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{{Short description|Bipartite divisionsDivision of Earththe globe into equal halves}}
[[File:Primemeridian.jpg|thumb|300px|The division of [[Earth]] by the [[Equator]] and the [[prime meridian]]]]
[[File:Map of the World.jpg|thumb|361x361px300x300px|Map roughly depicting the [[Eastern hemisphere|Eastern]] and [[Western hemisphereshemisphere]]s]]
 
In [[geography]] and [[cartography]], '''hemispheres of Earth''' are any division of the [[Earth|globe]] into two equal halves (hemispheres), typically divided into northern and southern halves by the [[Equator]] and into western and eastern halves by the [[Prime meridian (Greenwich)|Prime meridian]]. Hemispheres can be divided geographically or culturally, or based on religion or prominent geographic features. Use of these divisions is applied when studying Earth's geographic distribution, cultural differences, and other geographic, demographic and socioeconomic features.<ref>{{Cite web |title=hemisphere {{!}} Etymology, origin and meaning of hemisphere by etymonline |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/hemisphere |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=www.etymonline.com |language=en}}</ref>
In [[geography]] and [[cartography]], the '''hemispheres of Earth''' are any division of [[Earth|the globe]] into two [[Sphere#Plane sections|hemispheres]] ({{etymology|grc|''{{wikt-lang|grc|ἡμισφαίριον}}'' ({{grc-transl|ἡμισφαίριον}})|half of a sphere}}).
 
== Geographical hemispheres ==
The most common such divisions are by [[latitude|latitudinal]] or [[longitude|longitudinal]] markers:<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/hemisphere/ | title=Hemisphere| date=2011-03-22}}</ref>
 
*Geographical North–Southhemispheres are primarily split by latitudinal (north-south) and longitudinal (east-west) markers: <ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-03-22 |title=Hemisphere |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/hemisphere/ |website=www.nationalgeographic.org}}</ref><ref name="ngs">{{Cite web |title=hemisphere {{!}} National Geographic Society |url=https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/hemisphere |access-date=2022-08-27 |website=education.nationalgeographic.org}}</ref>
** [[Northern Hemisphere]], the half that lies north of the [[Equator]]
** [[Southern Hemisphere]], the half that lies south of the Equator
 
'''North-South'''
* East–West meridian]]<ref name=ngs />
** [[Eastern Hemisphere]], the half that lies east of the [[prime meridian]] and west of the [[180th
** [[Western Hemisphere]], the half that lies west of the prime meridian and east of the 180th meridian
 
{{Ordered list
The East–West division can also be seen in a cultural and religious sense, as a division into two [[East–West dichotomy|cultural and religious hemispheres]]. Some geographers prefer to split the hemispheres at 20° west and 160° east so that [[Africa]] and [[Europe]] are not split.<ref name=ngs />
| list_style_type = lower-alpha|'''[[Northern Hemisphere]]:''' The half that lies north of the [[Equator]]. This hemisphere contains approximately 68% of Earth's landmass and is home to about 90% of the global population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/90-of-people-live-in-the-northern-hemisphere-2012-5|title=90% Of People Live In The Northern Hemisphere – Business Insider|date=4 May 2012|work=Business Insider|access-date=10 November 2015|archive-date=19 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119181108/http://www.businessinsider.com/90-of-people-live-in-the-northern-hemisphere-2012-5|url-status=live}}</ref> It includes North America, Europe, Asia, and most of Africa.|'''[[Southern Hemisphere]]:''' The half that lies south of the Equator. It contains approximately 32% of Earth's landmass and is home to about 10% of the global population. It includes South America, Australia, Antarctica, and the southern parts of Africa.
}}
 
'''East-West'''
 
{{Ordered list
|list_style_type=lower-alpha
|'''[[Eastern Hemisphere]]:''' The half that lies east of the [[prime meridian]] and west of the [[180th meridian]]. This hemisphere includes most of Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia, as well as the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans.
|'''[[Western Hemisphere]]:''' The half that lies west of the prime meridian and east of the 180th meridian. This hemisphere includes North and South America, the eastern Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the majority of the Atlantic Ocean.
}}
 
== Alternative hemispheres ==
Alternative Earth hemispheres can divide the globe along cultural or religious lines, or be used to maximize the prominence of geographic features.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Boggs |first1=S. W. |year=1945 |title=This Hemisphere |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00221344508986498 |journal=Journal of Geography |volume=44 |issue=9 |pages=345–355 |doi=10.1080/00221344508986498}}</ref> For example:
 
'''Cultural and religious hemispheres'''
{{Ordered list
|list_style_type=lower-alpha
|'''Eastern Hemisphere:''' Generally associated with Eastern culture and religions, such as [[Buddhism]], [[Hinduism]], [[Confucianism]], and [[Islam]].
|'''Western Hemisphere:''' Generally associated with Western culture and religions, such as [[Christianity]] and [[Judaism]].
}}
 
'''Geographical feature-based hemispheres'''
 
{{Ordered list
|list_style_type=lower-alpha
|'''Terrestrial terminator-based hemispheres:''' Earth may be split into hemispheres of day and night by the terrestrial terminator, which is the boundary between the illuminated and dark sides of the planet. This division changes continuously as Earth rotates.
|'''20° West and 160° East-based hemispheres:''' This alternative division prevents the splitting of Africa and Europe.
}}
 
=== Land-water hemispheres ===
{{Main|Land and water hemispheres}}
However,Alternative otherhemisphere schemes have sought tocan divide the planet in a way that maximizes the preponderanceprominence of one geographic feature or another in each division, such as the land-water division:▼
 
* '''[[Land Hemisphere]]:''' Centered near 47°N, 1°E, near the city of Nantes, France, this hemisphere contains the largest possible area of land, including most of the world's continents and major landmasses.
▲However, other schemes have sought to divide the planet in a way that maximizes the preponderance of one geographic feature or another in each division:
 
* '''[[Water Hemisphere]]:''' Centered near 47°S, 179°W, in the South Pacific Ocean, this hemisphere contains the largest possible area of water, including most of the Indian, Atlantic, and Southern Oceans.
* Land–Water<ref>{{Cite journal | doi=10.1080/00221344508986498|title = This Hemisphere| journal=Journal of Geography| volume=44| issue=9| pages=345–355|year = 1945|last1 = Boggs|first1 = S. W.}}</ref>
** [[Land and water hemispheres|Land Hemisphere]], the hemisphere on Earth containing the largest possible area of land
** [[Land and water hemispheres|Water Hemisphere]], the hemisphere on Earth containing the largest possible area of water
 
{{multiple image
Line 50 ⟶ 76:
| image4 = landwaterhemisphereswest.gif
| width4 = 180
| alt4 = TheAfter rotation, the Land Hemisphere is still at the top and the Water Hemisphere is still at the bottom
| caption4 = TheAfter rotation, the Land Hemisphere is still at the top and the Water Hemisphere is still at the bottom
}}
 
{{-}}
 
Earth may also be split into hemispheres of [[daytime|day]] and [[night]] by the terrestrial [[terminator (solar)|terminator]].
 
==See also==
* [[Antarctica]]
** [[South Pole]]
* [[Arctic Ocean]]
** [[North Pole]]
* [[Geographical centre of Earth|Earth's geographical centre]]
* [[Eastern Hemisphere]]
* [[Global North and Global South]]
* [[Land and water hemispheres]]
* [[NorthernEast–West Hemispheredichotomy]]
* [[Southern Hemisphere]]
* [[Western Hemisphere]]
 
== References ==
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemispheres_of_Earth"