That's done in order to avoid having any single state, country, or island
split by the date line. If it exactly followed the 180-degree meridian, then
the state of Alaska and the Pacific island nation of Kiribati, among others,
would always have two different calendar dates within the same small area.
That would certainly make for some difficult conditions for normal business
and everyday living.
No, the international date line is a line of longitude, not latitude.
The Prime Meridian The International Date Line
The major line of longitude located at 180 degrees longitude is the International Date Line.
The line of longitude where one day ends and another begins is called the International Date Line. It roughly follows the 180° meridian in the Pacific Ocean and marks the transition between calendar days.
This line is known as the antimeridian or simply the 180th meridian. The international date line is sometimes used although it is not entirely correct. The international date line is a "political" convention and sometimes deviates signifigantly from the actual 180 degree longitude
Whether travelling to the West or to the East from the Prime Meridian (zero Longitude) the International Date Line is 180 degrees Longitude.
No, the international date line is a line of longitude, not latitude.
is it the equator
121 degrees east longitude
International Date Line
Lines of longitude converge at the poles. The maximum longitude is 180 degrees, at the International Date Line.
International Date Line
The international date line (or there abouts)
International date line
The Prime Meridian The International Date Line
The Prime Meridian The International Date Line
The two important lines of longitude are the Prime Meridian (0 degrees) and the International Date Line (180 degrees). The Prime Meridian is the starting point for measuring longitude, while the International Date Line marks the change of one calendar day to the next.