55th parallel north

The 55th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 55 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Line across the Earth
55°
55th parallel north

At this latitude the sun is visible for 17 hours, 22 minutes during the summer solstice and 7 hours, 10 minutes during the winter solstice.[1]

This latitude also roughly corresponds to the minimum latitude in which nautical twilight can last all night near the summer solstice.

Around the world

European countries entirely north of 55° N

Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 55° north passes through:

Co-ordinatesCountry, territory or seaNotes
55°0′N 0°0′E / 55.000°N 0.000°E / 55.000; 0.000 (Prime Meridian)North Sea
55°0′N 8°21′E / 55.000°N 8.350°E / 55.000; 8.350 (Germany)  GermanyIsland of Sylt, close to Germany's northernmost point
55°0′N 8°23′E / 55.000°N 8.383°E / 55.000; 8.383 (Wadden Sea)Wadden Sea
55°0′N 8°39′E / 55.000°N 8.650°E / 55.000; 8.650 (Denmark)  DenmarkJutland (mainland) and the island of Als
55°0′N 9°58′E / 55.000°N 9.967°E / 55.000; 9.967 (Little Belt)Little Belt
55°0′N 10°27′E / 55.000°N 10.450°E / 55.000; 10.450 (Denmark)  DenmarkIslands of Skarø, Tåsinge and Langeland
55°0′N 10°54′E / 55.000°N 10.900°E / 55.000; 10.900 (Great Belt)Great Belt
55°0′N 11°5′E / 55.000°N 11.083°E / 55.000; 11.083 (Smålandsfarvandet)Smålandsfarvandet
55°0′N 11°53′E / 55.000°N 11.883°E / 55.000; 11.883 (Denmark)  DenmarkIslands of Sjælland and Møn
55°0′N 12°32′E / 55.000°N 12.533°E / 55.000; 12.533 (Baltic Sea)Baltic Sea
55°0′N 14°59′E / 55.000°N 14.983°E / 55.000; 14.983 (Denmark)  DenmarkIsland of Bornholm. There is a small memorial at 55°N 15°E / 55°N 15°E / 55; 15
55°0′N 15°6′E / 55.000°N 15.100°E / 55.000; 15.100 (Baltic Sea)Baltic Sea
55°0′N 20°33′E / 55.000°N 20.550°E / 55.000; 20.550 (Russia)  RussiaKaliningrad Oblast – passing through the Curonian Lagoon
55°0′N 22°38′E / 55.000°N 22.633°E / 55.000; 22.633 (Lithuania)  LithuaniaMarijampolė County
55°0′N 26°13′E / 55.000°N 26.217°E / 55.000; 26.217 (Belarus)  BelarusVitebsk Region
55°0′N 30°58′E / 55.000°N 30.967°E / 55.000; 30.967 (Russia)  RussiaSmolensk Oblast
55°0′N 68°12′E / 55.000°N 68.200°E / 55.000; 68.200 (Kazakhstan)  KazakhstanNorth Kazakhstan Region
55°0′N 71°1′E / 55.000°N 71.017°E / 55.000; 71.017 (Russia)  RussiaPassing just north of Omsk at 54°59′N 73°22′E / 54.983°N 73.367°E / 54.983; 73.367 (Omsk)
Passing just south of Novosibirsk at 55°3′N 82°57′E / 55.050°N 82.950°E / 55.050; 82.950 (Omsk)
55°0′N 135°24′E / 55.000°N 135.400°E / 55.000; 135.400 (Sea of Okhotsk)Sea of Okhotsk
55°0′N 136°47′E / 55.000°N 136.783°E / 55.000; 136.783 (Russia)  RussiaFeklistova Island
55°0′N 137°4′E / 55.000°N 137.067°E / 55.000; 137.067 (Sea of Okhotsk)Sea of Okhotsk
55°0′N 137°26′E / 55.000°N 137.433°E / 55.000; 137.433 (Russia)  RussiaBolshoy Shantar Island
55°0′N 138°11′E / 55.000°N 138.183°E / 55.000; 138.183 (Sea of Okhotsk)Sea of Okhotsk
