90th meridian west

Last updated
World location map (equirectangular 180).svg
90°
90th meridian west

The meridian 90° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude [1] that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Gulf of Mexico, Central America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole.

Contents

In Antarctica, the meridian defines the western limit of Chile's territorial claim. The land further west is not claimed by any nation. The meridian also defines the western limit of the Lima, Antofagasta, Santiago, Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas flight information regions.

The 90th meridian west forms a great ellipse with the 90th meridian east, located midway between the Prime meridian and the 180th meridian; thus, the center of the Western Hemisphere is on this meridian.

In the United States, the Mississippi River runs close to the 90th meridian, crossing the meridian several times. The cities of St. Louis, Memphis and New Orleans are all close to the meridian.

One of the four 45 x 90 points is located in Rietbrock, Wisconsin, where the 45th parallel north intersects with the 90th meridian west, marking the halfway point between the 90° Latitude North, 180th Meridian East & West, 0° latitude, and 0° longitude.

From Pole to Pole

Starting at the North Pole and heading south to the South Pole, the 90th meridian west passes through:

Co-ordinatesCountry, territory or seaNotes
90°0′N90°0′W / 90.000°N 90.000°W / 90.000; -90.000 (Arctic Ocean) Arctic Ocean
81°54′N90°0′W / 81.900°N 90.000°W / 81.900; -90.000 (Canada) Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada NunavutEllesmere Island
81°1′N90°0′W / 81.017°N 90.000°W / 81.017; -90.000 (Nansen Sound) Nansen Sound
80°31′N90°0′W / 80.517°N 90.000°W / 80.517; -90.000 (Canada) Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada NunavutAxel Heiberg Island
78°17′N90°0′W / 78.283°N 90.000°W / 78.283; -90.000 (Norwegian Bay) Norwegian Bay
77°22′N90°0′W / 77.367°N 90.000°W / 77.367; -90.000 (Canada) Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada NunavutGraham Island
77°13′N90°0′W / 77.217°N 90.000°W / 77.217; -90.000 (Norwegian Bay) Norwegian Bay
76°50′N90°0′W / 76.833°N 90.000°W / 76.833; -90.000 (Canada) Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada NunavutNorth Kent Island and Devon Island
74°34′N90°0′W / 74.567°N 90.000°W / 74.567; -90.000 (Barrow Strait) Barrow Strait
74°4′N90°0′W / 74.067°N 90.000°W / 74.067; -90.000 (Canada) Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada NunavutPrince Leopold Island
73°59′N90°0′W / 73.983°N 90.000°W / 73.983; -90.000 (Prince Regent Inlet) Prince Regent Inlet
72°4′N90°0′W / 72.067°N 90.000°W / 72.067; -90.000 (Canada) Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada NunavutBaffin Island
71°31′N90°0′W / 71.517°N 90.000°W / 71.517; -90.000 (Gulf of Boothia) Gulf of Boothia
69°7′N90°0′W / 69.117°N 90.000°W / 69.117; -90.000 (Canada) Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Nunavut — several islands including Helen Island, and the mainland
63°46′N90°0′W / 63.767°N 90.000°W / 63.767; -90.000 (Hudson Bay) Hudson Bay
57°1′N90°0′W / 57.017°N 90.000°W / 57.017; -90.000 (Canada) Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Manitoba
Ontario — from 56°13′N90°0′W / 56.217°N 90.000°W / 56.217; -90.000 (Ontario)
48°3′N90°0′W / 48.050°N 90.000°W / 48.050; -90.000 (United States) Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota
47°49′N90°0′W / 47.817°N 90.000°W / 47.817; -90.000 (Lake Superior) Lake Superior
46°41′N90°0′W / 46.683°N 90.000°W / 46.683; -90.000 (United States) Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Michigan
Wisconsin — from 46°19′N90°0′W / 46.317°N 90.000°W / 46.317; -90.000 (Wisconsin) , passing through Reedsburg (at 43°32′N90°0′W / 43.533°N 90.000°W / 43.533; -90.000 ); crosses the 45th parallel north in Marathon County, Wisconsin, having one of the 45 x 90 points (at 45°00′N90°00′W / 45.000°N 90.000°W / 45.000; -90.000 )
Illinois — from 42°30′N90°0′W / 42.500°N 90.000°W / 42.500; -90.000 (Illinois)
Missouri — from 37°58′N90°0′W / 37.967°N 90.000°W / 37.967; -90.000 (Missouri) , passing a mile and a half (2 km) east of Ste. Genevieve
Arkansas — from 36°0′N90°0′W / 36.000°N 90.000°W / 36.000; -90.000 (Arkansas)
Tennessee — from 35°33′N90°0′W / 35.550°N 90.000°W / 35.550; -90.000 (Tennessee) , passing through Memphis (at 35°8′N90°0′W / 35.133°N 90.000°W / 35.133; -90.000 (Memphis) )
Mississippi — from 35°0′N90°0′W / 35.000°N 90.000°W / 35.000; -90.000 (Mississippi) , passing through Brandon (at 32°17′N90°0′W / 32.283°N 90.000°W / 32.283; -90.000 (Brandon) ) a suburb of Jackson
Louisiana — from 31°0′N90°0′W / 31.000°N 90.000°W / 31.000; -90.000 (Louisiana) , passing through New Orleans (at 30°2.5′N90°0′W / 30.0417°N 90.000°W / 30.0417; -90.000 (New Orleans) )
29°13′N90°0′W / 29.217°N 90.000°W / 29.217; -90.000 (Gulf of Mexico) Gulf of Mexico
21°10′N90°0′W / 21.167°N 90.000°W / 21.167; -90.000 (Mexico) Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico Yucatán
Campeche — from 20°28′N90°0′W / 20.467°N 90.000°W / 20.467; -90.000 (Campeche)
17°49′N90°0′W / 17.817°N 90.000°W / 17.817; -90.000 (Guatemala) Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala Passing through Jalapa
13°57′N90°0′W / 13.950°N 90.000°W / 13.950; -90.000 (El Salvador) Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador Ahuachapán — Passing through of Western Tacuba district (at 13°54′N90°0′W / 13.900°N 90.000°W / 13.900; -90.000 (Tacuba) ), Central San Francisco Menéndez district (at 13°50′N90°00′W / 13.833°N 90.000°W / 13.833; -90.000 (San Francisco Menéndez) ), and finishing the Barra de Santiago canton (at 13°41′N90°0′W / 13.683°N 90.000°W / 13.683; -90.000 (Barra de Santiago) ).
13°41′N90°0′W / 13.683°N 90.000°W / 13.683; -90.000 (Pacific Ocean) Pacific Ocean Passing just west of Genovesa Island, Galápagos, Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador (at 0°19′N89°58′W / 0.317°N 89.967°W / 0.317; -89.967 (Genovesa Island) )
Passing just east of Santa Fe Island, Galápagos, Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador (at 0°49′S90°2′W / 0.817°S 90.033°W / -0.817; -90.033 (Santa Fe Island) )
60°0′S90°0′W / 60.000°S 90.000°W / -60.000; -90.000 (Southern Ocean) Southern Ocean
72°28′S90°0′W / 72.467°S 90.000°W / -72.467; -90.000 (Antarctica) Antarctica Border between unclaimed territory (to the west) and Antártica Chilena Province (to the east), claimed by Flag of Chile.svg  Chile
Next westward:
91st meridian west
90th meridian west
forms a great circle with
90th meridian east
Next eastward:
89th meridian west

See also

References

  1. "What is longitude?". oceanservice.noaa.gov. Retrieved 1 July 2025.