The 26th parallel south latitude is a circle of latitude that is 26 degrees south of Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Australia, the Pacific Ocean and South America.

Line across the Earth
26°
26th parallel south

Around the world

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Starting at the Prime Meridian and heading eastwards, the parallel 26° south passes through:

Coordinates Country, territory or ocean Notes
26°0′S 0°0′E / 26.000°S 0.000°E / -26.000; 0.000 (Prime Meridian) Atlantic Ocean
26°0′S 14°57′E / 26.000°S 14.950°E / -26.000; 14.950 (Namibia)   Namibia
26°0′S 20°0′E / 26.000°S 20.000°E / -26.000; 20.000 (South Africa)   South Africa Northern Cape
26°0′S 20°49′E / 26.000°S 20.817°E / -26.000; 20.817 (Botswana)   Botswana
26°0′S 22°43′E / 26.000°S 22.717°E / -26.000; 22.717 (South Africa)   South Africa North West
Gauteng - passing just north of Johannesburg
Mpumalanga
26°0′S 31°6′E / 26.000°S 31.100°E / -26.000; 31.100 (Swaziland)   Eswatini
26°0′S 32°34′E / 26.000°S 32.567°E / -26.000; 32.567 (Mozambique)   Mozambique
26°0′S 32°34′E / 26.000°S 32.567°E / -26.000; 32.567 (Indian Ocean) Indian Ocean Maputo Bay - passing just south of Maputo,   Mozambique
26°0′S 32°55′E / 26.000°S 32.917°E / -26.000; 32.917 (Mozambique)   Mozambique Inhaca Island
26°0′S 32°59′E / 26.000°S 32.983°E / -26.000; 32.983 (Indian Ocean) Indian Ocean
26°0′S 113°6′E / 26.000°S 113.100°E / -26.000; 113.100 (Australia)   Australia Western Australia - Dirk Hartog Island
26°0′S 113°11′E / 26.000°S 113.183°E / -26.000; 113.183 (Shark Bay) Indian Ocean Shark Bay
26°0′S 113°33′E / 26.000°S 113.550°E / -26.000; 113.550 (Australia)   Australia Western Australia - Peron Peninsula
26°0′S 113°43′E / 26.000°S 113.717°E / -26.000; 113.717 (Shark Bay) Indian Ocean L'Haridon Bight, Shark Bay
26°0′S 113°52′E / 26.000°S 113.867°E / -26.000; 113.867 (Australia)   Australia Western Australia - Peron Peninsula
26°0′S 113°54′E / 26.000°S 113.900°E / -26.000; 113.900 (Shark Bay) Indian Ocean Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay
26°0′S 114°11′E / 26.000°S 114.183°E / -26.000; 114.183 (Australia)   Australia Western Australia
Western Australia / Northern Territory border (~127 metres at Surveyor Generals Corner on the 129th meridian east)
Northern Territory / South Australia border
South Australia / Queensland border (from Poeppel Corner on the 138th meridian east)
Queensland (from Haddon Corner on the 141st meridian east)
26°0′S 153°9′E / 26.000°S 153.150°E / -26.000; 153.150 (Coral Sea) Pacific Ocean Coral Sea
26°0′S 163°44′E / 26.000°S 163.733°E / -26.000; 163.733 (Pacific Ocean)
26°0′S 70°38′W / 26.000°S 70.633°W / -26.000; -70.633 (Chile)   Chile
26°0′S 68°26′W / 26.000°S 68.433°W / -26.000; -68.433 (Argentina)   Argentina
26°0′S 57°51′W / 26.000°S 57.850°W / -26.000; -57.850 (Paraguay)   Paraguay
26°0′S 54°41′W / 26.000°S 54.683°W / -26.000; -54.683 (Argentina)   Argentina
26°0′S 53°48′W / 26.000°S 53.800°W / -26.000; -53.800 (Brazil)   Brazil Paraná
Santa Catarina
26°0′S 48°36′W / 26.000°S 48.600°W / -26.000; -48.600 (Atlantic Ocean) Atlantic Ocean

Australia

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The 26th parallel south defines the northern border of South Australia with the Northern Territory and Queensland.

In Australia, the northernmost border of South Australia, and the southernmost border of the Northern Territory are defined by 26° south.

Additionally, 26° south also defines an approximately 127 metre section of the Western Australia/Northern Territory border at Surveyor Generals Corner due to inaccuracies in the 1920s for fixing positions under constraints of available technology.[1]

The parallel also defines part of the Queensland and South Australia border between the 138th and 141st meridians east.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Porter, John, Surveyor-General of South Australia (April 1990). An Historical Perspective - Longitude 129 degrees east, and why it is not the longest, straight line in the world. National Perspectives - 32nd Australian Surveyors Congress Technical Papers 31st March - 6th April, 1990. Canberra: The Institution: Eyepiece - Official Organ of The Institution of Surveyors, Australia, W.A. Division. pp. 18–24.