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Coordinates: 23°26′22″S 0°0′0″W / 23.43944°S 0°E / -23.43944; 0 (Prime Meridian)

World map showing the Tropic of Capricorn

Look up tropic of capricorn in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

For the novel by Henry Miller, see Tropic of Capricorn (novel).

The Tropic of Capricorn, or Southern tropic, is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. It lies 23° 26′ 22″ south of the equator, and marks the most southerly latitude at which the sun can appear directly overhead at noon. This event occurs at the December solstice, when the southern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun to its maximum extent.

[edit] Geography

The northern hemisphere equivalent of the Tropic of Capricorn is the Tropic of Cancer. Latitudes south of the Tropic of Capricorn are in the Southern Temperate Zone. The region north of the Tropic of Capricorn and south of the Tropic of Cancer is known as the tropics.

The position of the Tropic of Capricorn is not fixed, but rather it varies in a complex manner over time; see under circles of latitude for information.

Monument marking the Tropic of Capricorn just north of Antofagasta, Chile.

Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the Tropic of Capricorn passes through:

Co-ordinates	Country, territory or sea	Notes
23°26′S 0°0′E / 23.433°S 0°E / -23.433; 0 (Prime Meridian)	Atlantic Ocean
23°26′S 14°27′E / 23.433°S 14.45°E / -23.433; 14.45 (Namibia)	Namibia
23°26′S 20°0′E / 23.433°S 20°E / -23.433; 20 (Botswana)	Botswana
23°26′S 27°18′E / 23.433°S 27.3°E / -23.433; 27.3 (South Africa)	South Africa	Limpopo Province, Pietersburg
23°26′S 31°33′E / 23.433°S 31.55°E / -23.433; 31.55 (Mozambique)	Mozambique	Gaza and Inhambane provinces
23°26′S 35°26′E / 23.433°S 35.433°E / -23.433; 35.433 (Indian Ocean)	Indian Ocean	Mozambique Channel
23°26′S 43°45′E / 23.433°S 43.75°E / -23.433; 43.75 (Madagascar)	Madagascar	Toliara and Fianarantsoa provinces
23°26′S 47°39′E / 23.433°S 47.65°E / -23.433; 47.65 (Indian Ocean)	Indian Ocean
23°26′S 113°47′E / 23.433°S 113.783°E / -23.433; 113.783 (Australia)	Australia	Western Australia Northern Territory Queensland
23°26′S 151°3′E / 23.433°S 151.05°E / -23.433; 151.05 (Coral Sea)	Coral Sea	Passing just south of Cato Reef in Australia's Coral Sea Islands Territory
23°26′S 166°46′E / 23.433°S 166.767°E / -23.433; 166.767 (Pacific Ocean)	Pacific Ocean	Passing just north of the Minerva Reefs ( Tonga), and just south of Tubuai ( French Polynesia)
23°26′S 70°36′W / 23.433°S 70.6°W / -23.433; -70.6 (Chile)	Chile	Antofagasta Region
23°26′S 67°07′W / 23.433°S 67.117°W / -23.433; -67.117 (Argentina)	Argentina	Jujuy, Salta, Jujuy (again) and Formosa provinces
23°26′S 61°23′W / 23.433°S 61.383°W / -23.433; -61.383 (Paraguay)	Paraguay	Boquerón, Presidente Hayes, Concepción, San Pedro and Amambay departments
23°26′S 55°38′W / 23.433°S 55.633°W / -23.433; -55.633 (Brazil)	Brazil	Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, and São Paulo states, and just south of the city of Rio de Janeiro
23°26′S 45°2′W / 23.433°S 45.033°W / -23.433; -45.033 (Atlantic Ocean)	Atlantic Ocean

[edit] Places located along the Tropic of Capricorn

A sign marking the Tropic of Capricorn as it passes through Namibia.

Roadside monument marking Tropic of Capricorn in Rockhampton, Australia, 28th January 2005

Road sign marking Tropic of Capricorn in Western Australia, Australia, 26th August 2008

The following cities and landmarks are either located near the Tropic of Capricorn, or pass through it.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Argentina

Australia

Botswana

Kalahari Desert

Brazil

Chile

Madagascar

Toliara

Mozambique

Inhambane city

Namibia

Paraguay

Concepción

South Africa

Kruger National Park
Polokwane
Capricorn District Municipality
Capricorn Archdeaconary in the Anglican Diocese of St Mark the Evangelist

[edit] Name

Monument marking the Tropic of Capricorn just north of Alice Springs, Australia.

The Tropic of Capricorn is so named because about 2,000 years ago the sun was entering the constellation Capricornus (capricorn is Latin for goat horn) at the December solstice. In modern times the sun appears in the constellation Sagittarius during this time. The change is due to precession of the equinoxes. The word "tropic" itself comes from the Greek tropos, meaning turn, referring to the fact that the sun appears to "turn back" at the solstices.

[edit] Cultural significance

Roadway plaque marking the Tropic of Capricorn in the city of Santana do Parnaíba, Brazil.

In India, the day of sun entering the zodiacal belt Capricorn is celebrated as Makara Sankranti festival. Tropic of Capricorn is called Makara Vrutta in Indian languages.

[edit] See also