Tropic of Cancer Map
View the Tropic of Cancer (approximately 23°26′11.8″ N or 23.4366° N) on an interactive world map, browse every country and region it crosses from the Prime Meridian eastward, and calculate how far north or south any location sits from the northern edge of the tropics.
All 19 Countries & Territories Crossed by the Tropic of Cancer (23.4366° N (23°26′11.8″ N))
| # | Country / Territory | ISO Code | Region | Longitude Span Along Tropic of Cancer | Map Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Algeria | DZ | North Africa | 2.42° W to 11.83° E | |
| 2 | Niger | NE | West Africa | 11.83° E to 12.33° E | |
| 3 | Chad | TD | Central Africa (Northern Tip) | 15.97° E to 16.00° E | |
| 4 | Libya | LY | North Africa | 12.33° E to 24.98° E | |
| 5 | Egypt | EG | North Africa | 24.98° E to 35.52° E | |
| 6 | Saudi Arabia | SA | Middle East (Western Asia) | 38.62° E to 52.13° E | |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates | AE | Middle East (Western Asia) | 52.13° E to 55.38° E | |
| 8 | Oman | OM | Middle East (Western Asia) | 55.38° E to 58.81° E | |
| 9 | India | IN | South Asia | 68.49° E to 93.40° E | |
| 10 | Bangladesh | BD | South Asia | 88.74° E to 92.30° E | |
| 11 | Myanmar | MM | Southeast Asia | 93.40° E to 98.86° E | |
| 12 | China | CN | East Asia | 98.86° E to 116.84° E | |
| 13 | Taiwan | CN-TW | East Asia | 120.14° E to 121.48° E | |
| 14 | Mexico | MX | North America | 110.25° W to 97.75° W | |
| 15 | Bahamas | BS | Caribbean (North America) | 75.22° W to 75.17° W | |
| 16 | Morocco | MA | North Africa | 15.99° W to 14.01° W | |
| 17 | Western Sahara | EH | North Africa | 14.01° W to 12.08° W | |
| 18 | Mauritania | MR | West Africa | 12.08° W to 6.42° W | |
| 19 | Mali | ML | West Africa | 6.42° W to 2.42° W |
What Is the Tropic of Cancer and Why Is It at 23.4366° North?
The Tropic of Cancer is the northernmost parallel of latitude on Earth where the Sun can appear directly overhead at the zenith (90° altitude above the horizon) at solar noon. That alignment occurs once each year on the June solstice (around June 20 or 21), marking the northern boundary of the astronomical tropics. Its latitude equals Earth’s current axial tilt (obliquity of the ecliptic), approximately 23°26′11.8″ N (23.4366° N), which lies about 1,618 statute miles (2,606 kilometers) north of the Equator.
Countries and Regions Crossed by the Tropic of Cancer
Starting at the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) in the Sahara Desert and moving eastward around the globe, the Tropic of Cancer crosses three continents and major bodies of water:
- North & West Africa: Crosses southern Algeria, northern Niger, southern Libya, the northernmost Borkou-Tibesti border tip of Chad, and southern Egypt (passing across Lake Nasser just south of Aswan) before entering the Red Sea. Moving westward from 0° back through West Africa, it crosses Western Sahara, Mauritania, and northern Mali.
- Middle East & Asia: Crosses Saudi Arabia (passing between Medina and Mecca), the southern United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi emirate), and Oman (just south of Muscat); then crosses six states in India (Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, and Mizoram), Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China (Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guangdong), and Taiwan (marked by the Tropic of Cancer Solar Exploration Center in Chiayi and Fengbin in Hualien).
- Pacific Ocean, North America & Caribbean: Passes through the Hawaiian archipelago between Nihoa and Necker Island (the only U.S. state south of the Tropic of Cancer), crosses Mexico (Baja California Sur just north of Cabo San Lucas, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas), and passes through the Bahamas (Great Exuma and Long Island).
How Earth’s Axial Tilt Slowly Shifts the Tropic Line
Because gravitational pull from the Moon and planets causes Earth’s axial tilt to oscillate between roughly 22.1° and 24.5° on a 41,000-year cycle, the Tropic of Cancer is currently drifting southward by about 0.47 arcseconds (14.5 meters or 48 feet) per year. Highway markers placed in Mexico or Taiwan decades ago now sit several hundred meters north of the astronomical line. Calculate solar angles for any latitude on Sunrise and Sunset Times or check coordinates on Latitude and Longitude Finder.