100(Armenia) Armenia 39°0′N 46°31′E/39.000°N 46.517°E/ 39.000; 46.517(Azerbaijan) Azerbaijan 39°0′N 46°41′E/39.000°N 46.683°E/ 39.000; 46.683(Iran) Iran 39°0′N 48°21′E/39.000°N 48.350°E/ 39.000; 48.350(Azerbaijan) Azerbaijan 39°0′N 49°11′E/39.000°N 49.183°E/ 39.000; 49.183(Caspian Sea) Caspian Sea 39°0′N 53°2′E/39.000°N 53.033°E/ 39.000; 53.033(Turkmenistan) Turkmenistan Island of Ogurja Ada 39°0′N 53°3′E/39.000°N 53.050°E/ 39.000; 53.050(Caspian Sea) Caspian Sea 39°0′N 53°53′E/39.000°N 53.883°E/ 39.000; 53.883(Turkmenistan) Turkmenistan Passing just south of Türkmenabat 39°0′N 64°6′E/39.000°N 64.100°E/ 39.000; 64.100(Uzbekistan) Uzbekistan 39°0′N 68°7′E/39.000°N 68.117°E/ 39.000; 68.117(Tajikistan) Tajikistan 39°0′N 73°49′E/39.000°N 73.817°E/ 39.000; 73.817(China) China Xinjiang Qinghai Gansu Qinghai Gansu Qinghai (for about 7 km) Gansu (for about 30 km) Qinghai (for about 17 km) Gansu Inner Mongolia (for about 16 km) Gansu (for about 6 km) Inner Mongolia Gansu Inner Mongolia Ningxia Inner Mongolia Shaanxi Shanxi Hebei Tianjin (just south of the city centre) 39°0′N 117°46′E/39.000°N 117.767°E/ 39.000; 117.767(Yellow Sea) Yellow Sea Bohai Gulf 39°0′N 121°19′E/39.000°N 121.317°E/ 39.000; 121.317(China) China Liaoning (Liaodong Peninsula) — passing just north of Dalian 39°0′N 121°51′E/39.000°N 121.850°E/ 39.000; 121.850(Yellow Sea) Yellow Sea Passing just south of Zhangzi Island and Haiyang Island 39°0′N 125°12′E/39.000°N 125.200°E/ 39.000; 125.200(North Korea) North Korea Pyongyang 39°0′N 127°50′E/39.000°N 127.833°E/ 39.000; 127.833(Sea of Japan) Sea of Japan 39°0′N 139°51′E/39.000°N 139.850°E/ 39.000; 139.850(Japan) Japan Island of Honshū: — Yamagata Prefecture — Akita Prefecture — Iwate Prefecture — Miyagi Prefecture − for about 1 km — Iwate Prefecture 39°0′N 141°44′E/39.000°N 141.733°E/ 39.000; 141.733(Pacific Ocean) Pacific Ocean 39°0′N 123°42′W/39.000°N 123.700°W/ 39.000; -123.700(United States) United States California Nevada - passing through Great Basin National Park Utah Colorado - passing just south of Grand Junction Kansas - passing just south of Topeka Missouri - passing just south of Kansas City Illinois Indiana Kentucky Ohio - passing just south of Cincinnati West Virginia Virginia Maryland - less than a mile north of District of Columbia at 39°0′N 77°2′W/39.000°N 77.033°W/ 39.000; -77.033(Washington D.C.); cutting through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at 39°0′N 76°22′W/39.000°N 76.367°W/ 39.000; -76.367(Chesapeake Bay Bridge) Delaware 39°0′N 75°20′W/39.000°N 75.333°W/ 39.000; -75.333(Delaware Bay) Delaware Bay 39°0′N 74°57′W/39.000°N 74.950°W/ 39.000; -74.950(United States) United States New Jersey - passing through Cape May Airport 39°0′N 74°47′W/39.000°N 74.783°W/ 39.000; -74.783(Atlantic Ocean) Atlantic Ocean Passing between the islands of Graciosa (almost crossing its southern tip) and São Jorge, Azores, Portugal 39°0′N 9°25′W/39.000°N 9.417°W/ 39.000; -9.417(Portugal) Portugal Passing about 30km north of Lisbon 39°0′N 6°58′W/39.000°N 6.967°W/ 39.000; -6.967(Spain) Spain Passing through Ciudad Real and Albacete 39°0′N 0°9′W/39.000°N 0.150°W/ 39.000; -0.150(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea

40th parallel north

Line across the Earth
40th parallel north (interactive map)

The 40th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 40 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean.

