Equator - Facts for Kids

Physical Features

The Equator is an imaginary line that circles Earth exactly in the middle, like a belt around the planet’s belly!

The Equator stretches for 40,075 kilometers (24,901 miles), which is like walking around Earth‘s middle once!

At the Equator, Earth bulges outward slightly, making our planet look more like a slightly squashed ball than a perfect sphere!

Standing on the Equator means you’re experiencing the fastest rotation on Earth, moving at about 1,037 miles per hour (1,668.89 km/h) as our planet spins!

The Equator passes through 13 countries, including Colombia, Brazil, São Tomé and Príncipe, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Maldives, Indonesia, and Ecuador, which was named after this special line!