The term cradle of civilization has frequently been applied to a variety of cultures and areas, in particular the Ancient Near Eastern Chalcolithic (Ubaid period) and Fertile Crescent. It has also been applied to ancient Anatolia, the Levant, Armenia and Iran.
The Washington Meridian runs north on a longitude of 91Â°09â²36â³W from the base line, which is the MississippiâLouisiana border at latitude 31Â° north. The Washington Meridian is the basis of cadastral surveys in southwestern Mississippi, south of the Choctaw Meridian base line and west of the territory of the Saint Stephens Meridian. The Washington Meridian shares the same initial point as the Saint Helena Meridian, which runs south from that initial point.
Quick Answer. The prime meridian passes through the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Togo. The prime meridian represents the longitude of 0 degrees. The prime meridian was established as 0 degrees longitude in 1884 at an international conference. Prior to 1884, countries established their own local starting locations for longitude, but the increase of international commerce led to the need for a standardized prime meridian. The United Kingdom and its former colonies set the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, located outside of downtown London, as the starting location for longitude in 1675.