Degree Confluence Project - Definition and Overview

The goal of the Degree Confluence Project is to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections on Earth, and post photographs of each location on the World Wide Web.

The total number of confluence points is 64,442, of which 21,541 are on land, 38,411 on water, and 4,490 on the arctic ice cap. The project divides these points into primary and secondary confluences. A confluence is primary only if it is on land or within sight of land. In addition, at high latitudes only some of the points are designated primary, to avoid there being many primary confluences close together near the poles. Nevertheless, both primary and secondary confluences may be visited and recorded.

The precise location of the confluences is determined with Global Positioning System receivers. For a successful visit, the visitor must get within 100 metres of the confluence point (using the WGS 84 datum), and post a narrative and at least two photographs to the project website. Visits which do not conform to these rules may still be recorded on the website as incomplete visits.

It is permissible to visit confluences which have previously been visited. Many confluence points, especially in North America and Europe, have been visited several times.

One way to think of the Degree Confluence Project is as a way of sampling the surface of the Earth.

Some examples of confluences are:

• 50°N 6°E (http://confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=50&lon=6&visit=7): This is the only confluence in Luxembourg, and a monument has been built there.
• 45°N 90°W (http://confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=45&lon=-90&visit=1): A sign marks the middle of the northern half of the Western Hemisphere.
• 40°N 83°W (http://confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=40&lon=-83&visit=2): This point is in a kitchen near Ohio State University.
• 29°N 77°E (http://confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=29&lon=77&visit=1): The confluence is between two buildings in the courthouse of Sonipat, Haryana.

External link

• Degree Confluence Project website (http://www.confluence.org/)