Extreme points of Earth 863116 223122973 2008-07-02T17:54:20Z Michael Hardy 4626 /* Centre */ reformat to get rid of extra vertical whitespace {{Refimprove|date=January 2008}} This is a list of lists of '''extreme points of Earth''', the points that are farther [[north]], [[south]], [[east]] or [[west]] than any other locations on the [[landmass]]es, [[continent]]s or [[country|countries]]. ==The world== ===Latitude and longitude=== * The '''northernmost point of Earth''' is the [[North Pole#Geographic North Pole|geographic North Pole]], in the [[Arctic Ocean]]. * The '''northernmost point on land''' is [[Kaffeklubben Island]], north of [[Greenland]] ({{coor dm|83|40|N|29|50|W}}), which lies slightly north of [[Cape Morris Jesup]], [[Greenland]] ({{coor dm|83|38|N|32|40|W}}). Various shifting [[gravel bar]]s lie further north, the most famous being [[Oodaaq]]. The term ''[[Ultima Thule]]'' was given by medieval cartographers for the northernmost point of land. * The '''southernmost point of the World''' and the '''southernmost point on land''' is the [[South pole#Geographic South Pole|geographic South Pole]], which is on the [[continent]] of [[Antarctica]]. * The '''westernmost and easternmost points of the World''', based on the normal practice of using longitude, can be found anywhere along the 180th meridian in Siberian Russia (including [[Wrangel Island]]), Antarctica, or the three islands of Fiji through which the 180th meridian passes ([[Vanua Levu|Vanua Levu's]] eastern peninsula, the middle of [[Taveuni]], and the western part of Rabi.) * The '''westernmost point on land''', according to the path of the [[International Date Line]], would be [[Attu Island]], [[Alaska]]. * The '''easternmost point on land''', according to the path of the [[International Date Line]], would be [[Caroline Island]], [[Kiribati]].<sup>1</sup> <sup>1</sup><small>A 1995 realignment of the International Date Line ([http://www.trussel.com/kir/dateline.htm]) moved all of Kiribati to the Asian side of the Date Line, causing Caroline Island to be the easternmost. However, if the original Date Line were followed, the easternmost point would be Tafahi Niuatoputapu, in the [[Tonga]] Islands chain.</small> ===Altitude=== * The '''highest point''' measured from sea level is the summit of [[Mount Everest]]. While [[Mount Everest#measurement|measurements of its height]] vary slightly, the elevation of its peak is usually given as {{convert|8848|m|0|abbr=on}} above sea level. * The '''lowest point''' is [[Challenger Deep]], at the bottom of the [[Mariana Trench]]: {{convert|10911|m|0|abbr=on}} <!--- Using figure from Mariana Trench article --->below [[sea level]] [http://www.rain.org/ocean/ocean-studies-challenger-deep-mariana-trench.html]. * The '''lowest point on dry land''' is the shore of the [[Dead Sea]], {{convert|418|m|0|abbr=on}} below sea level. ''See [[List of places on land with elevations below sea level]]'' * The '''lowest point on land not covered by liquid water''' is the floor of the [[Bentley Subglacial Trench]]: {{convert|2555|m|0|abbr=on}} below sea level. ''See the [[Extremes on Earth]] page.'' ''See [[List of places on land with elevations below sea level]]'' * The '''point farthest from the Earth's centre''' is widely reported to be the summit of [[Chimborazo (volcano)|Chimborazo]] (due to the Earth not being a perfect sphere), at {{convert|6384.4|km|0|abbr=on}}. (Everest's summit is at {{convert|6382.3|km|0|abbr=on}}.) However, [[Huascarán]] is a very close contender, within the {{convert|2|m|0|adj=on}} measured error, if each mountain's reported height is correct. * The '''point closest to the Earth's centre''' (~{{convert|6353|km|0|abbr=on}}) is probably somewhere at the bottom of the [[Arctic Ocean]] (depth ~{{convert|4|km|0|abbr=on}}) near the [[North Pole#Geographic North Pole|Geographic North Pole]] (the bottom of the Mariana Trench is {{convert|6366.4|km|0|abbr=on}} from the centre of the Earth).<!