What is the latitude of the Arctic Circle?

The latitude of the Arctic Circle is approximately 66.5° N.

More precisely, the Arctic Circle currently lies near 66°34′ north latitude. It marks the southernmost line in the Northern Hemisphere where the Sun can remain above the horizon for a full 24 hours at the June solstice, producing the midnight sun. At the December solstice, the reverse phenomenon—polar night—can occur.

The latitude is not perfectly fixed. It depends on Earth’s axial tilt, or obliquity, which changes gradually over a roughly 41,000-year cycle. That slow variation causes the Arctic Circle to drift slightly over long periods, so 66.5° N is the standard rounded quiz answer.

The Arctic Circle is not the same as the North Pole, which is 90° N, or the Tropic of Cancer, near 23.5° N. It crosses parts of eight countries, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Canada, the United States, Denmark through Greenland, and Iceland.