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| {{about||the novel by Henry Miller|Tropic of Cancer (novel)|the BBC TV series|Tropic of Cancer (BBC TV series)}}
| | Andrew Simcox is the title his parents gave him and he totally loves this title. Mississippi is the only place I've been residing in but I will have to move in a year or two. Invoicing is my occupation. To play lacross is something he would by no means give up.<br><br>Feel free to surf to my blog ... accurate psychic predictions ([http://www.light4america.com/profile.php?u=Ro0506 www.light4america.com talking to]) |
| {{Coord|23|26|16|N|0|0|0|W|display=title|type:landmark|name=Prime Meridian}}
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| [[Image:World map with tropic of cancer.svg|350px|thumb|World map showing the Tropic of Cancer]]
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| The '''Tropic of Cancer''', also referred to as the '''Northern tropic''', is the circle of [[latitude]] on the [[Earth]] that marks the most northerly position at which the [[Sun]] may appear directly overhead at its [[zenith]]. This event occurs once per year, at the time of the June [[solstice]], when the [[Northern Hemisphere]] is tilted toward the Sun to its maximum extent. {{As of|2014}}, it lies at 23° 26' 14.675″ ({{Circle of latitude|Tropical}}) north of the [[Equator]].<ref>{{cite web|title=PHP Science Labs|url=http://www.neoprogrammics.com/obliquity_of_the_ecliptic/|accessdate=2014-01-01}}</ref>
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| Its [[Southern Hemisphere]] counterpart, marking the most southerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead, is the [[Tropic of Capricorn]]. These tropics are two of the [[Circle of latitude#Major circles of latitude|five major degree measures]] or major [[circle of latitude|circles of latitude]] that mark maps of the Earth, besides the [[Arctic Circle|Arctic]] and [[Antarctic Circle]]s and the [[Equator]]. The positions of these circles of latitude (other than the Equator) are dictated by the tilt of the Earth's [[axis of rotation]] relative to the [[orbital plane (astronomy)|plane of its orbit]].
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| ==Name==
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| [[Image:Tropicofcancer.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Road sign South of [[Dakhla, Western Sahara|Dakhla]], [[Western Sahara]] marking the Tropic of Cancer. The sign was placed by the [[Budapest-Bamako]] rally participants, thus the non-English inscription is in [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]].]]
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| [[File:Tropic of cancer nadia wb india.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Tropic of Cancer passes through National Highway 34 in [[Nadia District]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]]]
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| The imaginary line is called the Tropic of Cancer because when the Sun reaches the zenith at this latitude, it is entering the tropical sign of Cancer ([[summer solstice]] in the northern hemisphere). When it was named, the Sun was also in the direction of the [[constellation]] [[Cancer (constellation)|Cancer]] ([[Latin]] for ''[[crab]]''). However, this is no longer true due to the [[precession of the equinoxes]]. According to [[International Astronomical Union]] boundaries, the Sun now is in [[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]] at the June solstice. According to [[sidereal astrology]], which divides the [[zodiac]] into 12 equal parts, the Sun is in [[Gemini (constellation)|Gemini]] at that time. However, according to [[tropical astrology]], which divides the ecliptic in twelve 30° sectors, starting with the [[vernal equinox]], the Sun is always entering Cancer at this time, as the Earth's axial tilt is most inclined towards the Sun. The word "tropic" itself comes from the Greek ''tropos'', meaning turn, referring to the fact that the sun appears to "turn back" at the solstices.
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| [[File:Tropic of cancer passes through Madhay Pradesh.jpg|thumb|Tropic of cancer passes through Madhya Pradesh]]
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| ==Geography==
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| [[File:Trópico de Cáncer en México - Carretera 83 (Vía Corta) Zaragoza-Victoria, Km 27+800.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Mexican Federal Highway 83|Carretera 83]] (Vía Corta) Zaragoza-Victoria, km 27+800. Of all crossings of the Tropic of Cancer with Mexican federal highways, this is the only place where the latitude is marked with precision and where the annual drift between 2005 and 2010 can be appreciated.]]
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| The Tropic of Cancer position is not fixed, but varies in a complicated manner over time.<ref>[http://www.neoprogrammics.com/obliquity_of_the_ecliptic/ ''obliquity of the ecliptic (Eps Mean)'']</ref> It drifts south almost half a second (0.47″) of latitude per year (it was at exactly 23° 27′ in year 1917).<ref>[http://www.homepage.montana.edu/~geol445/hyperglac/time1/milankov.htm Montana State University: Milankovitch Cycles & Glaciation] {{dead link|date=April 2012}}</ref> See [[circle of latitude#Movement of the Tropical and Polar circles|circles of latitude]] for further information.