--- Other contenders would be in the north Atlantic or Pacific, or around the base of the Antarctic continental shelf ---> ====Highest attainable by transportation==== [[Image:43037992 624b2b553f o.jpg|thumb|[[Khardung La]]]] *'''Road (dead end):''' [[Aucanquilcha]], [[Chile]], {{convert|6176|m|0|abbr=on}}, mining road to summit of volcano, once usable by 20-ton mining trucks<ref>{{cite journal | last = McIntyre | first = Loren | title = The High Andes | journal = [[National Geographic]] | volume =171 | issue =4 | pages =422–460 | publisher = National Geographic Society |date=April 1987 | url = |abbr=on}} <small>(includes description and photos of [[Aucanquilcha]] summit road and mine)</small></ref> The road is no longer usable. *'''Road (mountain pass):''' Possibly [[Semo La]], [[Tibet]], {{convert|5565|m|0|abbr=on}}, or [[Marsimik La]], [[India]], depending on definition of "attainable by transportation". There may be higher motorable passes in [[Tibet]], in areas affected by lack of information and restricted access. See [[Khardung La#The world's highest motorable pass?|Khardung La]], 5,359 m for more information. *'''Train:''' [[Tanggula Mountain Pass]], in the [[Tanggula Mountains]], [[Tibet]], {{convert|5072|m|0|abbr=on}} *'''Commercial airport:''' [[Qamdo Bangda Airport]], [[Tibet]], {{convert|4334|m|0|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/1995/news.release.950501.html | title = Boeing News Release: Boeing 757 Now Serves World's Highest-Altitude Airport | accessdate = 2007-09-07|abbr=on}}</ref> *'''Helipad''': Sonam, [[Siachen Glacier]], [[India]] at a height of {{convert|6400|m|0|abbr=on}} above the sea level.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/south/05/20/siachen.kashmir/ CNN.com - Siachen: The world's highest cold war - Sep. 17, 2003<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ====Lowest attainable by transportation==== [[Image:Dead Sea-14.jpg|thumb|[[Dead Sea]]]] *'''Road:''' The roads beside the [[Dead Sea]], [[Israel]], [[Jordan]] and the [[West Bank]], {{convert|418|m|0|abbr=on}} below sea level. *'''Commercial airport:''' [[Schiphol Airport]], [[Netherlands]], {{convert|3|m|0|abbr=on}} below sea level. Schiphol is the world's lowest major commercial airport. ====Highest geographical features==== *'''Lake:''' There is an unnamed crater lake on [[Ojos del Salado]] (which itself is the world's highest volcano) at {{convert|6390|m|0|abbr=on}},<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.andes.org.uk/peak-info-6000/ojos-info.htm | title = Andes Website - Information about Ojos del Salado volcano, a high mountain in South America and the World's highest volcano | accessdate = 2007-09-07}}</ref> on the [[Argentina]]-[[Chile]] border. Another candidate is Lhagba Pool on the northeast slopes of [[Mount Everest]], [[Tibet]], at an altitude of {{convert|6368|m|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.highestlake.com/highest-lake-world.html#Lhagba | title = The Highest Lake in the World | accessdate = 2007-09-07|abbr=on|abbr=on}}</ref> *'''Navigable Lake:''' [[Lake Titicaca]], on the border of [[Peru]] and [[Bolivia]] in the [[Andes]], {{convert|3812|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} <!--- There are higher *non-navigable* lakes, according to [http://www.highestlake.com/]. ---> *'''Glacier:''' The [[Khumbu Glacier]] on the southwest slopes of [[Mount Everest]] in Nepal is the world's highest glacier, beginning at an altitude of {{Convert|7600|m|0|abbr=on}} to {{Convert|8000|m|0|abbr=on}}.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} *'''River:''' One candidate from among many possibilities is the Ating Ho (Ho meaning river), which flows into the [[Aong Tso]] (Hagung Tso), a large lake in [[Tibet]], and is about {{Convert|6100|m|0|abbr=on}} at its source at {{coor dms|32|49|30|N|81|03|45|E}}. A very large high river is the [[Yarlung Tsangpo]] or upper [[Brahmaputra River]] in [[Tibet]], whose main stem, the [[Maquan He]] has its source at about {{Convert|6020|m|0|abbr=on}} above sea level at {{coor dms|30|48|59|N|82|42|45|E}}.