hemisféra

Hemisféra is a term derived from Greek, meaning "half a sphere." In a geographical context, it refers to one of the two halves of the Earth, divided by the Equator into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere, or by a prime meridian into the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. The Equator, an imaginary line at 0 degrees latitude, divides the Earth into its northern and southern halves. The Northern Hemisphere contains most of the world's landmass, including North America, Europe, and Asia, as well as the Arctic Ocean. The Southern Hemisphere includes South America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and the southern parts of the oceans.

Alternatively, the Earth can be divided into Eastern and Western Hemispheres by the Prime Meridian (0 degrees longitude) and the 180th meridian. These divisions are important for understanding global geography, climate, and time zones. The concept of a hemisphere is also applicable in astronomy, referring to half of the celestial sphere. The celestial equator divides the celestial sphere into the northern and southern celestial hemispheres. These concepts are fundamental for navigation, cartography, and astronomical observation.