Hemisphere is the name for either half of the globe. There are two ways to divide the Earth into hemispheres.
The Earth can be cut down the middle from north to south. This makes the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. The Eastern Hemisphere includes Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The Western Hemisphere includes North and South America.
The Earth can be cut across the middle along the equator. This makes the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
How to cite this article: To cite this article, World Book recommends the following format: "Hemisphere." The World Book Student Discovery Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book, Inc., 2005.
Image to left: The Earth can be divided into hemispheres in two basic ways. Credit: World Book illustrations