Question map
Through which one of the following continents, do the equator, the tropic of cancer and the tropic of capricorn pass through ?
Explanation
Africa is the only continent on Earth through which all three major imaginary lines of latitude—the Equator (0°), the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N), and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S)—pass [t1][t2]. The Tropic of Cancer traverses Northern Africa through countries like Egypt, Libya, and Algeria [t7]. The Equator passes through the central part of the continent, including Gabon, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo [t8]. The Tropic of Capricorn crosses Southern Africa through nations such as Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa [t5][t7]. While South America is crossed by both the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, it does not reach the Tropic of Cancer [t4]. Similarly, Australia is only crossed by the Tropic of Capricorn [t7]. Therefore, Africa's unique latitudinal extent across both hemispheres makes it the only continent intersected by all three lines.