Eastern Hemisphere

Eastern Hemisphere is a term often used in a political rather than geographic sense, as a synonym for "Old World" intended to avoid the perceived eurocentrism of that phrase. In this sense it usually means Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania, in parallel to Western Hemisphere as a designation for the Americas.

Related Topics:
Old World - Eurocentrism - Europe - Asia - Africa - Oceania - Western Hemisphere - Americas

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The geographic terms Eastern and Western Hemisphere are not very common because there is no universally accepted line separating the two, the way the equator divides the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The most obvious divider is the Prime Meridian, at 0°. Using this demarcation puts portions of Western Europe and Africa in the Western Hemispheres, diluting the usefulness for cartography as well as for political metaphor.

Related Topics:
Equator - Northern - Southern Hemisphere - Prime Meridian

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Had the international date line at 180° been used as a dividing line, the meanings of the terms Eastern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere would have been reversed. So, in a way, these terms are just as eurocentric as the terms Old World and New World

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Another definition places the dividing lines at 20°W and 160°E, so as to more neatly divide the intended continents.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~