Equatorial Monuments Around the World

Edit Note: July 10, 2022
This post is now defunct and a new post on the subject can be found at this link. 


This post is a major update of my earlier post on the subject. In the older post only 14 locations were marked while in the current post 36 39 locations have been identified so far. (See Edit Note dated June 7, 2016 at the end of this post)
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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.

In many locations around the World, which lie on the Equator, Monuments and Markers have been erected. Some are very large, some are small and quite a few are just a hoarding or sign by the road. I have tried to locate such monuments/markers and these are listed below in sequential order of movement of Sun from East to West.
  1. Bambanipa, Trans Sulawesi Road, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
  2. Santan Ulu, Unknown Road, East Kalimantan, Indonesia
  3. Santan Ulu, Bontang-Samarinda Road, East Kalimantan, Indonesia
  4. Murung Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
  5. Pontianak, Indonesia
  6. Sassa Village, Linga Island, Indonesia
  7. Pangkalan Lesung, AH25 (Lintas-Sumatra) Road, Indonesia
  8. Lipat Kain, Lipat Kain-Jalan Highway, Indonesia
  9. Koto Alam, Trans Sumatra Highway, West Sumatra, Indonesia
  10. Bonjol, Sumatra, Indonesia
  11. Nanyuki, Kenya
  12. Ol Pejeta Conservancy, near Nanyuki, Kenya
  13. Nyaharuru-Nyeri Road, Kenya
  14. Road C77 near Nyahururu, Kenya
  15. Unnamed Road near Solai, Kenya
  16. Nakuru-Sigor Road, Mogotio, Kenya
  17. Road C55 near Nakuru, Kenya
  18. Eldoret-Nakuru Road, near Baringo Railway Station, Kenya
  19. Siriba, Kisumu-Busia Road, Kenya
  20. Nabusanke, Masala-Kampala Road, Uganda
  21. Kikorongo, Fort Portal - Mpondwe Road, Uganda
  22. Kisangani-Goma Road near Congo River, DR Congo
  23. Mbandaka, DR Congo - An historical marker made by the famous Sir Henry Morton Stanley of "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" fame.
  24. Makoua, DR Congo
  25. Unknown Road off Hwy N2 near Nzoghengom, Moyen-Ogooué, Gabon
  26. Libreville-Lambaréné (N1) Road near Kongo, Gabon
  27. Islet of Rolas (Ilhéu das Rolas), Sao Tome and Principe Islands
  28. Macapá, Brazil
  29. AP-010/Duca Serra Road Intersection Marker near Macapá, Brazil
  30. BR-174 Road near Rorainópolis, Roraima, Brazil
  31. BR-307 near São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas, Brazil
  32. Unknown Road off E-10 near Marion, Tarapoa, Sucumbios, Ecuador
  33. Unknown Road off E-10, Sucumbios, Ecuador
  34. Sun-Dial Monument, Guachalá, Cayambe, Ecuador
  35. Globe Monument, Guachalá, Cayambe, Ecuador
  36. Pan American Highway (Garr 35), near Santa Rosa de Pingulmi, Pichincha, Ecuador
  37. The "un-official" Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the Earth), San Antanio, Ecuador
  38. The "official" Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the Earth), San Antanio, Ecuador
  39. The old Equator Monument, Calacalí, Ecuador
I request my readers to let me know if I have missed out any monument/marker.

Given below are the images and location of above listed monuments/markers;

1. Bambanipa Equator Monument, Trans Sulawesi Road, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Image from Panoramio is by nordinwan

The monument depicts the shape of the Island of Sulawesi.

View location in Google Maps

2. Santan Ulu Equator Monument, Unknown Road, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Image from Panoramio is by jj_wind7

View location in Google Maps

3. Santan Ulu Equator Monument, Bontang-Samarinda Road, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Image from Panoramio is by my vidcol

More info: Wikipedia

View location in Google Maps

4. 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. (Source: centralborneo.net)

View location in Google Maps

Credits for finding this location is to smask, Member Google Earth Community Forums. Thank you smask.