55°0′N 155°35′E / 55.000°N 155.583°E / 55.000; 155.583 (Russia)  RussiaKamchatka Peninsula
55°0′N 161°59′E / 55.000°N 161.983°E / 55.000; 161.983 (Pacific Ocean)Pacific Ocean
55°0′N 166°8′E / 55.000°N 166.133°E / 55.000; 166.133 (Russia)  RussiaBering Island
55°0′N 166°23′E / 55.000°N 166.383°E / 55.000; 166.383 (Bering Sea)Bering SeaPassing just north of Medny Island,  Russia
55°0′N 163°57′W / 55.000°N 163.950°W / 55.000; -163.950 (United States)  United StatesAlaskaUnimak Island and the Alaska Peninsula
55°0′N 162°34′W / 55.000°N 162.567°W / 55.000; -162.567 (Pacific Ocean)Pacific OceanGulf of Alaska – passing just south of Dolgoi Island and Unga Island, Alaska,  United States
55°0′N 160°8′W / 55.000°N 160.133°W / 55.000; -160.133 (United States)  United StatesAlaskaNagai Island
55°0′N 160°4′W / 55.000°N 160.067°W / 55.000; -160.067 (Pacific Ocean)Pacific OceanGulf of Alaska
55°0′N 159°25′W / 55.000°N 159.417°W / 55.000; -159.417 (United States)  United StatesAlaskaLittle Koniuji Island
55°0′N 159°21′W / 55.000°N 159.350°W / 55.000; -159.350 (Pacific Ocean)Pacific OceanGulf of Alaska
55°0′N 133°9′W / 55.000°N 133.150°W / 55.000; -133.150 (United States)  United StatesAlaskaDall Island, Sukkwan Island and Prince of Wales Island
55°0′N 131°59′W / 55.000°N 131.983°W / 55.000; -131.983 (Clarence Strait)Clarence Strait
55°0′N 131°36′W / 55.000°N 131.600°W / 55.000; -131.600 (United States)  United StatesAlaskaAnnette Island and Duke Island
55°0′N 131°15′W / 55.000°N 131.250°W / 55.000; -131.250 (Revillagigedo Channel)Revillagigedo Channel
55°0′N 131°0′W / 55.000°N 131.000°W / 55.000; -131.000 (United States)  United StatesAlaskaAlaska Panhandle
55°0′N 130°15′W / 55.000°N 130.250°W / 55.000; -130.250 (Canada)  CanadaBritish ColumbiaPearse Island and the mainland
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
55°0′N 82°16′W / 55.000°N 82.267°W / 55.000; -82.267 (Hudson Bay)Hudson Bay
55°0′N 78°28′W / 55.000°N 78.467°W / 55.000; -78.467 (Canada)  CanadaQuebec
Newfoundland and Labrador – for about 12 km
Quebec
Newfoundland and Labrador – for about 5 km
Quebec – for about 3 km
Newfoundland and Labrador
Quebec
Newfoundland and Labrador – mainland and the Adlavik Islands
55°0′N 58°40′W / 55.000°N 58.667°W / 55.000; -58.667 (Atlantic Ocean)Atlantic Ocean
55°0′N 8°33′W / 55.000°N 8.550°W / 55.000; -8.550 (Ireland)  IrelandIsland of Arranmore and mainland
55°0′N 7°24′W / 55.000°N 7.400°W / 55.000; -7.400 (United Kingdom)  United KingdomNorthern Ireland (passing through the city of Derry)
55°0′N 5°59′W / 55.000°N 5.983°W / 55.000; -5.983 (North Channel)North Channel
55°0′N 5°10′W / 55.000°N 5.167°W / 55.000; -5.167 (United Kingdom)  United KingdomScotland (passing through Gretna)
England (passing through the Newcastle upon Tyne urban area)
55°0′N 1°25′W / 55.000°N 1.417°W / 55.000; -1.417 (North Sea)North Sea

Notable cities and towns on 55°N

Use as a boundary

The 55th parallel serves as the southern boundary of Nunavik territory in Quebec.

See also

References