The equator on a world map is the main horizontal line that runs straight across the middle of the Earth at 0° latitude, halfway between the North Pole and the South Pole.

Quick Scoop: Where to Find It

  • Look for the bold or clearly marked horizontal line that sits in the center of most world maps or globes.
  • It is usually labeled “Equator” and marked as 0° latitude.
  • This line divides the planet into:
    • Northern Hemisphere (everything above it).
* Southern Hemisphere (everything below it).

What It Passes Through

On a typical political world map, you’ll see the equator crossing parts of:

  • South America (for example, Ecuador and Brazil).
  • Africa (for example, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo).
  • Southeast Asia and surrounding islands (for example, Indonesia).

How to Spot It Quickly (Example)

If you imagine a classroom globe in front of you, the equator is the line you can trace with your finger around the “fattest” part of the globe, exactly in the middle from top to bottom.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.