Eastern Hemisphere

Eastern Hemisphere

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Approximately 85% of the world's population live in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Overview

The line demarcating the eastern and western hemisphere is an arbitrary convention, unlike the "equator" (an imaginary line running across the middle of the earth), (equidistant from the Earth's poles) which divides the northern and southern hemispheres. The Prime Meridian at 0° longitude and the International Date Line around 180° longitude are the conventionally accepted boundaries, since they divide eastern longitudes from western longitudes. Using this demarcation puts portions of western Europe, Africa, and eastern Russia in the western hemisphere, thereby diluting its usefulness for cartography as well as for geopolitical constructs since all of Eurasia and Africa are typically included in the eastern hemisphere. Consequently, the meridians of 20°W and the diametrically opposed 160°E are often used, [Olson, Judy M. " [http://www.gis.psu.edu/projection/chapter4.html Projecting the hemisphere] ", ch. 4 from " [http://www.gis.psu.edu/projection/ Matching the map projection to the need] "; Robinson, Arthur H. & Snyder, John P., eds. 1997. Bethesda, MD: Cartography and Geographic Information Society, American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.] ["Eastern Hemisphere". "Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary," 3rd ed. 2001. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., p. 340.] which includes all of the European and African mainlands but also includes a small portion of northeast Greenland (typically reckoned as part of North America) and excludes more of eastern Russia and Oceania (e.g., New Zealand).

The two major regions of Antarctica are named after their positions mainly within a single hemisphere; East Antarctica is named for the Eastern Hemisphere.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Eastern Hemisphere — that half of the earth which includes Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia …   English World dictionary

  • eastern hemisphere — eastern half of the globe, hemisphere that includes Asia Africa Europe and Australia …   English contemporary dictionary

  • eastern hemisphere — noun the hemisphere that includes Eurasia and Africa and Australia • Syn: ↑orient • Hypernyms: ↑hemisphere • Part Meronyms: ↑Old World, ↑Africa, ↑Australia, ↑Eurasia …   Useful english dictionary

  • Eastern Hemisphere — noun The hemisphere of the Earth to the east of the Greenwich Meridian (zero degree longitude) and west of 180 degrees longitude (approximately the International Date Line) …   Wiktionary

  • Eastern Hemisphere — the eastern part of the terrestrial globe, including Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. * * * Part of the Earth east of the Atlantic Ocean. It includes Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. Longitudes 20° W and 160° E are often considered its… …   Universalium

  • eastern hemisphere — noun Usage: often capitalized E&H Date: 1624 the half of the earth east of the Atlantic Ocean including Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Eastern Hemisphere — half of the world containing Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and associated islands …   Eponyms, nicknames, and geographical games

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  • Eastern Hemisphere — /istən ˈhɛməsfɪə/ (say eestuhn hemuhsfear) noun the part of the world lying east of the Greenwich Meridian, including Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe …  

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