Circles of Latitude That Cross Australia

Two major circles of latitude pass through mainland Australia:

• The Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S) – crosses the continent's northern interior, marking the southernmost latitude where the sun can be directly overhead.
• The Equator (0°) – does not cross Australia; it lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N) is in the Northern Hemisphere and does not touch Australia. The Antarctic Circle (66.5° S) lies far to the south. So only the Tropic of Capricorn crosses the Australian mainland.