How many of the United States are above the Tropic of Capricorn?

How Many US States Actually Sit Below the Tropic of Capricorn? (Hint: Zero!)

Okay, let’s settle a geographical head-scratcher: How many of the United States find themselves basking south of the Tropic of Capricorn? The answer? A big, fat zero. Nada. Not one single state.

Now, you might be thinking, “The Tropic of what now?” Let’s break it down. The Tropic of Capricorn is basically an imaginary line circling the globe at 23°26′09.5″ south of the Equator. Think of it as the sun’s southernmost pit stop. It’s the farthest south the sun can be directly overhead at noon, and that happens during the December solstice when the Southern Hemisphere is really soaking up the sunshine.

This line is one of those key markers you see on maps, like the Equator, the Tropic of Cancer (its northern sibling), and the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. They all help us understand how sunlight hits the Earth and shapes our climates.

So, where does the U.S. fit into all this? Well, entirely in the Northern Hemisphere, folks. Alaska, way up north, sits around 49 degrees north of the Equator. Even sunny Hawaii, our southernmost state, is still a good 21 degrees north. That means every single state is a considerable distance north of the Tropic of Capricorn, which is way down south.

The area nestled between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn is what we call the “tropics.” It’s where things tend to get toasty because this zone gets a more direct hit from the sun all year round. Think lush rainforests and postcard-perfect beaches.

Why are no U.S. states south of the Tropic of Capricorn? Honestly, it’s just a matter of location, location, location. The U.S. is planted firmly in the Northern Hemisphere. The Tropic of Capricorn, on the other hand, carves its way through countries like Australia, Chile, Brazil, and South Africa. Beautiful places, sure, but not part of the North American map! So, there you have it. Mystery solved.