How many times is the Equator crossed by the International Date Line?

The International Date Line mainly follows longitude 180 degrees, but deviates from it in order to separate land masses (Asia and North America), and to keep island groups together in the same time zone.

In the north, it runs through the Bering Strait in order to separate Russia, to the west, from Alaska to the east, and then to ensure the Aleutian Islands remain in one group.

Further south, in the mid Pacific, the date line deviates again, crossing the equator and then turning east and almost reaching longitude 150 degrees before turning north, crossing the equator for the second time, and then turning east again before going south, once more crossing the equator, and then south west until it regains longitude 180 degrees. This ensures Kiribati and other groups remain together.

More Info: en.m.wikipedia.org

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16 Comments

Gold Toy Box

Only one date line and only one equator but for convivence it jogs all over to keep a bunch of the South Pacific Islands on the same side. After crossing the equator going south, it turns East, then North, then West, then North, then East, then South/East, then South, then West, then South/West and then finally South again but still East of the original crossing of the Date line. You can't make this stuff up!

billyboy915

Allen Lerch, I suggest you consult a map and check how it meanders around at the equator. You will see that it crosses the equator 3 times. I will never understand why people protest the answers without checking the facts first.

Stephen Weekly

Think about it folks, if the answer was an even number, the IDL would never reach the South Pole, as it would stay north of it.

Jawnsin Chris

but there is just one equator at 0 degree latitude..

Arun Visvanathan

billyboy915, Really!!! I've been at sea from 1969 to 2016. I've crossed the Date Line and the Equator multiple times. The two intersect at only one point. For IDL to cross the Equator thrice it would have to curve to the North and again change to the South Google SS Warramata.

Arun Visvanathan

The International Date Line crosses the Equator once at 0 deg N/S and 180 deg E/W.

scottlarock

I missed it...I sit right next to a globe...

David Holmes

billyboy915, They gave the wrong answer, so it's everyone else's fault except theirs.

jcdangusa

Poorly worded !

diff

Evelyn L Robinson Billings, That's how I read it also.

billyboy915

Simon Jolley, Sorry to disagree, but I side with the facts. Even with all the meandering of the International Date Line, there are only two days involved. Any territory accessible from the Asian side is one day. Any territory accessible from the Americas side is another. I suggest you check a map. You will see that due to the meandering of the IDL, it in fact, crosses the equator three times. Be careful not confuse the IDL with the antimeridian, otherwise known as the 180th meridian, which is a straight line from the North Pole to the South Pole. It demarcates the western from the eastern hemispheres. The IDL draws a distinction in time, not necessarily hemispheres. Due to territorial distinctions, the IDL meanders for human convenience.

Leapy Lee

Good question and explanation.

Simon Jolley

billyboy915, The PROJECTIONS of the date line cross 3 times but the international date line crosses only once. Otherwise, there would be three days running concurrently! By international agreement, hence the title International Date line, it crosses only once!