Final answer:
The Equator, or 0 degrees latitude, runs through the Western Hemisphere and crosses South America, specifically the countries of Colombia, Brazil, and Ecuador.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Equator, defined as 0 degrees latitude, runs through the Western Hemisphere and crosses the continent of South America. This imaginary line is crucial for understanding the Earth's geography as it divides the planet into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
All parallels or lines of latitude are measured from this central line of 0 degrees latitude. The continents of North America and South America are located in the Western Hemisphere, with the prime meridian at 0 degrees longitude serving as the starting point for measuring longitude east and west.
In terms of longitude, the prime meridian at 0 degrees creates the division between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, running through Greenwich, England. Therefore, the entirety of South America lies within the Western Hemisphere when looking at the division by both latitudes and longitudes. Specifically, the Equator crosses the countries of Colombia, Brazil, and Ecuador in South America.