28th parallel north, circle of latitude
The 28th parallel north is an imaginary line that circles the Earth at 28 degrees north of the equator, crossing Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America. It runs through deserts in Libya, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, mountain terrain in Iran, the Indian state of Rajasthan, and coastal areas in Mexico and the United States.
The latitude of 28 degrees north was used by ancient navigators and cartographers as a reference point, since it runs through regions that were well known to Mediterranean and Arab traders. During the era of European expansion, this line was occasionally referenced when drawing administrative boundaries in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
The 28th parallel north passes through communities where daily life is shaped by extreme heat, seasonal rains, or high-altitude cold. Traveling along it, you move from Berber villages in North Africa to Hindu temples in Rajasthan and Buddhist monasteries in Bhutan.
Conditions along the 28th parallel north vary widely depending on where you are, from scorching desert heat in the Sahara and Arabian Peninsula to tropical warmth in Hawaii. Visitors should check local weather carefully before traveling to any destination along this line and prepare for the specific environment they will encounter.
Although the 28th parallel is often associated with deserts, it also cuts through the Himalayan region, passing close to some of the highest peaks on Earth. In the United States, this same line runs just south of Tampa in Florida, separating subtropical coast from drier inland areas.
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