Antipodal Point

Definition

An antipodal point is the precise opposite location on Earth to another point, connected by an imaginary straight line passing through the planet’s centre.

Every place on Earth has one — and only one — antipodal point.

Antipodal Points in Geography

In geography, antipodal points describe the exact opposite positions on a spherical surface. While every location has an antipodal point, most of these points fall in the ocean rather than on land.

This pattern is explained further in Why Most Antipodes Are in the Ocean.

How Antipodal Points Are Calculated

Antipodal points are calculated using latitude and longitude:

Latitude is inverted (north becomes south, south becomes north)
Longitude is shifted by exactly 180 degrees

For example:

A location at 51.5° North, 0° West (London) has an antipodal point at 51.5° South, 180° East, located in the southern Pacific Ocean

You can calculate any antipodal point instantly using the interactive Antipode Map.

For a deeper explanation, see How Antipodes Are Calculated.

Examples of Antipodal Points

Most antipodal points involve land on one side of the Earth and ocean on the other. For example:

The Antipodal Point of London lies in the Pacific Ocean
The Antipodal Point of New York City falls in the Indian Ocean
The Antipodal Point of Sydney lies in the North Atlantic Ocean

You can explore more examples via Explore Antipodes by City.

Antipodal Point vs Antipode

The terms are closely related but slightly different:

Antipode refers to the opposite point of a specific location
Antipodal point emphasises the precise geometric relationship between the two locations

For the general definition, see Antipode – Definition.
For the adjective form, see Antipodal – Meaning.