At this latitude the sun is visible for 15 hours, 1 minute and 28 seconds during the summer solstice and 9 hours, 20 minutes during the winter solstice. On 21 June, the maximum altitude of the sun is 73.44 degrees, while it is 26.56 degrees on 21 December.[citation needed]

The maximum altitude of the Sun is > 35.00º in October and > 28.00º in November.

The 40th parallel north is the southern baseline for Canada's National Topographic System.

United States

The 40th parallel defines the state line between Nebraska and Kansas
Survey marker on the Kansas/Nebraska state line

The parallel 40° north formed the boundary between the Kansas and Nebraska territories, as per the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854. It remains the boundary between the modern states of Kansas and Nebraska.

The parallel 40° north formed the original northern boundary of the British Colony of Maryland. A subsequent royal grant gave the Colony of Pennsylvania land north of the 40th parallel but mistakenly assumed it would intersect the Twelve Mile Circle, which it does not. Pennsylvania's border was thus unclear and the colony pushed for a border far south of the 40th parallel. The Mason–Dixon Line was drawn between 1763 and 1767 as the compromise boundary between the overlapping claims of these two colonies.

40th parallel marker at Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio)

The parallel 40° north passes through the cities of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boulder, Colorado, and Columbus, Ohio; as well as northern suburbs of Indianapolis, Indiana and the southern suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The parallel goes directly through the John Glenn Columbus International Airport, with runway 10L-28R lying immediately north of the line, runway 10R-28L lying slightly south of it, and the line going through the northernmost edges of the terminal. It also passes through the main campus of The Ohio State University; specifically, it cuts directly across the Oval greenspace, between University Hall and the William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library. Ohio Stadium, one of the largest stadiums in the world, barely misses the parallel 40° north (6 seconds or 185 metres (607 ft) above 40° north).

Baseline Road in Boulder, Colorado, traces the parallel 40° north.

Thistle, Utah, a ghost town since 1983, is slightly (30 seconds or 956 metres (0.594 mi)) below 40° north.

Japan

Gallery

Around the world

Starting in Spain at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 40° north passes through:

