This is a major update of my earlier post on the subject.
I am making this new post as it was not very convenient to edit the earlier one.
Major changes made are;
Eight (8) Seven (7) new locations have been added.
-
Due to the discontinuation of
Panoramio, several images in
the earlier post, which were mostly obtained from the defunct Panoramio, have now
been replaced with similar images from other sources.
-
Dead links in the earlier post have also been
corrected.
The Equator is an imaginary line on the Earth's surface approximately
equidistant from the North Pole and South Pole and it divides the Earth into two
Hemisphere - Northern and a Southern Hemisphere. Although major portion of the
Equator lies on ocean however it crosses the land mass mainly in Indonesia,
Sumatra, Central Africa and South America.
Monuments and markers have been erected at many locations
around the world that lie on the Equator. Some are very large, some are small,
and quite a few are just hoardings or signs by the road. I have tried to locate
such monuments/markers and these are listed below in sequential order of the
movement of the sun from East to West.
Total 47 46 monuments/markers have been located so far. I request my readers to let me know if I have missed out any monument/marker.
Indonesia
- Kayoa Island, South Halmahera. (added July 10, 2022)
- Bambanipa, Trans Sulawesi Road, Central Sulawesi.
- Santan Ulu,
Unknown Road, East Kalimantan.
- Santan Ulu, Bontang-Samarinda Road,
East Kalimantan.
- Long Iram Equatorial Monument, East Kalimantan. (added July 10, 2022)
- Murung
Raya, Central Kalimantan.
- Pontianak.
- Sassa Village, Linga
Island.
- P.Lingga Kepri, Mentuda, Linga Island. (added July 10, 2022)
- Equator Beach, Bekawan, Mandah, Sumatra. (added July 10, 2022)
- Pangkalan Lesung,
AH25 Lintas
Road, Sumatra.
- Lipat Kain, Lipat Kain-Jalan Highway, Sumatra.
- Koto Alam, Trans
Sumatra Highway, Sumatra.
- Bonjol, Sumatra.
- Kinali, Kabupaten Pasaman Barat, Sumatra. (added July 10, 2022)
- Sasak Pasaman Beach, Pasaman, Sumatra. (added July 10, 2022)
Kenya
- Nanyuki.
- Ol Pejeta Conservancy, near Nanyuki.
- Nyaharuru-Nyeri
Road.
- Road C77 near Nyahururu.
- Unnamed Road near Solai.
- Nakuru-Sigor Road, Mogotio.
-
Road C55 to Nakuru, near Muserechi.
- Eldoret-Nakuru Road.
-
Kisumu-Busia Road, Maseno.
Uganda
- Nabusanke, Masala-Kampala Road.
-
Hima - Katunguru Rd, Kikorongo.
DR Congo
- Kisangani-Goma (N3) Road near
Babogombe.
- Mbandaka - An historical marker made by the famous Sir Henry Morton
Stanley of "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" fame.
- Makoua.
Gabon
-
Unknown Road between N2 and N3, near Manioc.
- Libreville-Lambaréné (N1) Road near Kongo.
Atlantic Ocean
- Islet of Rolas (Ilhéu das Rolas), Sao Tome and Principe Islands.
Brazil
- Macapá.
-
AP-010, Fonte Nova, Santana, AP.
- BR-174 Road near Rorainópolis, Roraima.
- BR-307 near São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas.
Ecuador
- Unknown Road off E-10 near Marion, Tarapoa, Sucumbios.
-
Unknown Road off E-10, Pacayacu.
- Sun-Dial Monument, Guachalá, Cayambe.
- Globe Monument, Guachalá, Cayambe.
-
Pan American Highway (E 35), near Santa Rosa de Pingulmi, Pichincha.
-
Catequilla Archaeological Site, San Antonio. (added July 10, 2022)
- The "un-official" Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the Earth), San
Antonio.
- The "official" Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the Earth), San
Antonio.
- The old Equator Monument, Calacalí, Ecuador.
