Final answer:
A compass needle's north pole is attracted to Earth's magnetic north pole, which is geographically near the North Pole but is the magnetic south pole of a hypothetical Earth bar magnet. Various factors can cause deviations in the compass reading, and Earth's magnetic poles can shift over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
A compass needle points towards Earth's magnetic poles, but not always directly at the magnetic south pole. The north pole of a compass is attracted to Earth's magnetic north pole, which currently is located near the geographic North Pole. Due to the nature of Earth's magnetism, which can be likened to a giant bar magnet, the magnetic north pole of Earth is actually the geographic south pole of this bar magnet. As a consequence, a compass needle's north pole is attracted to the magnetic south pole of Earth.
However, the direction the compass points can be influenced by factors like local variations in the material composition of the Earth's crust, altitude, and even varying magnetic fields from electronic devices or metal structures. In addition, as the Earth's magnetic field is dynamic and subject to changes known as geomagnetic reversals, over millennia, the exact position of the magnetic poles can shift and even swap locations.