Distance by Coordinates
Distance between cities and points by latitude and longitude along the great circle, and along a meridian or parallel.
The distance calculator finds the shortest distance between two cities or points on the Earth — along the great-circle arc — and the initial direction (azimuth). Separate modes solve school problems on the distance along a meridian and along a parallel by the degree grid.
By the degree grid
| Direction | Length of 1° | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| along a meridian | ≈ 111.2 km everywhere | d = Δφ · 111.2 km |
| along a parallel | 111.3 km · cos φ | d = Δλ · 111.3 · cos φ km |
If the points are on opposite sides of the equator, their latitudes add up; on opposite sides of the prime meridian, the longitudes add up.
Between any points
For arbitrary points the haversine formula is used: the central angle θ between the points is multiplied by the Earth's radius R = 6371 km.
Example. From 60° N to 40° N along a meridian: 20 · 111.2 ≈ 2224 km. From 30° E to 60° E along the 60th parallel: 30 · 111.3 · cos 60° ≈ 1670 km.
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