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.100gogo.com/bigben.htm | title = The Mystery of World's highest river and largest Canyon | accessdate = 2007-09-07|abbr=on|abbr=on}}</ref>. Above these altitudes there are no rivers since the temperature is almost always below freezing. *'''Island:''' There are a number of islands in the [[Orba Co]] lake, which is located at an altitude of {{Convert|5209|m|0|abbr=on}} in [[Tibet]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.worldislandinfo.com/SUPERLATIVESV2.html | title = Island Superlatives | accessdate = 2007-09-07|abbr=on}}</ref> ===Remoteness=== * The '''Eurasian [[pole of inaccessibility]]''', the point on land farthest from any ocean, is located approximately {{convert|320|km|0|abbr=on}} from the city of [[Ürümqi]], in the [[Xinjiang]] Autonomous Region of [[China]], at {{coor dm|46|16.8|N|86|40.2|E}} (in the [[Dzoosotoyn Elisen Desert]]). This position is at a distance of approximately {{convert|2648|km|0|abbr=on}} from the nearest coastline. * The '''Pacific [[pole of inaccessibility]]''' (also called ''Point Nemo''), the point in the ocean farthest from any land, lies in the South [[Pacific Ocean]] at {{coor dm|48|52.6|S|123|23.6|W|}}, which is approximately {{convert|2688|km|0|abbr=on}} from the nearest land (equidistant from [[Ducie Island]] in the [[Pitcairn Islands]] to the north, Maher Island off [[Siple Island]] near [[Marie Byrd Land]], [[Antarctica]] to the south and [[Motu Nui]] off [[Rapa Nui]] in the north east). It is in the middle of an area of {{convert|22405411|km2|0|abbr=on}} of ocean, larger than the entire former [[USSR|Soviet Union]]. * The '''most remote island''' is [[Bouvet Island]], an uninhabited and small [[Norway|Norwegian]] island in the South [[Atlantic Ocean]]. It lies at coordinates {{coor dm|54|26|S|3|24|E|}}. The nearest land is the uninhabited [[Queen Maud Land]], [[Antarctica]], over {{convert|1600|km|0|abbr=on}} away to the south. The nearest inhabited land is [[Tristan da Cunha]], {{convert|2260|km|0|abbr=on}} away and [[South Africa]], {{convert|2580|km|0|abbr=on}} away. * The '''most remote [[archipelago]]''' is [[Tristan da Cunha]] in the South [[Atlantic Ocean]], {{convert|2816|km|0|abbr=on}} from [[South Africa]] and {{convert|3360|km|abbr=on}} from South America. The islands are part of the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[crown colony]] of [[Saint Helena]]. With a population of ''c.'' 270, the main island of Tristan da Cunha is also the remotest inhabited island in the world. * The '''most remote, major inhabited city''' is either [[Honolulu, Hawaii]] or [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]] in western [[Australia]], depending on one's definition of "remote" and "major." There are no settlements within {{convert|3800|km|0|abbr=on}} of Honolulu or within {{convert|2200|km|0|abbr=on}} of Perth larger than the 30,000 to 50,000 population range ([[Hilo, Hawaii]] and [[Geraldton, Western Australia|Geraldton]] and [[Kalgoorlie, Western Australia|Kalgoorlie]], Australia, respectively). * The '''most remote airport in the World''' is [[Mataveri International Airport]] (IPC) in [[Easter Island]], which has a single runway for military and public use. It is located {{Convert|3759|km|0|abbr=on}} from [[Santiago, Chile]] (SCL) which has scheduled flights to it, and {{Convert|2603|km|0|abbr=on}} from [[Mangareva]] (GMR) in the [[Gambier Islands]], [[French Polynesia]], which does not have scheduled flights to it.<ref>{{cite web | title = Airliners.net: World's Most Remote Airport? | url = http://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_aviation/read.main/1860487/1/#1 | accessdate = 2007-04-23 }}</ref> In comparison to this, the airport at the [[Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station]] (NZSP) is not very remote at all, being located only {{Convert|1355|km|mi|0}} from [[Williams Field]] (NZWD) near [[Ross Island]].