How to format latitude and longitude

All you need to know about how
to display Latitude & Longitude!

1. Degrees, Minutes, Seconds (DMS)
2. Degrees, Minutes as decimal (DM.m)
3. Numerical

d        Degrees
dd      Degrees
ddd    Degrees
M       Minutes

MM   Minutes
s       Seconds
ss     Seconds
D       Direction

Values range from 0 - 180
Two digit values range from 00 - 180
Three digit values range from 000 - 180
Displayed with a decimal component that represents the seconds as a
fraction of a minute, eg 4 minutes, 15 seconds, displays as 4.25
Two digit values range from 00 - 59
Values range from 0 - 59
Two digit values range from 00 - 59
Displays 'East', or 'West' as appropriate

The earth is a sphere, so how do we describe an exact
position on its surface?

The most common way to locate positions on the Earth
is by standard geographic coordinates called latitude
and longitude. These coordinates values are measured
in degrees and represent angular distances calculated
from the center of the Earth.

Let's imagine the Earth as a giant sphere spinning
around an axis. The axis runs from the North and South
Poles. The Equator run around the earth, an equal
distance from both poles. The Equator is the latitude line
with a he value of 0 (zero) degrees and is the starting
point for measuring latitude.

Lines of longitude (called meridians) run perpendicular
to lines of latitude- and all pass through both poles. The
Earth is divided equally into 360 degrees of longitude
with 180 degrees of longitude to the east of the Prime
Meridian; when the directional designator is omitted
these longitudes are given positive values. There are
also 180 degrees of longitude to the west of the Prime
Meridian; when the directional designator is omitted
these longitudes are given negative values.

Equator—The line running around the Earth at an equal distance from the North
and South Poles.

Geographic coordinates— Values given as latitude and longitude.

Great circle—A circle formed on the surface of a sphere by a plane that passes
through the center of the sphere. The Equator, each meridian, and each other full
circumference of the Earth forms a great circle. The arc of a great circle is the
shortest distance between two points on the Earth's surface.

Meridian—A great circle around the Earth, passing through the geographical poles
and some third point on the Earth's surface. All points on a given meridian share
the same longitude.

Parallel—A circle or approximation of a circle on the surface of the Earth, parallel to
the Equator and connecting points of equal latitude.

Prime Meridian—The meridian of longitude (zero) 0 degrees, used as the origin for
the measurement of longitude. The meridian of Greenwich, England, is the
internationally accepted prime meridian.

Degrees of latitude and longitude can be further subdivided
into minutes and seconds: there are 60 minutes (') per degree,
and 60 seconds (") per minute. For example, a coordinate
might be written 65° 32' 15". Degrees can also be expressed
as decimals: 65.5375, degrees and decimal minutes: 65°
32.25', or even degrees, minutes, and decimal seconds: 65°
32' 15.275".

One degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles, and a minute
of latitude is approximately 1.15 miles. A second of latitude is
approximately 0.02 miles, or just over 100 feet.

One degree of longitude varies in size. At the equator, it is
approximately 69 miles. The size decreases to zero as the
meridians meet at the poles. At a 45 degrees latitude, a
degree of longitude is approximately 49 miles.

Commonly Used Terms

There are Three basic ways to display your coordinates:

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