- E-15, Pedernails, Ecuador. (added July 11, 2022)
Given below are the image(s) and location of above listed monuments/markers;
1. Kayoa Island, South Halmahera, Indonesia.
Image from Google Maps is
Anggita
Priraharjo
Google Maps
Source of info:
news.detik.com
2. Bambanipa, Trans Sulawesi Road, Central Sulawesi,
Indonesia.
Image from Google Maps is by
21. Daniel
Felix Ramandei
The monument depicts the shape of the island of Sulawesi.
Google
Street View
3. Santan Ulu, Unknown Road, East Kalimantan,
Indonesia.
Google Maps
(Likely location based on
Panoramio).
4. Santan Ulu, Bontang-Samarinda Road, East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Image from Google Maps is by
Ra Otw
More info: Wikipedia.
Google Maps
5. Long Iram Equatorial Monument, East Kalimantan,
Indonesia.
A red and white pillar marker in the village of Long Iram Kota.
Image from
Wikimedia Commons is by
Ezagren
Google Maps
Source of info:
Indonesian
Wikipedia
6. Murung Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.
This monument is located in dense forest in the Tumbang Olong village, District Uut Danum, Murung
Raya regency, Central Kalimantan. It was built in 2001 by a timber company.
Image from Google Maps is Biak
Bayak
Google Maps
More information:
centralborneo.net /
kalteng.antaranews.com
7. Pontianak, Indonesia.
Image from
Flickr is by baka_neko_baka
Google Maps
8. Sassa Village
Equator Sign, Linga Island, Indonesia.
A simple nondescript sign. It can't get simpler than this!
Google Maps
9. P.Lingga Kepri Monument, Mentuda, Linga Island,
Indonesia.
Image from Google Maps is by
Novaria
Ningtias
Google Maps
10. Equator Beach, Bekawan, Mandah, Sumatra, Indonesia.
Image from Google Maps is by
sana sini
Google Maps
11. Pangkalan Lesung, AH25 Lintas Road, Sumatara,
Indonesia.
Image from Flickr is by Bang Ardin
Google Maps
12. Lipat Kain, Lipat Kain-Jalan Highway, Sumatara,
Indonesia.
Five monuments have been built at the spot. The first, just a marker, was
installed in the 1970s and the current monument was built in late 2019.
Pictured below are the last three versions, including the latest.
3rd version built in 1990s.
Image from Flickr
is by JAAFAR AMIL
4th version built in 2000s.
Image from Google Maps is by
Dean R
Latest (5th) version built in late 2019.
Image from Google Maps is by
dewi
lestari
Google Street
View. The GSV imagery being old (Sept. 2016) shows the 4th version.
Source of information and more:
lipatkainselatan.desa.id
13. Koto Alam, Trans Sumatra Highway, Sumatra,
Indonesia.
Image from Google Maps is by
Adnan
Photology
Google
Street View
14. Bonjol, Sumatra, Indonesia.
Besides the monument there are other markers/signs also at this location.
Image from Google Maps is by Toshio
Watanabe
Image from Flickr is by katerina
Image from Google Maps is by Jaap
Berghuis
Sign on the
Pedestrian Bridge
at the Equator.
Image from Google Maps is by Hilzon
Google Maps
15. Kinali, Kabupaten Pasaman Barat, Sumatra,
Indonesia.
Image from Google Maps is by
Bung
Pramono
Google Street View
16. Sasak Pasaman Beach, Pasaman, Sumatra,
Indonesia.
Image from Google Maps is by
John
Powszedny
Goggle Street View
17. Nanyuki, Kenya.
Billboard on both sides of the road.
Image from Flickr is by Mara
1
Google
Street View
18. Ol Pejeta
Conservancy, near Nanyuki, Kenya.
The Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a 90,000-acre (360 km2) not-for-profit wildlife conservancy in Central Kenya's Laikipia County. It is situated on the
Equator west of Nanyuki.
Image from Google Maps is by
H H
Google Maps
19. Nyaharuru-Nyeri Road, Kenya.
Google
Street View
20. Road C77 near
Nyahururu, Kenya.
