The 38th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The 38th parallel north formed the border between North and South Korea prior to the Korean War.
At this latitude, the Sun is visible for 14 hours, 48 minutes during the summer solstice and 9 hours, 32 minutes during the winter solstice.
Around the world
Starting at the Prime Meridian heading eastward, the 38th parallel north passes through: { | class="wikitable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col" width="125" | Co-ordinates ! scope="col" | Country, territory or sea ! scope="col" | Notes |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Mediterranean Sea | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Passing just north of the island of Marettimo, (at ) |- | ! scope="row" | | Islands of Levanzo and Sicily |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Mediterranean Sea | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Strait of Messina |- | ! scope="row" | | Passing through Reggio di Calabria (southern suburbs) |-valign="top" | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Mediterranean Sea | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Ionian Sea - passing between the islands of Kefalonia (at ) and Zakynthos (at ), |- | ! scope="row" | | Passing through Athens (northern suburbs) |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Aegean Sea | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |- | ! scope="row" | | Islands of Petalioi and Euboea |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Aegean Sea | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Passing just north of the island of Andros (at ), |- | ! scope="row" | | Passing through Konya, Niğde and İzmir (southern suburbs) |- | ! scope="row" | | Passing just south of Tabriz |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Caspian Sea | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |- | ! scope="row" | | |- | ! scope="row" | | |- | ! scope="row" | | Passing just north of Ashgabat |- | ! scope="row" | | |- | ! scope="row" | | |- | ! scope="row" | | |- | ! scope="row" | | |-valign="top" | ! scope="row" | | Xinjiang Qinghai Gansu Inner Mongolia Ningxia Inner Mongolia Shaanxi − for around Inner Mongolia − for around Shaanxi Shanxi — passing just north of Taiyuan Hebei — passing just south of Shijiazhuang Shandong |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Yellow Sea | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Passing just north of Baengnyeong Island (at ), |- | ! scope="row" | | Ongjin Peninsula — South Hwanghae Province |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Yellow Sea | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Ongjin Bay |-valign="top" | ! scope="row" | | South Hwanghae Provincepassing just south of Haeju North Hwanghae Provincepassing just north of Kaesong |-valign="top" | ! scope="row" | | Gyeonggi Province- Passing through Paju, Yeoncheon County, Pocheon, Gapyeong County Gangwon Province - Passing through Hwacheon County, Chuncheon, (passing just north of Soyang Reservoir), Inje County, Yangyang County |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Sea of Japan | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |-valign="top" | ! scope="row" | | Island of Sado:— Niigata Prefecture |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Sea of Japan | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |-valign="top" | ! scope="row" | | Island of Honshū:— Niigata Prefecture Passing just north of Niigata City— Yamagata Prefecture— Miyagi Prefecture |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Pacific Ocean | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |-valign="top" | ! scope="row" | | California - passing through Pinole and StocktonNevada - passing just south of Tonopah Utah - passing through Capitol Reef and Canyonlands National Parks Colorado - passing through Ouray, and then just south of Pueblo Kansas - passing just south of Newton Missouri - passing through Camdenton and just north of Rolla Illinois - passing just south of Mount Vernon Indiana - passing through Evansville Kentucky - passing through Lexington West Virginia - passing just north of Beckley West Virginia - passing just south of Charlottesville |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Chesapeake Bay | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | |-valign="top" | ! scope="row" | | Maryland - passing just north of Smith Island and Crisfield Virginia - passing just north of Chincoteague |- | style="background:#b0e0e6;" | ! scope="row" style="background:#b0e0e6;" | Atlantic Ocean | style="ba