What continent is at 20 degrees south latitude and 140 degrees east longitude?
The correct answer and explanation is:
The location at 20 degrees south latitude and 140 degrees east longitude is in Australia, specifically in the northern part of the continent.
To explain further, the Earth’s coordinates system is made up of latitude and longitude lines. Latitude lines run parallel to the equator, while longitude lines run from the North to the South Pole.
- Latitude is measured in degrees north or south of the Equator, which is at 0 degrees. Since the location is at 20 degrees south latitude, this means it is 20 degrees below the Equator, placing it in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Longitude measures how far east or west a location is from the Prime Meridian, which is located at 0 degrees longitude and runs through Greenwich, England. The location in question is at 140 degrees east longitude, which places it in the Eastern Hemisphere.
The point at 20 degrees south and 140 degrees east falls within the Northern Territory of Australia, in the central-northern part of the continent. This area is primarily composed of deserts and dry lands, which are characteristic of Australia’s outback. More specifically, it lies near areas such as the Gulf of Carpentaria to the northeast and is not far from the Arnhem Land region, which is known for its indigenous communities and natural reserves.
Australia is the only continent that this specific coordinate could belong to, as it is situated mostly in the Southern Hemisphere and extends far enough east to include longitudes around 140 degrees east. Other regions like South America, Africa, and Asia do not intersect with this set of coordinates in the same manner.