<ref>[http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=ipc-scl%0D%0Aipc-gmr%0D%0Anzwd-nzsp%0D%0A&RANGE=&PATH-COLOR=red&PATH-UNITS=km&SPEED-GROUND=&SPEED-UNITS=kts&MARKER=1&RANGE-STYLE=best&RANGE-COLOR=navy&MAP-STYLE=&MAP-CENTER=IPC Great Circle Mapper]</ref> * The '''most remote capital city of the world''' is a tie between [[Canberra]], [[Australia]] and [[Wellington]], [[New Zealand]]. Neither of them has another capital of a sovereign country within a distance of {{convert|2330|km|0|abbr=on}} – the distance between the two cities. ===Centre=== Since the Earth is a near-[[sphere]], its centre (the core) is thousands of kilometres beneath its [[Crust (geology)|crust]]. However, one could perhaps consider the intersection of the [[Equator]] and [[Prime Meridian]], located at the coordinates of zero degrees by zero, to be the "centre" of the standard geographic model (as viewed on a map), though the selection of longitude meridians are largely culturally and historically dependent, rather than based on geological or geographic reasons. This point, (0°, 0°) is located in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] approximately 614 km south of [[Accra]], [[Ghana]], in the [[Gulf of Guinea]]. The [[Center of population#World|center of population]], the place to which there is the shortest average route for everyone in the world, could be considered a centre of the world, and is located in the north of the [[Indian subcontinent]] <!-- Some people, perhaps [[tongue-in-cheek]], have claimed certain cities to be the centre of the Earth or of the universe. One such claimant is the small town of [[Felicity, California]], in the far southeast corner of the state, where a "Center of the World Pyramid" stands. Local resident and children's book author Jacques-Andres Istel convinced officials in [[China]], [[France]], and [[Imperial County, California]] (in which Felicity is located), that Felicity is legally and officially the centre of the World. In the same way, in different periods of history many cultures claimed their cities to be the centre of the World: [[Rome]], [[Delfi]], [[Cusco]] and [[Easter Island]], also called "Te Pito Te Henua" ("the belly-button of the World") by the islanders. [[Surrealist]] artist [[Salvador Dalí]] made an even more ambitious claim; that the railway station in [[Perpignan]], France, is the centre of the [[universe]]. On the platform is painted « <span style="font-variant:small-caps">perpignan centre du monde</span> » (French for "<span style="font-variant:small-caps">perpignan centre of the World</span>") [http://railfaneurope.net/pix/fr/electric/emu/TGV/Duplex/misc/pix.html 1]. A monument outside the station states, "Centre of the Universe: 0 km." [Proof required] In the 1990s, a local artist posted a sign in a neighbourhood of [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]], USA, identifying it as "East Hills: Center of the Universe". The sign stood for years, until the construction of a new retail development at that site, named "East Hills Center (of the Universe)". Official banners throughout the business district matter-of-factly echo the claim. In his stand-up comedy routine, American comedian [[Lewis Black]] claimed that the End of the Universe, not the center, was located in [[Houston, Texas]], on a street between two Starbucks coffee shops, which were built across from one another. ***SEE TALK PAGE FOR REASONS FOR DELETION FOR THIS SECTION***--> ===Along constant latitude (east-west distances)=== *Longest continuous distance on land: ** 10,726 km (6665 mi) @ 48°24'53N: France (4°47'44W), central Europe, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, Russia (140°6'3E). *Longest continuous distance at sea (between continents): ** 15,409 km (9575 mi) @ 18°39'12N: China (Hainan) (110°15'9E), Pacific Ocean, Mexico (103°42'6W). *Longest continuous latitude on land (incl. permanent ice shelf): ** 7,958 km (4946 mi) @ 78°35S: Minimum extent of [[Ross Ice Shelf]], Antarctica (subject to change). *Longest continuous latitude at sea: ** 22,471 km (13964 mi) @ 55°59S: South of [[Cape Horn]], South America. ** 4,435 km (2758 mi) @ 83°40N: North of [[Kaffeklubben Island]], [[Greenland]] (longest on the northern