Image from Google Maps is by Mwari
wa Njuguna
Google
Street View
21. Unnamed Road near
Solai, Kenya.
Google Maps
(Location based on Panoramio)
22.
Nakuru-Sigor Road, Mogotio, Kenya.
Besides the usual road
sign there is a monument also in the shape of globe.
Image from Google Maps is by Linda
De Volder
Image from Google Maps is by Kimathi
Brian K
Google Street View
23. Road C55 to Nakuru, near Muserechi, Kenya.
Google Maps (Location based on Panoramio)
24. Eldoret-Nakuru Road, Kenya.
Image from Google Maps is by MASITSAH
Google Street View
25. Kisumu-Busia Road, Maseno, Kenya.
Image from
Wikimedia Commons is by Omondi
Google
Street View
26. Nabusanke, Masala-Kampala
Road, Uganda.
Image from Google Maps is by יוסי
יעקובי
There is a similar monument on the other side of the road with N S inscribed
at the bottom instead of S N.
Google
Street View
27. Hima - Katunguru
Rd, Kikorongo, Uganda.
Located in Queen Elizabeth National park.
The basic design of this monument is same as the one at Nabasunke, Masala-Kampala Road, Uganda (#26)
and here also there is a similar monument on the other side of the road.
Image from Google Maps is by Justin
Hopkins
Google
Street View
28. Kisangani-Goma
(N3) Road near Babogombe, DR Congo.
Google Maps
(Location based on Panoramio)
29.
Stanley's Equator Stone (Historic), Mbandaka, DR Congo.
Mbandaka town was founded in 1883 by Sir Henry Morton Stanley of "Dr.Livingstone,
I presume?" fame, who had given it the name "Équateurville".
Stanley had placed a large "Equator Stone" near the Congo river bank south of
the city to mark the point where he believed the Equator crossed the river. The
rock however is about 2,800 metres north of geographical Equator.
Image from Google Maps is by Sinayoko
Abdoulaye
Google Maps (Stanley's
Equator Stone)
/ Google Maps (Geographical
Equator)
Note: I couldn't find any marker/monument on the actual
Equator line in
Mbandaka. Perhaps some of my readers can inform me if there is one in this town.
Source of info: Wikipedia
30. Makoua, DR Congo.
Image from Google Maps is by
Gaëtan
Soltesz
Google Maps
31. Unknown Road between N2 and N3, near Manioc, Gabon.
Image from Flickr is by jbdodane
Google Maps
(Location based on Flickr)
32. Libreville-Lambaréné (N1) Road near Kongo, Gabon.
Image from
Flickr
is by David Stanley
Google Maps
Credits: I am thankful to Yves Galipeau,
a poster in defunct
Panoramio, for his e-mail confirming the location of this marker.
33. Islet of Rolas (Ilhéu das Rolas), Sao Tome and
Principe.
Image from Google Maps is by Agnieszka
Kwapień
Google
Street View
34. Macapá, Brazil.
Image from Google Maps is by
Vanderlan
Alves
"Milton de Souza Correia" (aka Zerao) football stadium is located adjacent to the monument. Its midfield line lies exactly on the
Equator. (Wikipedia).
Google
Street View
35. AP-010, Fonte
Nova, Santana, Brazil.
Simple small markers on both sides of the road.
Google Street View
36. BR-174 Road near Rorainópolis, Roraima, Brazil.
Image from Google Maps is by
amarildo
Varela
Google Street View
37. BR-307 near São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas, Brazil.
A small marker with line and explanatory map.
Image from Google Maps is by
Luam Silva
Image from Google Maps is by
Luciano
Ramos Katzenstein
Google Maps
38. Unknown Road off E-10 near Marion, Tarapoa, Sucumbios, Ecuador.
A road sign in bad shape.