5. Pontianak Equator Monument, Indonesia

Image from Panoramio is by deddy_darusman

View location in Google Maps

6. Sassa Village Equator Sign, Linga Island, Indonesia
A simple nondescript sign. It can't get simpler than this!

Image from Panoramio is by pinckers

View location in Google Maps

7. Pangkalan Lesung Equator Monument, AH25 (Lintas-Sumatra) Road, Indonesia

Image from Flickr is by Bang Ardin

View location in Google Maps

8. Lipat Kain Equator Monument, Lipat Kain-Jalan Highway, Indonesia.

Image Source: Google Street View

View location in Google Maps

9. Koto Alam Equator Monument, Trans Sumatra Highway, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Image from Panoramio is by Azdy elfistoni

Nearby there is another pillar marker;

Image from Panoramio is by elisabeth.poscher

View location in Google Maps

10. Bonjol, Sumatra, Indonesia

Image from Panoramio is by Richard Langford

Image from Flickr is by aikaterinh

Image from Panoramio is by sedas

Pedestrian Bridge

Image from Panoramio is by Hardi Muhardi, S.E.

View location in Google Maps

11. Nanyuki, Kenya

Image from Panoramio is by Cheuk

View location in Google Maps

12. 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 Panoramio is by SergioC76

View location in Google Maps

13. Nyaharuru-Nyeri Road, Kenya

Image from Panoramio is by vividman

View location in Google Maps

14. Road C77 near Nyahururu, Kenya

Image from Panoramio is by Eyad Al Araj

View location in Google Maps

15. Unnamed Road near Solai, Kenya

Image from Panoramio is by TheStas

View location in Google Maps

16. Nakuru-Sigor Road, Mogotio, Kenya

Image from Panoramio is by roks

View location in Google Maps

17. Road C55 near Nakuru, Kenya

Image from Panoramio is by BurtsevAlexey

View location in Google Maps

18. Eldoret-Nakuru Road, near Baringo Railway Station, Kenya

Image from Panoramio is by gruntie

View location in Google Maps

Credits for finding this location is to smask, Member Google Earth Community Forums. Thank you smask.

19. Siriba, Kisumu-Busia Road, Kenya

Image from Panoramio is by Roloon

Image from Panoramio is by darko.paradi

View location in Google Maps

20. Nabusanke, Masala-Kampala Road, Uganda

Image from Panoramio is by alexluz

Image from Panoramio is by Dave LLOYD

View location in Google Maps

21. Kikorongo, Fort Portal - Mpondwe Road, Uganda

Image from Panoramio is by m.matsumoto

The basic design of this monument is same as the one at Nabasunke, Masala-Kampala Road, Uganda (# 20)

View location in Google Maps

22. Kisangani-Goma (N3) Road near Congo River, DR Congo

Image from Panoramio is by oltma

View location in Google Maps

23. 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 of "Equateur". Stanley had placed a large "Equator Stone" near the river bank south of the city to mark the point where he believed the Equator to cross the river. It remains there even today. (Source: Wikipedia)

Image from Panoramio is by philKin

Image from Panoramio is by philKin

View location in Google Maps

24. Makoua, DR Congo

Image from Panoramio is by Lydie STUELSATZ-DERBEZ

View location Google Maps

25. Unknown Road off Hwy N2 near Nzoghengom, Moyen-Ogooué, Gabon

Image from Panoramio is by Thomas Tvergaard

View in Google Maps

26. Near Kongo, Libreville-Lambaréné (N1) Road, Gabon

Image from Panoramio is by Yves Galipeau

Image from Panoramio is by bvoneche

The markers shown in these two images are basically same. The first one was the old marker made by Agro-Gabon, a Govt. owned company. It was privatised and taken over by Siat Gabon in 2004. The marker was therefore re-made and the new marker can be seen in the second image. However the locations of the two images in Panoramio are not matching. I have placed the GE placemarker based on the location marked by Yves Galipeau.

Credits: I am thankful to Yves Galipeau for informing me about this location and also about Agro-Gabon/Siat.

View location in Google Maps

27. Islet of Rolas (Ilhéu das Rolas), Sao Tome and Principe

Image from Panoramio is by xavinap

View location in Google Maps

28. Macapá, Brazil

Image from Panoramio is by David e Brenna Alves

Image from Panoramio is by Pozzi Sergio

"Milton de Souza Correia Zerao" football stadium is located adjacent to the monument. Its midfield line lies exactly on the Equator - zero latitude. (Wikipedia)

View location in Google Maps

29. AP-010/Duca Serra Road Intersection near Macapá, Brazil

Image from Panoramio is by arcabuz

View location in Google Maps and Street View (There are two markers, one on each side of road. The other one can be seen in this link.)

