Countries On The Equator

What Is The Equator?

The Equator is the imaginary on the Earth’s surface that is equidistant from the two poles of the Earth, thus dividing the planet into the Northern and the Southern Hemispheres. The length of the Equator is about 40,075 km, and 78.7% of the imaginary line passes through water and the rest through the land.

The Equator is designated as the 0° latitude and is among the five most important latitudes of the Earth (the other four being the Arctic Circle, Antarctic Circle, Tropic of Cancer, and the Tropic of Capricorn) used to denote the relative locations of countries and other places on the planet.

Countries On The Equator

The Equator passes through the land of 11 countries of the world. Also, the equator traverses the territories of two island nations but does not make a landfall in either. The 11 countries traversed by the equator include São Tomé and Príncipe, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Indonesia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil.

Some notable aquatic features through which the Equator passes include the Atlantic Ocean, Lake Victoria, the Indian Ocean, the Karimata Strait, the Makassar Strait, the Gulf of Tomini, Molucca Sea, Halmahera Sea, and the Pacific Ocean.

Climate Of Countries On The Equator

The countries on the equator generally have a tropical rainforest or equatorial climate. Distinct seasons are usually absent. In some places, however, cold currents trigger tropical monsoon climates accompanied by a dry season. The average temperature of the equatorial countries is around 30 °C during the day. Average annual rainfall is quite high at around 2,500 to 3,500 mm per year.

Highest Point On The Equator

The highest point on the equator is located on the Volcán Cayambe’s southern slopes at an elevation of 4,690 meters in Ecuador. This is the only place on the equator where snow can be found on the ground.

Ecuador Derives Its Name From The Equator

Ecuador is the world’s only country that is named after a geographical feature. The official name of the nation is República del Ecuador, which in English translates to “The Republic of the Equator.”

Countries On The Equator Are Ideal Locations Of Spaceports

The Earth bulges slightly at the Equator, and its diameter along this imaginary line is approximately 43 km greater than that at the poles. Thus, this feature makes the countries on the Equator or sites near the imaginary line ideal places for spaceports, i.e., spacecraft launching stations. The faster rotational speed and added velocity reduce fuel required for launching spacecrafts.