Google Maps (location
based on above Panoramio picture)
39. Unknown Road off E-10, Pacayacu, Ecuador.
Image from Google Maps is by Cristhian
Díaz
Google Maps
40. Sun-Dial Monument, Guachalá, Cayambe, Ecuador.
This monument, in the shape of a giant sundial, is in
Guachalá, Cayambe, Ecuador. Reportedly, it is the only monument in Ecuador built
exactly on the Equator line. The sundial's official name is the Quitsato
Sundial, and it is part of the Quitsato Project, a non-profit project which uses
its funds for the investigation of the Equatorial line.
Image from Google Maps is by
Juan Carlos
Chávez Vallejo.
Image from Google Maps is by
Karen Silva
A signboard has also been placed on the nearby road.
Image from Google Maps is by
Jose Ushiña
Google Street View.
41. Globe Monument, Guachalá, Cayambe, Ecuador.
About 200 metres (~650 ft.) south of the Solar Clock monument at Guachalá, Cayambe, there is
another Equatorial monument in the shape of a globe.
.
Image from Google Maps is by Maxime
Revel.
Google Street View.
42. Pan American Highway (E 35), near Santa Rosa de Pingulmi, Pichincha,
Ecuador.
A simple road sign.
Google Maps
(Location based on Panoramio)
43. Catequilla Archaeological Site, San Antonio,
Ecuador.
Remarkably, the ancient Inca archaeological site of Mount
Catequilla is located on the Equator itself. Using WGS 84, the most exact and
up-to-date global positioning system, it was discovered that the peak of the
Mount Catequilla archaeological site is located exactly at zero latitude (0º 0'
0"). It is the only ancient site that is located precisely at the Equator.
Image from Google Maps is by
David
Cardenas
Google Maps
Source of info: Wikipedia
44. The "un-official" Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the
Earth), San Antonio, Ecuador.
There are two Equatorial monuments in San Antonio, Quito.
This is the unofficial one and is closer to the Equator as compared to the
official one which is about 200 meters South-West of this location (see #45) below.).
The
private
Intiñan Museum, located nearby on the Equator, showcases various facets of
Ecuadorian culture. It also offers a variety of hands-on displays that
illustrate phenomena which are supposedly possible only on the Equator. These
include the intricate
Coriolis Effect, as well as straightforward yet fascinating demonstrations
like water flowing down a drain without a whirlpool and eggs balanced on a nail
etc.
Image from Google Maps is by
過路遊客.
Image from Google Maps is by
nir harari
Google Maps
45. The "official" Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the Earth), San Antonio, Ecuador.
Based on the tools available in the 1930s, a 10 metre (~33 ft.) tall monument
was built in 1936 at this location. In 1979, the old monument was moved about 7
km (~4.34 miles) to the west, to the town of Calacalí, (see #46), and a larger
replica of the original monument was made at this site, although it was and
remains about 200 metres away from the Equator. This slightly mislocated
monument is the official and touristy monument and is called "Mitad del Mundo"
(Middle of the World).
Image from Google Maps is by
Álvaro Jr.
Peña Teràn.
Google Street View
Source of info:
Wikipedia
46. The old Equator Monument, Calacalí, Ecuador.
This monument was originally at San Antonio, about 7 km (~4.34 miles) to the
east, but in 1979 it was shifted to Calacalí, and was re-located near to but not
on the true Equator line. Its larger-scale replica was built from the ground up
on the original site in San Antanio (see # 45).
Image from Google Maps is by
Marilyn
Santamaria
Google Street View
47. E-15, Pedernails, Ecuador.
A hoarding on the Highway E15 in the town of Pedernales.
Image source: Google Street View
View all the locations in Google Earth
Acknowledgement:
The main source of information for my earlier version of this collection were
the images posted on the (now defunct) Panoramio.
Most of the images in the earlier post were also from Panoramio. With the
discontinuation of Panoramio, I have now replaced these images mainly with those
from Google Maps. I am thankful to all those users who shared their images of
these Equatorial Monuments and Markers on Panoramio as well as on Google Maps
and Google Earth. It would have been almost impossible for me to find most of
the locations without their pictures.
I am also thankful to my Google Earth Community Forums'
friends, hhgygy,
krenek,
smask, and
Walter for
suggesting some new locations and/or finding detailed information about some of
the locations.
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