The information for the following story is from Scholastic Canada's Atlas of the World and the following Internet site accessed 12/05/02:
http://geography.miningco.com/library/misc/blequator.htm

Lines of Longitude and Latitude

What is the Equator?

The equator is an imaginary horizontal line that runs across the surface of the earth. It divides the world in half. The northern hemisphere is on the top and the southern hemisphere is on the bottom. The equator passes through northern Brazil, Kenya, Ecuador, and other countries. It is 40,075.16 kilometers long. Areas close to the equator are very hot since the sun shines directly overhead.

What is the Prime Meridian?

The Prime Meridian is an imaginary vertical line that runs across the surface of the earth. It also divides the world in half -- the western hemisphere and the eastern hemisphere. The Prime Meridian passes through Greenwich, England.