When this world map was charted in the 1600s, according to the Mercator’s projection, the idea was that ships could use the lines of longitude and latitude as a form of navigation. 5 ...

KS3; Atlas skills UK, Europe and world maps. Geographers use tools such as longitude, latitude and Mercator projections to create two-dimensional atlases of our three-dimensional planet.

If I want to see where a place is in the world, I just need to look at where the lines cross, and read the numbers. Ah, there he is! Latitude is 32 degrees south, and longitude is 115 degrees east.