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| North of Tropic of Cancer are the [[subtropics]] and the [[North Temperate Zone]]. The equivalent line of latitude south of the Equator is called the [[Tropic of Capricorn]], and the region between the two, centered on the Equator, is the [[tropics]].
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| {{kml}}
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| Starting at the [[Prime Meridian]] and heading eastward, the Tropic of Cancer passes through:
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| {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
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| ! scope="col" width="125" | Co-ordinates
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| ! scope="col" | Country, territory or sea
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| ! scope="col" | Notes
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|0|0|E|type:landmark|name=Prime Meridian}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{DZA}}
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|11|51|E|type:country|name=Niger}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{NER}}
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| |-valign="top"
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|12|17|E|type:country|name=Libya}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{LBY}}
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| | The Tropic touches on the northernmost point of {{CHA}} at {{Coord|23|26|N|15|59|E|type:landmark|name=Northernmost point of Chad}}
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| |-valign="top"
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|25|0|E|type:country|name=Egypt}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{EGY}}
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| | The Tropic passes through [[Lake Nasser]]
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| |-
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|23|26|N|35|30|E|type:waterbody|name=Red Sea}}
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| ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | [[Red Sea]]
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" |
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|38|38|E|type:country|name=Saudi Arabia}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{SAU}}
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|52|8|E|type:country|name=United Arab Emirates}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{ARE}}
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| | [[Abu Dhabi (Emirate)|Abu Dhabi]] emirate only
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|55|24|E|type:country|name=Oman}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{OMN}}
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| |-
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|23|26|N|58|46|E|type:waterbody|name=Indian Ocean}}
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| ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | [[Indian Ocean]]
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | [[Arabian Sea]]
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| |-valign="top"
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|68|23|E|type:country|name=India}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{IND}}
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| | States of [[Gujarat]], [[Rajasthan]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Chhatisgarh]], [[Jharkhand]] and [[West Bengal]]
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| |-valign="tpo"
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|88|47|E|type:country|name=Bangladesh}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{BGD}}
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| | [[Khulna Division|Khulna]], [[Dhaka Division|Dhaka]], and [[Chittagong Division|Chittagong]] Divisions
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|91|14|E|type:country|name=India}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{IND}}
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| | State of [[Tripura]]
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|91|56|E|type:country|name=Bangladesh}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{BGD}}
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| | [[Chittagong Division]]
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|92|19|E|type:country|name=India}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{IND}}
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| | State of [[Mizoram]]
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|93|23|E|type:country|name=Myanmar}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{MMR}} (Burma)
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| | [[Chin State]], [[Sagaing Division]], [[Mandalay Division]], [[Shan State]]
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| |-valign="top"
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|98|54|E|type:country|name=China}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{CHN}}
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| | Provinces of [[Yunnan]] (passing about 7 km north of the border with {{VNM}}), [[Guangxi]], and [[Guangdong]]
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| |-
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|23|26|N|117|8|E|type:waterbody|name=Taiwan Strait}}
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| ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | [[Taiwan Strait]]
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" |
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|120|8|E|type:country|name=Taiwan}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{ROC-TW}}
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| | [[Chiayi County]], [[Hualien County]]
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| |-valign="top"
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|23|26|N|121|29|E|type:waterbody|name=Pacific Ocean}}
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| ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | [[Pacific Ocean]]
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Passing just south of [[Necker Island (Northwestern Hawaiian Islands)|Necker Island]], [[Hawaii]], {{USA}}
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|110|15|W|type:country|name=Mexico}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{MEX}}
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| | State of [[Baja California Sur]]
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| |-
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|23|26|N|109|24|W|type:waterbody|name=Gulf of California}}
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| ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | [[Gulf of California]]
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" |
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| |-valign="top"
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|106|35|W|type:country|name=Mexico}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{MEX}}
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| | States of [[Sinaloa]], [[Durango]], [[Zacatecas]], [[San Luis Potosí]], [[Nuevo León]], and [[Tamaulipas]]
