Tropic of Cancer

World map showing the Tropic of Cancer

The tropic of cancer or Northern tropic, is one of five major circles of latitude that mark
maps of the Earth. It is the northernmost latitude at which the Sun can appear directly
overhead at noon. This event occurs at the June solstice, when the northern hemisphere is
tilted towards the sun to its maximum extent.

The Tropic of Cancer currently lies 23° 26′ 22″ north of the Equator. North of this
latitude are the subtropics and Northern Temperate Zone. The equivalent line of latitude
south of the equator is called the Tropic of Capricorn, and the region between the two,
centered on the Equator, is known as the Tropics.

The line is called Tropic of Cancer because when it was named the sun was in the
location of the constellation of Cancer (Latin for crab) in the sky at the June solstice.
However, due to the precession of the equinoxes, the sun is now in the location of the
constellation of Taurus at the June solstice. The word "tropic" itself comes from the
Greek tropos, meaning turn, referring to the fact that the sun appears to "turn back" at the
solstices.

The position of the Tropic of Cancer is not fixed, but varies in a complex manner over
time; see under circles of latitude for information.

Geography
Monument marking the Tropic of Cancer northeast of Villa de Cos, Zacatecas, Mexico.

The Tropic of Cancer passes through the following countries (going east):

 United States - Hawaii : sea area only, misses every island, passing between
Nihoa and Necker Island.
 Mexico
 Bahamas - Exuma Islands and Long Island.
 Western Sahara - Claimed by Morocco.
 Mauritania
 Mali
 Algeria
 Niger
 Libya
 Chad – Its northernmost point is defined by the Tropic of Cancer.
 Egypt
 Saudi Arabia
 United Arab Emirates - Abu Dhabi emirate only.
 Oman
 India
 Bangladesh
 Burma (Myanmar)
 People's Republic of China
 Republic of China - Taiwan.

Circumnavigation
According to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale's rules, for a flight to compete
for a round-the-world speed record, it must cover a distance no less than the length of the
Tropic of Cancer as well as cross all meridians and end on the same airfield where it
started. This length is set to be 36787.559 kilometres - a number implying a precision
which does not exist, considering the variations of the tropic described above.

For an ordinary circumnavigation the rules are somewhat relaxed and the distance is set
to a rounded value of 37000 kilometres.