180th meridian
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(Redirected from Antimeridian)
Coordinates: 0°S 180°W / 0°S 180°W
The 180th meridian or antimeridian is the meridian which is 180° east or west of the Prime Meridian passing through the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. It is common to both east longitude and west longitude. It is used as the basis for the International Date Line because it for the most part passes through the open waters of the Pacific Ocean. However, the meridian passes through a few countries as well as Antarctica.
Starting at the North Pole and heading south to the South Pole, the 180th meridian passes through:
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Co-ordinates (approximate) Country, territory or sea Notes 90°0′N 180°0′E / 90°N 180°E Arctic Ocean 71°32′N 180°0′E / 71.533°N 180°E 
RussiaWrangel Island 70°58′N 180°0′E / 70.967°N 180°E Chukchi Sea 68°59′N 180°0′E / 68.983°N 180°E RussiaChukotka Autonomous Okrug 65°02′N 180°0′E / 65.033°N 180°E Bering Sea 51°46′N 180°0′E / 51.767°N 180°E Amchitka Pass Passing just east of Semisopochnoi Island, Alaska, 
United States9°23′S 180°0′E / 9.383°S 180°E Pacific Ocean Passing just east of Nukulaelae atoll, 
Tuvalu16°30′S 180°0′E / 16.5°S 180°E 
FijiIslands of Vanua Levu, Rabi, and Taveuni 18°50′S 180°0′E / 18.833°S 180°E Pacific Ocean Passing just east of the island of Moala, Fiji
Passing just west of the island of Totoya, Fiji
Passing just east of the island of Matuku, Fiji60°00′S 180°0′E / 60°S 180°E Southern Ocean 78°13′S 180°0′E / 78.217°S 180°E 
AntarcticaRoss Dependency, claimed by 
New Zealand
The meridian also passes between (but not particularly close to):
- the Gilbert Islands and the Phoenix Islands islands of
Kiribati; - between North Island and the Kermadec Islands of New Zealand;
- between the Bounty Islands and the Chatham Islands, also of New Zealand.
[edit] See also
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