The Arctic Circle is located at approximately how many degrees north?

The Arctic Circle is located at approximately how many degrees north?

• A. 23.5 degrees North
• B. 66.5 degrees North
• C. 0 degrees
• D. 90 degrees North

Answer: (B)

Latitude lines measure distance north or south of the equator. The Arctic Circle is one of these lines and sits where you can have at least one day of continuous daylight in summer and continuous darkness in winter due to Earth's tilt. Because the Earth is tilted about 23.5 degrees, the Arctic Circle is located at 90 minus 23.5 degrees north, which equals about 66.5 degrees north. So the Arctic Circle is at roughly 66.5°N. The other options correspond to different latitudes: 23.5°N is the Tropic of Cancer, 0° is the equator, and 90°N is the North Pole.