The equator passes through which continents?

• A. Africa, Europe, South America
• B. Africa, Asia, Europe
• C. Africa, Asia, South America
• D. Asia, Africa, Australia

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is where the equator, an imaginary line at 0 degrees latitude, travels around the globe. That line runs east to west across the middle of the Earth, dividing it into northern and southern hemispheres. It passes through three continents: Africa, Asia, and South America. In Africa it cuts through countries like Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; in Asia it runs through Indonesia; in South America it crosses Ecuador, Colombia, and northern Brazil. It does not go through Europe or Australia. So the best answer is the one that lists Africa, Asia, and South America.