Where is ‘null island’?

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Written By Chris Shirley MA FRGS

Null Island is a fictional island that is located at the intersection of the Equator and the Prime Meridian, which is the point on the earth's surface where latitude and longitude are both 0 degrees. In reality, there is no actual island at this location, but the name is often used to refer to the coordinates (0,0) in mapping systems.

 

The name "Null Island" is a play on words, as the word "null" means "zero" or "empty," and there is no actual island at this location. The term was coined by cartographers and geographers to provide a placeholder for data that is missing or incorrect. If a mapping system cannot determine the correct location of a data point, it may assign it to Null Island as a default location.

 

While Null Island is not a real place, it has become a popular reference in the world of mapping and geography. It is often used in jokes and humour related to cartography, and some map enthusiasts even create fictional maps of the island and its supposed inhabitants.

Chris Shirley MA FRGS

About the Author: Chris is the founder of Hiatus.Design, a website design and branding studio that works with brands all over the world, a former Royal Marines officer and former risk advisor to the BBC.

Chris has travelled in over 60 countries, is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS), a Guinness World Record holder for rowing over 3500 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, a Marathon des Sables finisher, and has worked with Hollywood actors, world–renowned musical artists and TV personalities!

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