Tropic of Cancer

Questions related to the Tropic of Cancer are often asked in all competitive exams. Which state does the Tropic of Cancer pass through or does not pass through? That is why it becomes important that you know this topic very well.

Friends, you must have often used Google Maps on your smartphone to get information about the location of a particular place. Similarly, some points and lines are needed to know the location of a particular place on our earth. You must have seen these points and lines on a map or even on a globe.

One of these lines or lines is: Tropic of Cancer

What is the Tropic of Cancer

  • The Tropic of Cancer is one of the five major latitude lines on Earth that appear on the Earth’s map or globe.
  • This is a Latitude
  • It is an imaginary line drawn from west to east on the globe at 23°30′ parallel to the equator in the northern hemisphere.

Tropic of Capricorn

The Tropic of Capricorn is an imaginary circle drawn from west to east at an angular distance of 23½° from the equator in the southern hemisphere. The area north of the Tropic of Capricorn and south of the Tropic of Cancer is called the Tropical Zone. On December 22, the Sun shines vertically on the Tropic of Capricorn. The Tropic of Capricorn is one of the five major latitude lines that are reflected on the Earth’s map.

  • The Tropic of Capricorn is the southernmost latitude line on the Earth, on which the Sun shines vertically at noon.
  • This event occurs during the December solstice. When the Southern Hemisphere is highly tilted with respect to the Sun.
  • Just as the Tropic of Capricorn is in the Southern Hemisphere, so is the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere.
  • The latitudes south of the Tropic of Capricorn fall in the South Temperate Zone.
  • The region north of the Tropic of Capricorn and south of the Tropic of Cancer is called the Tropic of the Tropics.

Equator

The Equator is an imaginary line on the Earth’s surface at equal distances from the North Pole and the South Pole, which divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

If in other words, the imaginary line drawn from west to east on the globe joining the points on the farthest equatorial bulge from the center of the earth is called the equator or the equatorial line. Day and night are equal on this line throughout the year, hence it is also called the equator.

Tropic of Cancer

  • Both the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn are imaginary lines drawn parallel to the equator from west to east. The positions of both are in the same but opposite directions from the equator. Where the Tropic of Cancer is located at 23 1/2° latitude north of the equator, the Tropic of Capricorn is located at 23 1/2° latitude south of it.
  • This is the line of latitude located on the northern hemisphere of the Earth, on which the Sun shines vertically at noon. This event occurs at the time of the June Revolution, when the Northern Hemisphere is heavily tilted towards the Sun.
  • On June 21, when the Sun is directly above this line, in the Northern Hemisphere that day is the longest and the night is shortest. Here it is the hottest day (except for the local weather), because the sun’s rays fall just vertically here.
  • Apart from the line, the rays are maximum perpendicular to the other northern regions of the Northern Hemisphere. At this time, in the areas situated on the Tropic of Cancer, the shadows get hidden completely below or say that they are not formed. For this reason these areas are called no shadow zones in English.

Tropic of Cancer and States of India

  • The states lying on the Tropic of Cancer or passing through the Tropic of Cancer are 8: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram.

Tropic of Cancer passes through

The Tropic of Cancer passes through following countries:

  • United States (Hawaii) – Sea only, no islands on this line. It originates between the islands of Nihoa and Nekar.
  • Mexico, Mazatlan, north of the Pacific Ocean • Bahamas
  • Western Sahara (claimed by Morocco.)
  • Mauritania
  • Gardner
  • Algeria
  • Niger
  • Libya
  • Chad Its northernmost region is limited by the Tropic of Cancer.
  • Egypt
  • Saudi Arab
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Oman
  • India
  • Bangladesh
  • Myanmar
  • China, just north of Guangzhou
  • Taiwan

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Written by GKTricksIndia