17:45 - 20.07.2018

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July 20, Fineko/abc.az. The length of the equator is 40 075 696 m. In order to pass this distance, it would take to make the way at speed of 5 km/h, and continuously - 8000 hours. That's about 11 months.

Word ‘equator’ is derived from Latin aequare ‘make equal’. Indeed, the equator divides our planet into the northern and southern hemispheres.

The first person to calculate the exact length of the equator was an ancient Greek astronomer and mathematician Eratosthenes of Cyrene. He stated that the equator is 40,000 km long.

The word "equator" is used in names of many country, such as Ecuador and Equatorial Guinea. It is interesting that the state of Ecuador is located on the equator, but Equatorial Guinea is mainly located in the northern hemisphere.

The Congo river, passing through Central Africa, crosses the equator twice. Congo - the most abounding in water river in Africa with length of 4000 km and depth of over 200 m in some parts.

According to the seafarers' ancient tradition, all ships passing through the equator had to celebrate the Neptune Holiday. During this holiday those who arrived on the equator for the first time had to perform a special ceremony. According to the ritual, the old sailors had to cover the newcomers in fuel oil and forced to swim them in the pool or in the open sea, cut off their hair or beard with an ax, etc. Sailors, who performed those rites, were handed over a special document that exempted from the obligation to perform this ritual in the future.

The Brazilian city of Macapa is located in both the northern and southern hemispheres. The city is located on the equator. In this city there is a monument to Marco Zero, dedicated to the "Zero Meridian". Residents of Macapa call the city "the capital of the world center". The local football stadium is also located directly on the equator.

Summer reigns at the equator all year round, and the difference between day and night temperatures is very small, because the sun's rays spread evenly throughout.

There are glaciers at the top of the Kayamba volcano, located at the equator. Even direct sunlight falling on the equator can not melt them.  And the height of the volcano is 5790 m.