26th meridian west
{{Short description|Line of longitude}}
{{Unreferenced|date=January 2021}}
{{Location map-line|lon=-26}}
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The meridian 26° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, the Atlantic Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole.
The 26th meridian west forms a great circle with the 154th meridian east.
From Pole to Pole
Starting at the North Pole and heading south to the South Pole, the 26th meridian west passes through:
The line is historically important because on 18 April 1941 the United States government used it as the demarcation between the Western and Eastern Hemispheres for the period of hostilities leading up to its participation in the Second World War. This influenced Britain's proposed occupation of the Canary Islands in its planned (but never executed) Operation Pilgrim. After the war began the boundary was moved to the 35th meridian west for purposes of service, as specified in the American Campaign Medal.
:
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" width="120" | Co-ordinates ! scope="col" width="160" | Country, territory or sea ! scope="col" | Notes |
| style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|90|0|N|26|0|W|type:waterbody|name=Arctic Ocean}}
! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Arctic Ocean | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |
| {{Coord|83|21|N|26|0|W|type:country|name=Greenland}}
! scope="row" | {{GRL}} | Northern Peary Land |
| style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|83|14|N|26|0|W|type:waterbody|name=Frederick E. Hyde Fjord}}
! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Frederick E. Hyde Fjord | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |
| {{Coord|83|8|N|26|0|W|type:country|name=Greenland}}
! scope="row" | {{GRL}} | Southern Peary Land |
| style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|82|10|N|26|0|W|type:waterbody|name=Independence Fjord}}
! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Independence Fjord | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |
| {{Coord|82|1|N|26|0|W|type:country|name=Greenland}}
! scope="row" | {{GRL}} | |
| style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|81|36|N|26|0|W|type:waterbody|name=Hagen Fjord}}
! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Hagen Fjord | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |
| {{Coord|81|29|N|26|0|W|type:country|name=Greenland}}
! scope="row" | {{GRL}} | Mainland and the island of Milne Land |
| style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|70|32|N|26|0|W|type:waterbody|name=Scoresby Sund}}
! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Scoresby Sund | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |
| {{Coord|70|16|N|26|0|W|type:country|name=Greenland}}
! scope="row" | {{GRL}} | |
| valign="top"
| style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|68|47|N|26|0|W|type:waterbody|name=Atlantic Ocean}} ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Atlantic Ocean | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Passing just west of São Miguel Island, Azores, {{POR}} (at {{Coord|37|51|N|25|51|W|type:isle|name=São Miguel Island}}) |
| style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|60|0|S|26|0|W|type:waterbody|name=Southern Ocean}}
! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Southern Ocean | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |
| valign="top"
| {{Coord|75|23|S|26|0|W|type:country|name=Antarctica}} ! scope="row" | Antarctica | Claimed by both {{ARG}} (Argentine Antarctica) and {{UK}} (British Antarctic Territory) |