Null Island
cartographical marker at 0°N, 0°E
Null Island is the location at zero degrees latitude and zero degrees longitude (0°N 0°E), where the prime meridian and the equator intersect in the Atlantic Ocean near the Gulf of Guinea. Since there is no landmass located at these coordinates, it is not an actual island. The name is often used in mapping software as a placeholder to help find and correct database entries that have erroneously been assigned the coordinates 0,0. Although "Null Island" started as a joke within the geospatial community, it has become a useful means of addressing a recurring issue in geographic information science.
Location
The point on the Earth's surface defined as Null Island is located in international waters in the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 600 kilometres (320 nmi) south of the West African coast in the Gulf of Guinea. The depth of the seabed there is around 4,940 m (16,200 ft).
The closest land to Null Island is a small islet 570 km (354 mi; 307.8 nmi) to the north (4°45′30″N 1°58′33″W) that is part of Ghana. The nearest point on the mainland is Achowa Point between Akwidaa and Dixcove, both in Ghana.
In software
In terms of computing and placename databases, the coordinates for Null Island were added to the Natural Earth public domain map dataset c. 2010–2011, after which the term came into wide use (although there is evidence of it being used previously). Since then, the "island" has, through fiction, been given a geography, history, and flag.
The public source identifies “Null Island” as cartographical marker at 0°N, 0°E. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Null, Island and cartographical.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Null Island”, the useful work is to connect “cartographical marker at 0°N, 0°E” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 19, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q16896007. Authority coordinates are 0.000, 0.000. None of the 1 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2010 and 2011.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Null Island”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Null Island primary sources, Null Island archive and Null research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Null Island”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Null Island” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.