Question

India is divided into two halves by the _____ latitude.
A. 23°30’N
B. 23°30’E
C. 82°30’N
D. 82°30’E

Answer 1

Hint: This latitude is the northern extent of the tropical zone of the earth. This latitude receives direct overhead sunlight during the summer solstice. This southern counterpart of this latitude is the Tropic of Capricorn.

Complete Answer:
- India is divided into two halves by the Tropic of Cancer which is approximately the 23°30’N latitude. It is also known as the Northern Tropic. It is the northern extent of the Tropical region of the earth.
- The region above the Tropic of Cancer is called the northern temperate region or the subtropical region. The tropical region lies between the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south, and is the region that receives direct rays from the sun all throughout the year.
- During the June Solstice or the Northern Solstice, the Northern Hemisphere of the earth tilts towards the sun to its maximum extent. At this time the sun is directly overhead on this latitude. During the northern solstice or the summer solstice, the Tropic of Cancer experiences a day that is 13 hours and 35 minutes long.
- During the winter solstice or the Southern solstice, the Tropic of Cancer experiences 10 hours and 41 minutes of daylight. These are the longest and the shortest days of this latitude.
- The climate around the Tropic of Cancer is hot and dry, except for coastal areas where humidity is high and accompanied with heavy rainfall.

Hence the correct answer is Option (A) 23°30’N.

Note: In India it passes through the states Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Mizoram and Tripura. There are road signs and markings that indicate the passing of the Tropic of Cancer in India. These markings can be seen in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.