Equator - Equatorial climate, Equatorial countries, "Crossing the Line"

The great circle on the Earth's surface, halfway between the Poles, dividing the Earth into the N and S hemispheres; known as the terrestrial equator. Its own latitude is 0°, and from here latitude is measured in degrees N and degrees S. The celestial equator is the great circle in the sky in the same plane as the terrestrial equator. When the Sun is on it, day and night are everywhere equal (hence it is also called the equinoctial line or circle).

The equator is one of the five main circles of latitude based on the relationship of the Earth's rotation and plane of orbit around the sun.

The Sun, in its seasonal movement through the sky, passes directly over the equator twice each year on the March and September Equinoxes.

Places near the equator experience the quickest rates of sunrise and sunset in the world, taking minutes.

Also, in relation to launching of satellites, the closeness of the launch centre requires the thrust to be comparatively lesser, and as one moves away from the equator, one has to ensure that the payload in the launch vehicle is not much, for to get into the right orbit, more thrust is required.

Equatorial climate

In many tropical regions people identify 2 seasons, wet and dry, but most places very close to the equator are wet throughout the year, although seasons can vary depending on a variety of factors including elevation and proximity to an ocean.

The surface of the Earth at the equator is mainly ocean.

The highest point on the Equator is 4,690 m, at 00°00′00″S, 77°59′31″W on the south slopes of Volcán Cayambe (summit 5,790 m) in Ecuador.

Equatorial countries

The equator traverses the land and/or water of 13 countries in total:

São Tomé and Príncipe - passing through Ilhéu das Rolas, an islet in this archipelago Gabon Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of Congo Uganda - including some islets in Lake Victoria Kenya Somalia Maldives - misses every island, passing between Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll and Gnaviyani Atoll Indonesia - crosses many islands, most notably Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and Halmahera Kiribati - misses every island, passing between Aranuka and Nonouti Atolls in the Gilbert Islands Ecuador - including Isabela Island in the Galápagos Islands Colombia Brazil - including some islands in the mouth of the Amazon River and passing through Macapá, capital of Amapá state

The equator narrowly misses the territory of the United States near Baker Island and Jarvis Island in the United States Minor Outlying Islands. The southern end of Baker Island lies just 13 minutes of latitude north of the equator, putting the equator just outside the 12-mile limit for territorial waters.

"Crossing the Line"

Seafaring tradition maintains that all sailors who cross the equator during a nautical voyage must undergo rites of passage and elaborate rituals initiating them into The Solemn Mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep.