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42nd parallel north

{{Short description|Circle of latitude}}

{{about|the circle of latitude|the novel "The 42nd Parallel" by John Dos Passos|U.S.A. trilogy}}

{{more citations|date=October 2021}}

{{Location map-line|lat=42}}

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The 42nd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 42 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean.

At this latitude the sun is visible for 15 hours, 15 minutes during the summer solstice and 9 hours, 6 minutes during the winter solstice.{{Cite web|date=2019-09-24|title=Duration of Daylight/Darkness Table for One Year|url=http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/Dur_OneYear.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012094319/http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/Dur_OneYear.php|archive-date=2019-10-12|access-date=2021-03-10|website=U.S. Naval Observatory}}

The earth's rotational speed at this latitude is roughly equal to the speed of sound.

One minute of longitude along the 42nd parallel is approximately {{convert|0.7456|nmi|mi km|sigfig=4}}.

Around the world

Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 42° north passes through:

:

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" width="125" | Coordinates

! scope="col" | Country, territory or sea

! scope="col" | Notes

{{Coord|42|0|N|0|0|E|type:landmark|name=Prime Meridian}}

! scope="row" | {{ESP}}

| Passing near Laluenga and Laperdiguera (Huesca province)

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|3|11|E|type:waterbody|name=Mediterranean Sea}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Mediterranean Sea

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

{{Coord|42|0|N|8|39|E|type:country|name=France}}

! scope="row" | {{FRA}}

| Island of Corsica

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|9|27|E|type:waterbody|name=Mediterranean Sea}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Mediterranean Sea

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Tyrrhenian Sea

{{Coord|42|0|N|11|58|E|type:country|name=Italy}}

! scope="row" | {{ITA}}

| Passing just north of Rome and through Termoli

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|15|0|E|type:waterbody|name=Adriatic Sea}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Mediterranean Sea

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Adriatic Sea

{{Coord|42|0|N|19|9|E|type:country|name=Montenegro}}

! scope="row" | {{MNE}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|19|23|E|type:country|name=Albania}}

! scope="row" | {{ALB}}

|

valign="top"

| {{Coord|42|0|N|20|37|E|type:country|name=Serbia/Kosovo}}

! scope="row" | {{flag|Kosovo}} or {{SRB}}

| Kosovo is a partially recognised state. Some nations consider its territory to be part of Serbia.

{{Coord|42|0|N|20|46|E|type:country|name=North Macedonia}}

! scope="row" | {{NMK}}

| Passing through Skopje

{{Coord|42|0|N|22|52|E|type:country|name=Bulgaria}}

! scope="row" | {{BGR}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|26|56|E|type:country|name=Turkey}}

! scope="row" | {{TUR}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|27|25|E|type:country|name=Bulgaria}}

! scope="row" | {{BGR}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|27|51|E|type:country|name=Turkey}}

! scope="row" | {{TUR}}

| For about 300 m

{{Coord|42|0|N|27|51.42|E|type:country|name=Bulgaria}}

! scope="row" | {{BGR}}

| For about 100 m

{{Coord|42|0|N|27|51.52|E|type:country|name=Turkey}}

! scope="row" | {{TUR}}

| For about 500 m

{{Coord|42|0|N|27|52.08|E|type:country|name=Bulgaria}}

! scope="row" | {{BGR}}

|

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|28|2|E|type:waterbody|name=Black Sea}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Black Sea

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

{{Coord|42|0|N|33|17|E|type:country|name=Turkey}}

! scope="row" | {{TUR}}

|

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|33|34|E|type:waterbody|name=Black Sea}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Black Sea

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

{{Coord|42|0|N|34|52|E|type:country|name=Turkey}}

! scope="row" | {{TUR}}

|

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|35|7|E|type:waterbody|name=Black Sea}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Black Sea

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

{{Coord|42|0|N|41|45|E|type:country|name=Georgia}}

! scope="row" | {{GEO}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|46|5|E|type:country|name=Russia}}

! scope="row" | {{RUS}}

| Dagestan - For about 2 km

{{Coord|42|0|N|46|7|E|type:country|name=Georgia}}

! scope="row" | {{GEO}}

| For about 3 km

{{Coord|42|0|N|46|9|E|type:country|name=Russia}}

! scope="row" | {{RUS}}

| Dagestan just south of Derbent

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|48|20|E|type:waterbody|name=Caspian Sea}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Caspian Sea

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

{{Coord|42|0|N|52|27|E|type:country|name=Kazakhstan}}

! scope="row" | {{KAZ}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|52|48|E|type:country|name=Turkmenistan}}

! scope="row" | {{TKM}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|54|51|E|type:country|name=Kazakhstan}}

! scope="row" | {{KAZ}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|56|0|E|type:country|name=Uzbekistan}}

! scope="row" | {{UZB}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|57|10|E|type:country|name=Turkmenistan}}

! scope="row" | {{TKM}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|60|0|E|type:country|name=Uzbekistan}}

! scope="row" | {{UZB}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|66|0|E|type:country|name=Kazakhstan}}

! scope="row" | {{KAZ}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|70|20|E|type:country|name=Uzbekistan}}

! scope="row" | {{UZB}}

|

{{Coord|42|0|N|70|50|E|type:country|name=Kyrgyzstan}}

! scope="row" | {{KGZ}}

|

valign="top"

| {{Coord|42|0|N|79|50|E|type:country|name=China}}

! scope="row" | {{PRC}}

| Xinjiang
Gansu
Inner Mongolia

{{Coord|42|0|N|103|3|E|type:country|name=Mongolia}}

! scope="row" | {{MNG}}

|

valign="top"

| {{Coord|42|0|N|105|56|E|type:country|name=China}}

! scope="row" | {{PRC}}

| Inner Mongolia
Hebei
Inner Mongolia
Hebei
Inner Mongolia
Hebei
Inner Mongolia
Liaoning
Inner Mongolia
Liaoning
Jilin

