norte

Norte is the term used in Spanish and Portuguese for the cardinal direction north. It denotes the direction toward the north on maps and compasses and is used to describe location, weather patterns, and regional extents.

Linguistically, norte derives from the Romance language family and corresponds to similar words for north in many languages derived from Latin, often contrasting with este, sur, and oeste.

Geographically, north is defined by the Earth's rotation and by the geographic north pole; in navigation, a compass points toward magnetic north, which differs from true north by magnetic declination.

In Brazil, Norte is the official geographic region comprising seven states: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima, and Tocantins. The region is characterized by the Amazon rainforest in most of its area and a tropical climate, with substantial biodiversity and varying levels of development.

In other contexts, Norte appears in administrative names such as Norte de Santander in Colombia, or as a regional designation in others, reflecting a common practice of naming northern provinces or departments.

Because of its role in geography and culture, norte is often used in literature, media, and politics to denote northern orientations, from regional identities to meteorological patterns.

See also: cardinal directions, compass rose.