hemisphere). ===Along constant longitude (north-south distances)=== *Longest continuous distance on land: ** 7590 km (4717 mi) @ 99°1'30E: Russia (76°13'6N), Mongolia, China, Burma, Thailand (7°53'24N). ** 7417 km (4610 mi) @ 20°12E: Libya (32°19N), Chad, Central Africa, Congo DR, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa (34°41'30S). (Longest in Africa). ** 7098 km (4412 mi) @ 70°2W: Venezuela (11°30'30N), Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentine (52°33'30S). (Longest in western hemisphere and in South America). ** 5813 km (3613 mi) @ 97°52'30W: Canada (68°21N), USA, Mexico (16°1N). (Longest in North America). *Longest continuous distance at sea: ** 15986 km (9935 mi) @ 34°45'45W: Eastern Greenland (66°23'45N), Atlantic Ocean, Antarctica (Filchner Ice Shelf) (77°37S). ** 15883 km (9871 mi) @ 172°8'30W: Russia (Siberia) (64°45N), Pacific Ocean, Antarctica (Ross Ice Shelf) (78°20S). (Longest in the Pacific Ocean). ==[[The Americas]]== *[[Extreme points of the Americas]] **[[Extreme points of North America]] ***[[Extreme points of Canada]] ****[[Extreme points of Canadian provinces]] ****[[Extreme communities of Canada]] ***[[Extreme points of Greenland]] ***[[Extreme points of Mexico]] ****[[Extreme points of Mexican states]] ***[[Extreme points of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon]] ***[[Extreme points of the United States]] ****[[Extreme points of U.S. states]] *****[[Extreme points of New England]] **[[Extreme points of Central America]] **[[Extreme points of South America]] ***[[Extreme points of Argentina]] ***[[Extreme points of Brazil]] ***[[Extreme points of Chile]] ***[[Extreme points of Peru]] ***[[Extreme points of Venezuela]] ==[[Antarctica]]== *[[Extreme points of Antarctica]] *[[Extreme points of the Antarctic]] == [[Arctic|The Arctic]] == *[[Extreme points of the Arctic]] ==[[Australasia]]== *[[Extreme points of Australia]] *[[Extreme points of New Zealand]] *[[Extreme points of Papua New Guinea]] ==[[Afro-Eurasia]]== *[[Extreme points of Afro-Eurasia|Afro-Eurasia]] **[[Extreme points of Africa#Extreme points|Africa]] ***[[Extreme points of Algeria|Algeria]] ***[[Extreme points of Madagascar|Madagascar]] ***[[Geography of South Africa#Extreme points|South Africa]] **[[Extreme points of Eurasia]] ***[[Extreme points of Asia]] ****[[Extreme points of China]] ****[[Extreme points of India]] ****[[Extreme points of Indonesia]] ****[[Extreme points of Iran]] ****[[Extreme points of Japan]] ****[[Extreme points of Russia]] ***[[Extreme points of Europe]] ****[[Extreme points of the European Union]] ****[[Extreme points of Austria]] ****[[Geography_of_Belgium#Extreme_points|Extreme points of Belgium]] ****[[Extreme points of Bulgaria]] ****[[Extreme points of Finland]] ****[[Extreme points of France#Extreme points|Extreme points of France]] ****[[Extreme points of Germany]] ****[[Extreme points of Greece]] ****[[Extreme points of Iceland]] ****[[Extreme points of Ireland]] ****[[Extreme points of Italy]] ****[[Extreme points of the Netherlands]] ****[[Extreme points of Norway]] ****[[Extreme points of Poland]] ****[[Extreme points of Portugal]] ****[[Extreme points of Russia]] ****[[Extreme points of Slovenia]] ****[[Extreme points of Spain]] ****[[Extreme points of Sweden]] ****[[Extreme points of Switzerland]] ****[[Extreme points of the United Kingdom]] ==See also== *[[The World's most northern]] city, capital, island etc. *[[The World's most southern]] city, capital, island etc. *[[Extremes on Earth]] *[[List of countries by northernmost point]] *[[List of countries by southernmost point]] *Several cultures have marked points as [[Land's End]] or the [[End of the World]] ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Extreme points of Earth]] [[de:Die Erde in Daten und Zahlen]] [[es:Puntos extremos del mundo]] [[fr:Liste de points extrêmes du monde]] [[id:Fakta geografi dunia]] [[hu:Különleges földrajzi pontok listája]] [[no:Verdens ytterpunkter]] [[pl:Skrajne punkty na kuli ziemskiej]] [[fi:Maapallon äärimmäiset paikat]]