north

Also known as N, septentrion, northbound, northerly

thumb|250px|right|A 16-point compass rose with north highlighted and at the top

AI overview

North is one of the four cardinal directions, conventionally shown at the top of maps and compass roses, and it refers to the direction toward the Earth's North Pole. It matters because it provides a standard reference point that helps people navigate, orient themselves geographically, and communicate locations with precision.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Wikidata facts

Image: Compass Rose North.svg

Show 2 more facts

position angle: 0
Commons category: North

Sources (2)

via Wikidata · CC0

~8 min read

Article

9 sections

Contents

Etymology
Mapping and navigation
Magnetic north and declination
Roles of north as prime direction
Roles of east and west as inherently subsidiary directions
Cultural references
See also
References
External links

thumb|250px|right|A 16-point compass rose with north highlighted and at the top

North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. North is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.