Question

As you move from the equator to the poles, what happens to the circumference of the parallels of latitudes?

Answer 1

As you move from the equator towards the poles, the circumference of the parallels of latitude decreases. The equator is the longest parallel and is considered a great circle, while all other parallels become smaller circles as you move away from the equator toward either pole. At the poles themselves, the parallels reduce to mere points. This decrease in size of the parallels affects various factors, including the speed of Earth’s rotation, which is highest at the equator and diminishes towards the poles due to the smaller circumferences of latitude circles.