The Equator is an imaginary line of zero degrees latitude that encircles the Earth, positioned precisely halfway between the North and South Poles. This great circle divides the planet into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, serving as a fundamental reference point for global geography. The line passes predominantly over oceans but also traverses the landmasses and territorial waters of multiple sovereign nations.
The Thirteen Nations Crossing the Equator
The Equator crosses a total of 13 sovereign countries and island nations across three continents. Three prominent examples include Ecuador, Brazil, and Kenya. These political entities can be grouped by their respective continents.
South America contains three of these nations, starting with Ecuador and continuing eastward to Colombia and Brazil, where the line crosses the vast Amazon rainforest basin. The largest concentration of equatorial countries is found in Africa, with seven nations lying on the line. These African nations include the island country of São Tomé and Príncipe, followed by Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and Somalia.
The remaining countries are island nations in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. These include the Maldives, a chain of islands in the Indian Ocean, the extensive archipelagic nation of Indonesia, and Kiribati, located in the central Pacific Ocean.
Geographical Markers and Climate
Regions along the Equator receive the most direct solar radiation throughout the year, leading to a hot and humid climate. This intense sunlight exposure results in a stable pattern of approximately 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness every day, year-round, eliminating the four distinct seasons experienced at higher latitudes. The prevailing weather pattern is characterized by a tropical climate with two primary seasons: a wet, or rainy, season and a dry season.
The high temperatures and abundant rainfall support the growth of dense tropical rainforests, particularly in countries like Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Indonesia. Despite the generally warm conditions, the Equator crosses the Andes Mountains in Ecuador, passing near the snow-capped peak of Volcán Cayambe, which represents the only place on the line with permanent snow. In several countries, including Ecuador and Kenya, specific monuments have been erected to mark the precise location of the zero-degree latitude line for tourists and scientific reference.