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How to Find Your Latitude Longitude Values and Convert them into Decimal Degrees

This page will show you how to find your latitude and longitude and also how to convert the values into decimal degree form if needed.

A DMS to decimal degree converter program has also been provided on this page to make the conversions easier.

Places Where you can Find your Latitude and Longitude

Get Your Lat and Long Based on Your IP Address

Here is a site where you can find your latitude and longitude just by clicking a button. It worked for me, but make sure the location on the map is close to where you live to double check its accuracy. This is probably the fastest way to find your latitude and longitude.

http://www.getlatlon.com/

 

GPS System

One of the most obvious ways to find your lat and long is to just use a GPS system. With one, all you have to do is simply turn it on and it should have an option which will tell you what the latitude and longitude is for you location.

 

Google Earth

If you don't have a GPS, another way to find your lat and long is by using Google Earth. If you don't already have it, you can download it here. The program is completely free to install and use, so what do you have to lose.

Once Google Earth is open, do a search for your address, and it should go either right to your house or at least close to it.

 

Zoom In On Map

Here is one final site where you can find your latitude and longitude. With this one, you just zoom in and put the crosshair on your location, and you'll see your latitude and longitude in the upper left corner.

http://www.earthtools.org/

 

Converting Latitude and Longitude from Degrees Minutes Seconds into Decimal Degrees.

If you find that your latitude and longitude values are in degree, minute, second form (i.e. 12° 33' 0" N ), you will oftentimes need to convert them into decimal degrees when plugging the numbers into computer programs. Below, you will find a calculator which will do the conversion for you.

The ° part of the number goes into the degrees box
The ' part of the number goes into the minutes box
The " part of the the number goes into the seconds box

The latitude number will have a N or a S following it. Plug this into the "N or S" box under the latitude conversion.

The longitude number will have a E or a W following it. Plug this into the "E or W" box under the longitude conversion.

 

Latitude DMS to Decimal Degrees

 Degrees:   Minutes:    Seconds:     N or S:                       

 

Longitude DMS to Decimal Degrees

 Degrees:   Minutes:    Seconds:     E or W:                       

What Does (+ / -) Mean for Latitude and Longitude

Here is some miscellaneous information about the (+ / -) conventions used with latitude and longitude. I wrote this before I realized that it would be easier for people if they just had the above calculator to do all of the thinking for them.

If you have already found your latitude and longitude and have converted them into decimal degree form, then you can skip this section. 

What Does (N / S) and (+ / -) Mean for Latitude?

When reading your location's latitude, you might see either a "N" or a "S" next to it. These abbreviations tell you whether you are either North or South of the equator.

Note: If you are right on top of the equator, then you have a latitude of 0 degrees, and the "N" and "S" abbreviations (probably) won't be used.

Another way people indicate whether a certain latitude is either North or South of the equator is with "+" and "-".

a  Negative number means you're in the Southern hemisphere
and
a  Positive number means you're in the Northern hemisphere.

When using computer programs which ask for your latitude, it is not uncommon that you must enter "+" and "-" symbols instead of the "N" and "S" abbreviations for the program to run correctly. For this reason it is important that you remember that       N = + and   S = - .

Here are some examples which compare their usage.

12.55° N    is the same as   +12.55°
52.12° S   is the same as   - 52.12°

Note: You can leave the + sign off (12.55). It's only used here to help clarify the difference.

You might also find that your latitude values are in Degree Minute Second form. (DMS is described further down the page.) The usage of the "+", "-", "N", "S" symbols is still the same.

12° 33' 0" N       is the same as    +12° 33' 0"
52° 7' 11.99" S   is the same as   -52° 7' 11.99"

 

 

What Does (E / W) and (+ / -) Mean for Longitude?

When reading your location's longitude, you might see either a "E" or a "W" next to it. These abbreviations tell you whether you are either East or West of the prime meridian.

Note: If you are right on top of the prime meridian, then you have a longitude of 0 degrees, and the "E" and "W" abbreviations (probably) won't be used.

Another way people indicate whether a certain longitude is either East or West of the prime meridian is with "+" and "-".

a  Negative number means you're in the Western hemisphere
and
a  Positive number means you're in the Eastern hemisphere.

When using computer programs which ask for your longitude, it is not uncommon that you must enter "+" and "-" symbols instead of the "E" and "W" abbreviations for the program to run correctly. For this reason it is important that you remember that       E = + and   W = - .

Here are some examples which compare their usage.

12.55° E     is the same as   +12.55°
52.12° W   is the same as   - 52.12°

Note: You can leave the + sign off (12.55). I'm just using it to help clarify the difference.

You might also find that your longitude values are in Degree Minute Second form. (DMS is described further down the page.) The usage of the "+", "-", "E", "W" symbols is still the same. 

12° 33' 0" E        is the same as    +12° 33' 0"
52° 7' 11.99" W   is the same as   -52° 7' 11.99"

 

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