{{Coord|42|0|N|128|3|E|type:country|name=North Korea}}

! scope="row" | {{PRK}}

| Passing through Heaven Lake on Baekdu Mountain

{{Coord|42|0|N|128|29|E|type:country|name=China}}

! scope="row" | {{PRC}}

| Jilin (for about 8 km)

{{Coord|42|0|N|128|34|E|type:country|name=North Korea}}

! scope="row" | {{PRK}}

|North Hamgyeong Province - Kaema Plateau
- Passing just north of Cheongjin
Passing just south of Raseon

valign="top"

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|130|2|E|type:waterbody|name=Sea of Japan}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Sea of Japan

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Passing just south of Okushiri Island, {{JPN}}

{{Coord|42|0|N|140|7|E|type:country|name=Japan}}

! scope="row" | {{JPN}}

| Island of Hokkaidō

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|140|53|E|type:waterbody|name=Pacific Ocean}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Pacific Ocean

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

{{Coord|42|0|N|143|9|E|type:country|name=Japan}}

! scope="row" | {{JPN}}

| Island of Hokkaidō

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|143|15|E|type:waterbody|name=Pacific Ocean}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Pacific Ocean

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

valign="top"

| {{Coord|42|0|N|124|13|W|type:country|name=United States}}

! scope="row" | {{USA}}

| Oregon / California border
Oregon / Nevada border
Idaho / Nevada border
Idaho / Utah border
Wyoming
Nebraska
Iowa - passing through Cedar Rapids
Illinois - passing through the campus of Loyola University in Chicago

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|87|39|W|type:waterbody|name=Lake Michigan}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Lake Michigan

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

{{Coord|42|0|N|86|33|W|type:country|name=United States}}

! scope="row" | {{USA}}

| Michigan - passing through Tecumseh

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|83|11|W|type:waterbody|name=Lake Erie}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Lake Erie

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

{{Coord|42|0|N|82|58|W|type:country|name=Canada}}

! scope="row" | {{CAN}}

| Ontario - passing through Point Pelee National Park

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|82|29|W|type:waterbody|name=Lake Erie}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Lake Erie

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

valign="top"

| {{Coord|42|0|N|80|26|W|type:country|name=United States}}

! scope="row" | {{USA}}

| Pennsylvania (Erie County)
New York / Pennsylvania border
New York
Connecticut - running just south of the border with Massachusetts
Rhode Island - running just south of the border with Massachusetts
Massachusetts

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|70|42|W|type:waterbody|name=Cape Cod Bay}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Cape Cod Bay

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

{{Coord|42|0|N|70|5|W|type:country|name=United States}}

! scope="row" | {{USA}}

| Massachusetts (Truro, Cape Cod)

style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|42|0|N|70|2|W|type:waterbody|name=Atlantic Ocean}}

! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Atlantic Ocean

| style="background:#b0e0e6;" |

{{Coord|42|0|N|8|53|W|type:country|name=Spain}}

! scope="row" | {{ESP}}

| Oia (province of Pontevedra, Galicia)

{{Coord|42|0|N|8|39|W|type:country|name=Portugal}}

! scope="row" | {{PRT}}

| Valença (Viana do Castelo District)

{{Coord|42|0|N|8|7|W|type:country|name=Spain}}

! scope="row" | {{ESP}}

| Entrimo (province of Ourense, Galicia)

{{Coord|42|0|N|3|48|W|type:country|name=Spain}}

! scope="row" | {{ESP}}

| Lerma, Province of Burgos (Castile and León)

United States

File:42nd parallel US.svg

File:Girard Main Street.jpg

The parallel 42° north forms most of the New York–Pennsylvania border, although due to imperfect surveying in 1785–1786, this boundary wanders around on both sides of the true parallel. The area around the parallel in this region is known as the Twin Tiers.

The 42nd parallel became agreed upon as the northward limit of the Spanish Empire by the Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819 with the United States, which established the parallel as the border between the Viceroyalty of New Spain of the Kingdom of Spain and the western territory of the United States of America from the meridian of the headwaters of the Arkansas River west to the Pacific Ocean.{{cite book |last= Nugent |first= Walter |title= Habits of Empire: A History of American Expansion |publisher= Alfred A. Knopf |year= 2008 |isbn= 978-1-4000-4292-0 |pages= [https://archive.org/details/habitsofempirehi00nuge/page/161 161, 166–167] |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/habitsofempirehi00nuge/page/161 }} The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848 then ceded much of what was then northern Mexico to the United States; as a result, the northernmost U.S. states which were created from Mexican territory (California, Nevada, and Utah) have the parallel 42° north as their northern border, and the adjoining U.S. states of Oregon and Idaho have the parallel as their southern border.

The parallel passes through the states of Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and passes through (or near – within three-tenths degree of latitude) the following cities in the United States:

Canada

File:Point Pelee NP 42Parallel sign 2014.jpg

The parallel 42° north passes through the southern end of Lake Michigan and Lake Erie. Part of the water boundary between Canada and the United States passes south of the 42nd parallel. The southern tip of the Canadian province of Ontario just barely goes south of it at Point Pelee and Pelee Island, while the southernmost portion of the Town of Essex at Colchester is located below the 42nd parallel.

See also

References

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{{geographical coordinates|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:42nd Parallel North}}

n42

Category:Borders of Oregon

Category:Borders of California

Category:Borders of Nevada

Category:Borders of Utah

Category:Borders of Idaho

Category:Borders of New York (state)

Category:Borders of Pennsylvania