Geography Topic
Sixteen-point compass
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Study focus - 3 things
- The 16-point compass adds 8 in-between directions to the 8-point compass
- The new points sit between a cardinal and an ordinal: NNE, ENE, ESE, SSE, SSW, WSW, WNW, NNW
- Naming rule: name the closer cardinal first, then the ordinal — NNE is closer to N than to NE
Section 1What the 16-point compass is
An expansion of the 8-point compass. By splitting each gap between a cardinal and an ordinal in half, we get 8 new directions — 16 in total. Each point is 22.5° apart from the next. Used wherever finer direction matters: wind on a weather report, ship navigation, aviation.
Section 2The 8 new points
Going clockwise from N: NNE (north-north-east), ENE (east-north-east), ESE (east-south-east), SSE (south-south-east), SSW (south-south-west), WSW (west-south-west), WNW (west-north-west), NNW (north-north-west).
Section 3Naming rule
Each new point's name starts with the cardinal it's CLOSER to, then the ordinal. NNE is between N and NE, but closer to N, so the name leads with N. ENE is between E and NE, closer to E, so it leads with E. This is why we never write something like "NEE" — the closer letter always comes first.
Section 4Reading clockwise from north
The full 16-point clockwise order from N is: N, NNE, NE, ENE, E, ESE, SE, SSE, S, SSW, SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW, NNW, then back to N. If you can recite this, you can give a 16-point direction for anything on a map.
Examples
A wind is described as blowing FROM "ENE". Roughly which direction is it coming from?
ENE means east-north-east. The wind is mostly from the east, leaning a little toward the north. Closer to east than to NE.
You walk NNE from your starting point. Are you heading mostly north, mostly east, or in between?
NNE is closer to north than to north-east, so you're heading mostly north with a slight east lean.
Now let's water it
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