The Western Hemisphere consists of the Americas, excluding some of the Aleutian Islands to the southwest of the Alaskan mainland; the westernmost portion of Europe, both mainland and islands; the westernmost portion of Africa, both mainland and islands; the extreme eastern tip of the Russian mainland and islands (North Asia); numerous territories in Oceania; and a large portion of Antarctica.
In an attempt to match the Western Hemisphere more closely with the Americas, some sources use the 20th meridian west and the diametrically opposed 160th meridian east to define the hemisphere.[1][3] This definition excludes all of the European and African mainlands, but still includes some islands associated with these continents, more of eastern Russia and Oceania, and part of Antarctica. It includes all islands of Alaska, but excludes a small portion of northeast Greenland. There is no hemisphere that includes all of the Americas while excluding all land outside of it, regardless of the meridians or points chosen to define it.
Sovereign states in both hemispheres
Below is a list of the sovereign states in both the Western and Eastern hemispheres on the IERS Reference Meridian, in order from north to south:
Below is a list of additional sovereign states which are in both the Western and Eastern hemispheres along the 180th meridian, in order from north to south. (France is not listed below due to its inclusion above, though the meridian does pass Wallis and Futuna.) With the exception of the United States (due to Wake Island, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands), all of them are located on just one side of the International Date Line, which curves around them.
Russia, passing through Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Its portion lying east of the 180th meridian is the only part of the country lying in the Western Hemisphere.
Kiribati, passing close to Arorae. The country has both the Equator and the 180th meridian (antimeridian) crossing through its territory. It is the only country located in four hemispheres.
^ abOlson, Judy M (1997), "Projecting the hemisphere", in Robinson, Arthur H; Snyder, John P (eds.), Matching the map projection to the need, Bethesda, MD: Cartography and Geographic Information Society, American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. - "Western Hemisphere", Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary (3rd ed.), Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, 2001, p. 1294.
^ [Scientific Report on Aconcagua, the Colossus of America measures 6960,8m] (in Spanish). Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. 2012. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
External links
Media related to Western Hemisphere at Wikimedia Commons
April 12, 2023
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For the metonymous location see Americas Coordinates 0 N 90 W 0 N 90 W 0 90 The Western Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian which crosses Greenwich London England and east of the 180th meridian 1 2 The other half is called the Eastern Hemisphere Politically the term Western Hemisphere is often used as a metonymy for the Americas even though geographically the hemisphere also includes parts of other continents 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 The Western Hemisphere Contents 1 Geography 1 1 Alternative definitions 2 Sovereign states in both hemispheres 3 Countries dependencies and other territories in the Western Hemisphere but not in the Americas 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksGeography EditThe Western Hemisphere consists of the Americas excluding some of the Aleutian Islands to the southwest of the Alaskan mainland the westernmost portion of Europe both mainland and islands the westernmost portion of Africa both mainland and islands the extreme eastern tip of the Russian mainland and islands North Asia numerous territories in Oceania and a large portion of Antarctica The center of the Western Hemisphere is located in the Pacific Ocean at the intersection of the 90th meridian west and the Equator among the Galapagos Islands The nearest land is Genovesa Island at 0 19 N 89 57 W 0 317 N 89 950 W 0 317 89 950 The highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere is Aconcagua in the Andes of Argentina at 6 960 8 m 22 837 ft 12 The tallest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere is the CN Tower in Toronto at 553 3 m 1 815 ft and the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere is One World Trade Center in New York City at 541 3 m 1 776 ft Alternative definitions Edit In an attempt to match the Western Hemisphere more closely with the Americas some sources use the 20th meridian west and the diametrically opposed 160th meridian east to define the hemisphere 1 3 This definition excludes all of the European and African mainlands but still includes some islands associated with these continents more of eastern Russia and Oceania and part of Antarctica It includes all islands of Alaska but excludes a small portion of northeast Greenland There is no hemisphere that includes all of the Americas while excluding all land outside of it regardless of the meridians or points chosen to define it Sovereign states in both hemispheres EditBelow is a list of the sovereign states in both the Western and Eastern hemispheres on the IERS Reference Meridian in order from north to south Denmark due to the entirety of Greenland and the Faroe Islands Denmark proper lies entirely within the Eastern Hemisphere Norway due only to Jan Mayen Mainland Norway Svalbard and Bouvet Island lie entirely within the Eastern Hemisphere United Kingdom passing through Greenwich London Most of the country lies within the Western Hemisphere The Netherlands has overseas islands that lie entirely within the Western Hemisphere while mainland Netherlands lies entirely within the Eastern Hemisphere France passing through Puynormand Gironde About 1 3 of the country including cities like Nantes or Bordeaux as well as the overseas regions of Guadeloupe Martinique and French Guiana lie within the Western Hemisphere Spain passing through Castellon