eastern hemisphere
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: - The hemisphere that includes Eurasia, Africa, and Australia: This term refers to the half of the Earth that lies east of the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) and west of the 180th meridian. It primarily contains the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, along with their surrounding islands and waters.
Usage
The term "eastern hemisphere" is used in geographical, political, and cultural contexts to refer to the lands and peoples located in this half of the globe. - It is often contrasted with the western hemisphere. - It is a proper noun and is typically capitalized as Eastern Hemisphere.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- "The Old World": Historically, the Eastern Hemisphere (specifically Europe, Asia, and Africa) was referred to as the Old World, in contrast to the Americas (the New World) in the Western Hemisphere.
- The exchange of plants and animals between the Old World and the New World is known as the Columbian Exchange.
Variants and Related Words
- Hemisphere (noun): Half of a sphere, especially the Earth. The Earth is divided into Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Hemispheres.
- Western Hemisphere (noun): The half of the Earth that includes North and South America.
Synonyms
- The Old World (historical context, specifically Europe, Asia, Africa)
- Afro-Eurasia (specifically referring to the connected landmass of Africa and Eurasia, which forms the core of the Eastern Hemisphere)
Notes
- The Eastern Hemisphere is not precisely half of the Earth's surface area, as the division by meridians creates some overlap, especially with continents like Antarctica and parts of Oceania.
- In some contexts, especially cultural or political, the term may be used more loosely to refer broadly to regions east of Europe.
Noun
- the hemisphere that includes Eurasia and Africa and Australia