Northern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere (/ˈnɔːrðən ˈhɛmɪsfɪər/; from Latin hemisphaerium septentrionale) refers to the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. It is contrasted with the Southern Hemisphere.

Etymology

The term "Northern Hemisphere" is derived from the Latin words hemisphaerium (half sphere) and septentrionale (northern).

Related Terms

Equator: An imaginary line drawn around the middle of the Earth equally distant from both poles, dividing the Earth into northern and southern hemispheres.
Southern Hemisphere: The half of the Earth that is south of the Equator.
Tropic of Cancer: A line of latitude located at approximately 23.5 degrees north of the Equator, marking the most northerly point at which the sun can appear directly overhead at noon.
Arctic Circle: The most northerly of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. It designates the northernmost point at which the center of the noon sun is just visible on the December solstice and the southernmost point at which the center of the midnight sun is just visible on the June solstice.
Prime Meridian: The meridian (line of longitude) at which the longitude is defined to be 0°.