de la Plana Valencian Community Most of Spain including the capital Madrid the Canary Islands and the southern half of its Mediterranean territorial waters lies within the Western Hemisphere Spanish Moroccan and Algerian Mediterranean waters are the only part of the Mediterranean Sea located in the Western Hemisphere Algeria passing through Stidia About 1 4 of the country including Oran Algeria s second largest city lies within the Western Hemisphere Mali passing through the municipal area of Gao Most of Mali including the capital Bamako lies within the Western Hemisphere Burkina Faso passing through Lalgaye Most of the country including the capital Ouagadougou lies within the Western Hemisphere Ghana passing through Tema Most of Ghana including the capital Accra lies within the Western Hemisphere Togo passing near Tami Tone Prefecture in Savanes Region Below is a list of additional sovereign states which are in both the Western and Eastern hemispheres along the 180th meridian in order from north to south France is not listed below due to its inclusion above though the meridian does pass Wallis and Futuna With the exception of the United States due to Wake Island Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands all of them are located on just one side of the International Date Line which curves around them Russia passing through Chukotka Autonomous Okrug Its portion lying east of the 180th meridian is the only part of the country lying in the Western Hemisphere United States passing through the Aleutian Islands Alaska Except for the portion of Aleutian Islands and waters lying west of the 180th meridian Guam the Northern Mariana Islands and Wake Island most of the country lies east of the 180th meridian Kiribati passing close to Arorae The country has both the Equator and the 180th meridian antimeridian crossing through its territory It is the only country located in four hemispheres Tuvalu passing close to its capital Funafuti Fiji passing close to its dependency Rotuma and passing through Taveuni Most of New Zealand proper lies within the Eastern Hemisphere but Chatham Islands and Kermadec Islands as well as the self governing states of the Cook Islands and Niue and the dependent territory of Tokelau lie east of the 180th meridian Countries dependencies and other territories in the Western Hemisphere but not in the Americas EditThe following countries and territories lie outside the Americas yet are entirely mostly or partially within the Western Hemisphere Africa Entirely Cape Verde Gambia Guinea Guinea Bissau Ivory Coast Liberia Madeira Portugal Mauritania Morocco Saint Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha United Kingdom Ascension Island Saint Helena Tristan da Cunha Gough Island Senegal Sierra Leone Western Sahara disputed Mostly Burkina Faso Ghana MaliPartly Algeria Togo Antarctica Entirely Peter I Island Antarctic Treaty parties Claimed by Norway South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Administered by the United Kingdom Claimed by Argentina South Orkney Islands Antarctic Treaty parties Claimed by Argentina and the United Kingdom South Shetland Islands Antarctic Treaty parties Claimed by Argentina Chile and the United Kingdom Partly Mainland Antarctica Antarctic Treaty parties East Antarctica partially Transantarctic Mountains partially West Antarctica entirely Asia Partly Chukotka Autonomous Okrug Russia Europe Entirely Bailiwick of Guernsey United Kingdom Alderney Guernsey Sark Bailiwick of Jersey United Kingdom Faroe Islands Denmark Gibraltar United Kingdom Iceland Isle of Man United Kingdom Jan Mayen Norway Portugal IrelandMostly Spain United Kingdom England mostly Northern Ireland entirely Scotland entirely Wales entirely Partly France Metropolitan Oceania Entirely American Samoa United States Chatham Islands New Zealand Clipperton Island France Cook Islands New Zealand Easter Island Chile Salas and Gomez Island French Polynesia France Tahiti Galapagos Islands Ecuador Hawaii United States Howland and Baker Islands United States Baker Island Howland Island Jarvis Island United States Johnston Atoll United States Kermadec Islands New Zealand Kingman Reef United States Midway Atoll United States Niue New Zealand Palmyra Atoll United States Pitcairn Henderson Ducie and Oeno Islands United Kingdom Samoa Tokelau New Zealand TongaMostly Kiribati Wallis and Futuna France Partly Fiji Rotuma TuvaluSee also EditLand and water hemispheres Western worldReferences Edit a b Olson Judy M 1997 Projecting the hemisphere in Robinson Arthur H Snyder John P eds Matching the map projection to the need Bethesda MD Cartography and Geographic Information Society American Congress on Surveying and Mapping Western Hemisphere Merriam Webster s Geographical Dictionary 3rd ed Springfield Massachusetts Merriam Webster 2001 p 1294 Oxford Dictionary of English 2nd ed London UK Oxford University Press 2006 p 2001 Western Hemisphere Merriam Webster s Online Dictionary based on Collegiate vol 11th ed Springfield MA Merriam Webster 2006 a b Western Hemisphere Definition Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 2021 11 21 Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs United States Department of State Western Hemisphere United States Department of the Treasury Western Hemisphere Office of the United States Trade Representative Joe Biden The Western Hemisphere Needs U S Leadership Americas Quarterly 17 December 2018 Western Hemisphere United States Department of Justice Western Hemisphere United States Department of Agriculture Western Hemisphere Archived 2020 06 21 at the Wayback Machine United States Fish and Wildlife Service Western Hemisphere Fulbright Program Informe cientifico que estudia el Aconcagua el Coloso de America mide 6960 8 metros Scientific Report on Aconcagua the Colossus of America measures 6960 8m in Spanish Universidad Nacional de Cuyo 2012 Archived from the original on September 8 2012 Retrieved September 3 2012 External links Edit Media related to Western Hemisphere at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Western Hemisphere amp oldid 1148110318, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