30. BR-174 Road near Rorainópolis, Roraima, Brazil

Image Source: Google Street View

31. BR-307 near São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas, Brazil
A small marker with line and explanatory map.

Image from Panoramio is by Rafael Rezende

View location in Google Maps

32. Unknown Road off E-10 near Marion, Tarapoa, Sucumbios, Ecuador

Image from Panoramio is by mKlingsiek

View location in Google Maps

33. Unknown Road near E-10, Ecuador

Image from Panoramio is by Wilman Francisco Criollo Aldaz

View location in Google Maps. (Location based on above Panoramio picture).

Note: I am not sure about above location. As per plaque it should be 76°25'52.8"W where as the above Panoramio picture is placed at 76° 36' 0.45" W. Another Panoramio image is placed at 76° 35' 54.23" W.

34. Sun-Dial Monument, Guachalá, Cayambe, Ecuador

Image from Panoramio is by Wacope

Image from Panoramio is by seebub

This monument in the shape of a giant sun-dial is in Guachalá, Cayambe, Ecuador. Reportedly this is the only monument in Ecuador built exactly on the equator line. It is part of Quitsato Project a non-profit project which uses its funds for the investigation of the equatorial line.

View location in Google Maps

35. Globe Monument, Guachalá, Cayambe, Ecuador
A bit south of the Solar Clock monument on Equator there is another monument in the shape of Globe, at Guachalá, Cayambe.

Image from Panoramio is by Joeseph-Cro

View location in Google Maps and Street View

36. Pan American Highway (Garr 35), near Santa Rosa de Pingulmi,  Pichincha, Ecuador

Image from Panoramio is by Martin Pazzani

View location in Google Maps

Credits for finding this location is to smask, Member Google Earth Community Forums. Thank you smask.

37. The "un-official" Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the Earth), San Antanio, Ecuador

Image from Panoramio is by mKlingsiek

Image from Panoramio is by rokapi2008

There are two Equatorial monuments in San Antanio. 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 #38 below). Intiñan Site Museum is also located at this spot. Although it has staked claim for being virtually on the equator this claim is disputed by others.

View location in Google Maps

It is worth noting that an ancient Inca archaeological site about 3 kilometres to East, (shown below) is located on the equator itself.

Image from Panoramio is by frankrod

The Quitsato Project using WGS 84, which is reportedly the most exact and up to date global positioning system, discovered that the peak of Mount Catequilla archaeological site was located exactly at the zero latitude ( 0º 0' 0" ).

View location of Catequilla in Google Maps

38. The "official" Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the Earth), San Antanio, Ecuador
Based on the tools available with them in 1930s, the French Academy of Sciences had decided the location of the Equator at this site. Accordingly in 1936, with the support of the French American Committee, Ecuadorian geographer Dr. Luis Tufiño built a 10-meter monument at this location.

In 1979, the old monument was moved 7 km to the west, to the town of Calacalí (see #39) and a larger replica of the original monument was made at the 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).

Mitad del Mundo contains a small Museum of local culture and other attractions such as a Planetarium, an amazing miniature model of Quito, the capital of Ecuador, and restaurants. A small town surrounding the monument at the Museo Etnográfico functions as the tourist center, replicating a colonial Spanish town and is called "Ciudad Mitad del Mundo" (Middle of the World City).

Image from Panoramio is by fernando D

Image from Panoramio is by fernando D

View location in Google Maps

39. The old Equator Monument, Calacalí, Ecuador

Image from Panoramio is by Zsolti a Béka

This monument was originally at San Antanio, about 7 kilometres to East, but in 1979 it was shifted to Calacalí, and is located near to, but not on the true equator line.
Its larger giant size replica has been built afresh on the original touristy site at San Antanio, (see # 35) and is called "Mitad del Mundo" (Middle of the World).

View location in Google Maps and Street View
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View all the locations in Google Earth - Download .kmz file
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Acknowledgement: My main source of information has been the Panoramio images of Equatorial Monuments/Markers posted by Panoramio users. I am thankful to all those users who have shared their images of Equatorial Monuments and Markers in Panoramio. It would have been almost impossible for me to find most of the locations without their pictures.

Edit Note - June 07, 2016
Following locations have been added based on input from smask, member, Google Earth Community Forums. Thank you smask.
 - Murung Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
 - Eldoret-Nakuru Road, near Baringo Railway Station, Kenya
 - Pan American Highway (Garr 35), near Santa Rosa de Pingulmi, Pichincha, Ecuador


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