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The Earth -

Earth is split into two equal halves called hemispheres. Two lines—the equator running east-west and the prime meridian running north-south—divide the planet into four hemispheres.

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North and South -

The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the equator. The Southern Hemisphere is all of the planet south of the equator.

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East and West -

The Eastern Hemisphere refers to the area of the planet east of the prime meridian and west of the International Date Line. The Western Hemisphere refers to the area of the Earth west of the prime meridian and east of the International Date Line.

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The Northern Hemisphere -

All of Europe and North America are in the Northern Hemisphere. So too are the northern parts of South America, the northern two-thirds of Africa, and most of Asia.

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The Southern Hemisphere -

The Southern Hemisphere contains most of South America, approximately one-third of Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, some Asian islands, and most of the Pacific Islands in Oceania.

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The equator -

The equator is an imaginary circle of latitude on Earth that divides the planet into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. It's located at 0 degrees latitude, about 40,075 km (24,901 mi) in circumference, halfway between the North and South poles.

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Seasonal differences -

In the Northern Hemisphere, summer lasts from June through September. In the Southern Hemisphere, summer begins in December and ends in February.

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Land mass -

The Northern Hemisphere's surface is about 40% landmass. In the Southern Hemisphere, landmass accounts for 20% of the surface.

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Surface water -

About 60% of water covers the surface of the Northern Hemisphere compared with 80% in the Southern Hemisphere.

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Population difference -

The Northern Hemisphere is home to 93% of the world's population. This is mainly because the Pacific Ocean is so vast.

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Largest country in the Northern Hemisphere -

The largest country in the Northern Hemisphere is Russia. It's also the largest in the world.

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Largest country in the Southern Hemisphere -

The largest country in the Southern Hemisphere is Brazil. It's also the biggest in South America.

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Pollution levels -

The atmosphere is far more polluted in the Northern Hemisphere. That's because over 90% of the global population, and a majority of urban and industrial pollution sources, are located north of the equator.

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Storm movements -

In the Northern Hemisphere, hurricanes and tropical storms rotate counterclockwise, whereas south of the equator they rotate in a clockwise direction. This is due to what's known as the Coriolis effect, which is the deflection of moving objects based on the Earth's rotation.

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Ocean currents -

Conversely and again as a result of the Coriolis effect, ocean current patterns in the Northern Hemisphere are deflected to the east in a clockwise direction, whereas in the Southern Hemisphere they flow counterclockwise towards the west.

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Orientation of the Sun -

During the day in the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun will rise to its maximum in a southerly position. In the Southern Hemisphere, however, the opposite occurs, with the Sun rising to its maximum point in the north.

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View of the Moon -

Viewed from the Northern Hemisphere, the Moon appears inverted compared to a view from the Southern Hemisphere. This is simply due to orientation.

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View of the Moon -

That's why when we look at the moon in the Northern Hemisphere it looks like a D and in the Southern Hemisphere it looks like a C.

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Northern sky -

Not surprisingly, the North Star, also known as Polaris, is only visible in the Northern Hemisphere. Certain circumpolar constellations such as Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Cepheus, and Cassiopeia are also exclusive to the northern sky.

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Southern sky -

While the Southern Hemisphere is bereft of a "Southern Star," stargazers are treated to their own unique circumpolar constellations, notably Carina, Crux, and Centaurus.

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The Milky Way -

The brightest part of the Milky Way, its core, lies in the Southern Hemisphere. It's part of the constellation of Sagittarius. The Milky Way can be observed in the Northern Hemisphere, but only appears slightly above the southern horizon in late summer.

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Cold, and colder -

Antarctica is colder than the Arctic because it's a landmass surrounded by ocean. The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by landmasses. The explanation lies in the fact that the Southern Hemisphere has significantly more ocean—and water heats up and cools down more slowly than landmass.

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Exclusive wildlife -

A wide variety of wildlife is exclusive to the Southern Hemisphere. But perhaps the most iconic animal is the emperor penguin, found only in Antarctica.

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Highest point in the Northern Hemisphere -

At 8,848 m (29,031 ft), Mount Everest is the highest point in the Northern Hemisphere.

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Highest point in the Southern Hemisphere -

The highest point in the Southern Hemisphere is Aconcagua in Argentina. It has a summit elevation of 6,961 m (22,838 ft).

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Tropic of Cancer -

Falling within the Northern Hemisphere is the Tropic of Cancer. This is the most northerly circle of latitude on Earth at which the Sun can be directly overhead.

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Tropic of Capricorn -

The Southern Hemisphere's equivalent is the Tropic of Capricorn. It marks the most southerly latitude at which the Sun can appear directly overhead.

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Eastern Hemisphere -

When referring to countries in the Eastern Hemisphere, historically called the "Old World," we are including much of Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the islands of Oceania.

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Western Hemisphere -

Describing the Western Hemisphere, or the "New World," is to refer to a strictly geographical area, a region that includes North and South America. The term should not be confused with other mentions of the "Western world" in a geo-political or cultural context.

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Center of the Eastern Hemisphere -

The center of the Eastern Hemisphere is located in the Indian Ocean. The nearest landmass is the Indonesian island of Simeulue, 150 km (93 mi) off the west coast of Sumatra.

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Center of the Western Hemisphere -

The center of the Western Hemisphere is located in the Pacific Ocean, specifically at the intersection of the 90th meridian west and the equator. The nearest land is Genovesa Island, in the Galapagos.

Sources: (World Meteorological Organization) (NASA) (Condé Nast Traveler) (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) (National Geographic) (BBC Science Focus)

See also: Discover 60 extreme points of Earth

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