What Are GPS Coordinates?

GPS coordinates are a system used to define any exact location on Earth. Using a combination of two numbers—Latitude and Longitude—you can pinpoint everything from your home to a hidden hiking trail.

Latitude (red) measures North/South. Longitude (green) measures East/West.

How GPS Coordinates Work

Imagine the Earth covered in an invisible grid. GPS coordinates give you the X and Y addresses on that grid:

Latitude (The Y Axis): Measures how far North or South you are from the Equator.
Longitude (The X Axis): Measures how far East or West you are from the Prime Meridian (a line running through Greenwich, England).

Example of a Coordinate

40.6892, -74.0445
The first number is Latitude (North). The second number is Longitude (West). This specific coordinate points exactly to the Statue of Liberty in New York.

Why Do GPS Coordinates Matter?

While most people just type an address into Google Maps, physical addresses don't exist everywhere. If you are hiking in the mountains, navigating a boat at sea, or flying a drone, you need GPS coordinates. They provide mathematical certainty regardless of roads or street names.

Try Converting a Coordinate

Want to see where a coordinate points? Use our free tool below.

Open Coordinate Converter →