India is geographically located in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres. Here are the key details regarding the extent and important latitudes and longitudes of India, along with a PDF map:
Extent of India
North to South:
- Mainland India extends from the northernmost point at Indira Col, Siachen Glacier (37°6′ N latitude) in the Union Territory of Ladakh to the southernmost point at Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) (8°4′ N latitude) in Tamil Nadu.
- This distance is about 3,214 kilometers.
- The southernmost point of India (including islands) is Indira Point, Great Nicobar Island (6°45′ N latitude)
East to West:
- India’s westernmost point is at Guhar Moti in Gujarat (68°7′ E longitude) and the easternmost point is at Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh (97°25′ E longitude).
- This distance is about 2,933 kilometers.
The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of mainland India are both roughly around 30 degrees. However, the actual distance between the North and South extremity is 3,214 km, and that between East and West extremity is only 2,933 km.
This is based on the fact that latitudes are parallel lines and so the distance between any two latitudes remains the same everywhere, whereas the distance between two longitudes decreases towards the pole.
Other Important Latitudes and Longitudes of India
Apart from the above latitudes and longitudes showing India’s extent, there are two important latitudes and longitudes that pass through India. They are:
1. Tropic of Cancer
- The Tropic of Cancer (23°30′ N latitude) passes almost through the middle of India.
- It crosses through eight Indian states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, and Mizoram.
- The Mahi River is the only river in India that traverses the Tropic of Cancer twice.
2. Standard Meridian of India
- The Standard Meridian of India is 82°30′ E longitude.
- It serves as the reference meridian for the entire country and is used to determine Indian Standard Time (IST).
- It passes through 5 states: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh.
- It also passes through the city of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh.
The Tropic of Cancer and the Standard Meridian of India intersect in the Korea (Koriya) district in Chhattisgarh.
