Geographic coordinate system
![Longitude lines are perpendicular and latitude lines are parallel to the equator.](/Images/godic/202501/06/This_is_a_basic_photo_showing_that_latitude_lines_are_horizontal_and_longitude_lines_are_vertical-_2014-07-25_20-362946.jpg")
![0°
Equator](/Images/godic/202501/06/Earthmap1000x500compac2946.jpg")
![Earth Centered, Earth Fixed coordinates in relation to latitude and longitude.](/Images/godic/202501/06/ECEF.svg2946.png")
![Earth Centred Earth Fixed and East, North, Up coordinates.](/Images/godic/202501/06/ECEF_ENU_Longitude_Latitude_relationships.svg2946.png")
A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on the Earth to be specified by a set of numbers or letters, or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents vertical position, and two or three of the numbers represent horizontal position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation.