30th_parallel_north
30th parallel north
Circle of latitude that is 30 degrees north of the Earth's equator
The 30th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 30 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It stands one-third of the way between the equator and the North Pole and crosses Africa, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean. The parallel is used in some contexts to delineate Europe or what is associated with the continent of Europe as a southernmost limit, e.g. to qualify for membership of the European Broadcasting Union.
It is the approximate southern border of the horse latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, meaning that much of the land area touching the 30th parallel is arid or semi-arid. If there is a source of wind from a body of water the area would more likely be humid subtropical.
At this latitude the sun is visible for 14 hours, 5 minutes during the summer solstice and 10 hours, 13 minutes during the winter solstice, and the nighttime duration lasts 9 hours, 55 minutes during the summer solstice and 13 hours, 47 minutes during the winter solstice.[1] On 21 June, the maximum altitude of the sun is 83.44 degrees and 36.56 degrees on 21 December.[citation needed]
At this latitude:
- One degree of longitude = 96.49 km or 59.95 mi
- One minute of longitude = 1.61 km or 1.00 mi
- One second of longitude = 26.80 m or 87.93 ft
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