Coordinates Country, territory or sea Notes 40°0′N 0°0′E/40.000°N 0.000°E/ 40.000; 0.000(Prime Meridian) Spain Valencian Community 40°0′N 0°2′E/40.000°N 0.033°E/ 40.000; 0.033(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Passing just north of the island of Majorca, Spain 40°0′N 3°48′E/40.000°N 3.800°E/ 40.000; 3.800(Spain) Spain Island of Menorca 40°0′N 4°13′E/40.000°N 4.217°E/ 40.000; 4.217(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea 40°0′N 8°24′E/40.000°N 8.400°E/ 40.000; 8.400(Italy) Italy Island of Sardinia 40°0′N 9°42′E/40.000°N 9.700°E/ 40.000; 9.700(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Tyrrhenian Sea 40°0′N 15°20′E/40.000°N 15.333°E/ 40.000; 15.333(Italy) Italy Campania 40°0′N 15°26′E/40.000°N 15.433°E/ 40.000; 15.433(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Gulf of Policastro 40°0′N 15°41′E/40.000°N 15.683°E/ 40.000; 15.683(Italy) Italy Basilicata, Calabria 40°0′N 16°37′E/40.000°N 16.617°E/ 40.000; 16.617(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Gulf of Taranto 40°0′N 18°0′E/40.000°N 18.000°E/ 40.000; 18.000(Italy) Italy Apulia 40°0′N 18°25′E/40.000°N 18.417°E/ 40.000; 18.417(Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Strait of Otranto 40°0′N 19°53′E/40.000°N 19.883°E/ 40.000; 19.883(Albania) Albania Passing just north of Sarandë and just south of Gjirokastër 40°0′N 20°23′E/40.000°N 20.383°E/ 40.000; 20.383(Greece) Greece 40°0′N 22°37′E/40.000°N 22.617°E/ 40.000; 22.617(Aegean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Aegean Sea 40°0′N 23°23′E/40.000°N 23.383°E/ 40.000; 23.383(Greece) Greece Kassandra and Sithonia 40°0′N 24°0′E/40.000°N 24.000°E/ 40.000; 24.000(Aegean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Aegean Sea 40°0′N 25°6′E/40.000°N 25.100°E/ 40.000; 25.100(Greece) Greece Island of Lemnos 40°0′N 25°26′E/40.000°N 25.433°E/ 40.000; 25.433(Aegean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Aegean Sea 40°0′N 26°11′E/40.000°N 26.183°E/ 40.000; 26.183(Turkey) Turkey Passing just north of Ankara 40°0′N 44°24′E/40.000°N 44.400°E/ 40.000; 44.400(Armenia) Armenia Passing through Verin Artashat and Norashen, Ararat 40°0′N 45°36′E/40.000°N 45.600°E/ 40.000; 45.600(Azerbaijan) Azerbaijan Passing through Karabakh and Kur-Araz Lowland 40°0′N 49°27′E/40.000°N 49.450°E/ 40.000; 49.450(Caspian Sea) Caspian Sea 40°0′N 52°46′E/40.000°N 52.767°E/ 40.000; 52.767(Turkmenistan) Turkmenistan 40°0′N 62°26′E/40.000°N 62.433°E/ 40.000; 62.433(Uzbekistan) Uzbekistan 40°0′N 68°48′E/40.000°N 68.800°E/ 40.000; 68.800(Tajikistan) Tajikistan 40°0′N 69°31′E/40.000°N 69.517°E/ 40.000; 69.517(Kyrgyzstan) Kyrgyzstan 40°0′N 70°32′E/40.000°N 70.533°E/ 40.000; 70.533(Tajikistan) Tajikistan For about 9 km (5.6 mi) 40°0′N 70°39′E/40.000°N 70.650°E/ 40.000; 70.650(Kyrgyzstan) Kyrgyzstan 40°0′N 71°5′E/40.000°N 71.083°E/ 40.000; 71.083(Uzbekistan) Uzbekistan Sokh exclave - for about 7 km (4.3 mi) 40°0′N 71°10′E/40.000°N 71.167°E/ 40.000; 71.167(Kyrgyzstan) Kyrgyzstan 40°0′N 71°48′E/40.000°N 71.800°E/ 40.000; 71.800(Uzbekistan) Uzbekistan Shohimardon exclave - for about 4 km (2.5 mi) 40°0′N 71°50′E/40.000°N 71.833°E/ 40.000; 71.833(Kyrgyzstan) Kyrgyzstan 40°0′N 73°58′E/40.000°N 73.967°E/ 40.000; 73.967(China) China Xinjiang Gansu Inner Mongolia Shanxi Hebei Beijing (passing just north of the city centre) Hebei Tianjin Hebei Liaoning (for about 8 km (5.0 mi)) 40°0′N 119°54′E/40.000°N 119.900°E/ 40.000; 119.900(Yellow Sea) Pacific Ocean Liaodong Bay, Yellow Sea 40°0′N 121°53′E/40.000°N 121.883°E/ 40.000; 121.883(China) China Liaoning (Liaodong Peninsula) 40°0′N 124°21′E/40.000°N 124.350°E/ 40.000; 124.350(North Korea) North Korea North Pyeongan Province - Passing through Sinuiju Jagang Province South Hamgyeong Province - Passing just north of Hamheung 40°0′N 127°57′E/40.000°N 127.950°E/ 40.000; 127.950(Sea of Japan) Pacific Ocean Sea of Japan 40°0′N 128°10′E/40.000°N 128.167°E/ 40.000; 128.167(North Korea) North Korea Mayang Island 40°0′N 128°13′E/40.000°N 128.217°E/ 40.000; 128.217(Sea of Japan) Pacific Ocean Sea of Japan 40°0′N 139°54′E/40.000°N 139.900°E/ 40.000; 139.900(Japan) Japan Island of Honshū — Akita Prefecture — Iwate Prefecture 40°0′N 141°57′E/40.000°N 141.950°E/ 40.000; 141.950(Pacific Ocean) Pacific Ocean 40°0′N 124°1′W/40.000°N 124.017°W/ 40.000; -124.017(United States) United States California - passing 2.35 km (1.46 mi) south of Shelter Cove Nevada Utah Colorado - passing through Boulder Nebraska / Kansas border Missouri Illinois Indiana - passing through Hoosier Hill, the state high point Ohio - passing through Columbus West Virginia Pennsylvania - passing through Philadelphia New Jersey - passing through Toms River 40°0′N 31°7′W/40.000°N 31.117°W/ 40.000; -31.117(Atlantic Ocean) Atlantic Ocean Passing just north of Corvo Island, Azores, Portugal 40°0′N 8°55′W/40.000°N 8.917°W/ 40.000; -8.917(Portugal) Portugal Passing near Figueira da Foz and Coimbra 40°0′N 6°51′W/40.000°N 6.850°W/ 40.000; -6.850(Spain) Spain Extremadura Castile-La Mancha Community of Madrid - for about 10 km (6.2 mi) Castile-La Mancha Valencian Community - Rincón de Ademuz exclave, for about 4 km (2.5 mi) Castile-La Mancha - for about 5 km (3.1 mi) Aragon Valencian Community

Notable cities and towns on 40°N

See also

Further reading