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| |-
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|23|26|N|97|45|W|type:waterbody|name=Gulf of Mexico}}
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| ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | [[Gulf of Mexico]]
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" |
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| |-valign="top"
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|23|26|N|83|0|W|type:waterbody|name=Atlantic Ocean}}
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| ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | [[Atlantic Ocean]]
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Passing through the [[Straits of Florida]] and the [[Nicholas Channel]]<br/>Passing just south of the [[Cay Sal Bank|Anguilla Cays]] ({{BAH}})<br/>Passing through the [[Santaren Channel]] and into the open ocean
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|76|0|W|type:country|name=Bahamas}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{BAH}}
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| | [[Exuma]] Islands and [[Long Island, Bahamas|Long Island]]
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| |-
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | {{Coord|23|26|N|75|10|W|type:waterbody|name=Atlantic Ocean}}
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| ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Atlantic Ocean
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| | style="background:#b0e0e6;" |
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|15|57|W|type:country|name=Western Sahara}}
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| ! scope="row" | [[Western Sahara]]
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| | Claimed by {{MAR}} and the {{SADR}}
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|12|0|W|type:country|name=Mauritania}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{MRT}}
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|6|23|W|type:country|name=Mali}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{MLI}}
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| |-
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| | {{Coord|23|26|N|2|23|W|type:country|name=Algeria}}
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| ! scope="row" | {{DZA}}
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| |-
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| |}
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| ==Climate==
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| Excluding cooler highland regions in China, the climate at the Tropic of Cancer is generally hot and dry except for easterly coastal areas where [[Precipitation types#Orographic|orographic rainfall]] can be very heavy, in some places reaching {{convert|4|m|in|-1}}. Most regions on the Tropic of Cancer experience two distinct season: an extremely hot summer with temperatures often reaching {{convert|45|C|F}} and a warm winter with maxima around {{convert|22|C|F}}. Most land on or near the Tropic of Cancer is part of the [[Sahara Desert]], whilst to the east the climate is torrid [[monsoon]]al with a short wet season from June to September and very little rainfall for the rest of the year.
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| The highest mountain on or adjacent to the Tropic of Cancer is [[Yushan (mountain)|Yushan]] in Taiwan; though it had glaciers descending as low as {{convert|2800|m|ft|-1}} during the [[Last Glacial Maximum]], none survive and at present no glaciers exist within {{convert|470|km|mi|-1}} of the tropic of Cancer; the nearest currently surviving are the [[Minyong Glacier|Minyong]] and [[Baishui Glacier|Baishui]] in the Himalayas to the north and on [[Iztaccíhuatl]] to the south.
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| ==Circumnavigation==
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| According to the rules of the [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale]], for a flight to compete for a round-the-world speed record, it must cover a distance no less than the length of the Tropic of Cancer, cross all [[Meridian (geography)|meridians]], and end on the same airfield where it started.
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| To calculate the length of the Tropic:
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| * At present, the radius of the circle is 6378 km x cos(23° 26′ 16″) which results in 5851.77 km
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| * Then <math> \ell = \pi \cdot 2r </math> = 3.1416 x 2 x 5851.77 which amounts to 36 768.
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| * Therefore, assuming the Earth to be a perfect sphere, the length of the circumference at the parallel of the Tropics would be '''36 768 km'''
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| For an ordinary [[circumnavigation]] the rules are somewhat relaxed and the distance is set to a rounded value of at least 37 000 kilometers.
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| ==External links==
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| {{Wiktionary}}
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| * [http://www.omanholiday.co.uk/TropicofCancerinOmanbyTonyWalshforOmanToday.pdf Article on the Tropic of Cancer in Oman ]
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| * [http://www.jqjacobs.net/astro/epoch_2000.html Temporal Epoch Calculations]
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| * [http://hpiers.obspm.fr/eop-pc/models/constants.html Useful constants] See: Obliquity of the ecliptic
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| ==See also==
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| *[[23rd parallel north]]
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| *[[24th parallel north]]
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| *[[Tropic of Capricorn]]
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| *[[Antarctic Circle]]
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| *[[Arctic Circle]]
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| *[[Axial tilt#Values|Axial tilt]]
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| *[[Equator]]
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| *[[Milankovitch cycles]]
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| *[[Ducking and shaving]]
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| == References ==
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| {{reflist}}
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| {{geographical coordinates|state=collapsed}}
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| [[Category:Lines of latitude]]
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| [[Category:Tropics]]
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| [[de:Wendekreis (Breitenkreis)#Nördlicher Wendekreis]]
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| [[eu:Kantzerko Tropikoa]]
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| [[ku:Kelûya Kevjalê]]
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| [[pl:Zwrotnik (geografia)]]
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