Which Country is Farthest from India?

India is centrally positioned in the South Asian region and linked to various countries by the land and sea as well as air. Whereas there are countries that are quite near its borders, others are practically on the other side of the world. This of course brings up a curious geographical question: Which country is farthest from India? It is not an answer that can be given by guessing or by looking at the map but rather through scientific calculations of distances 

Which Country is Farthest from India?

Source: Great Circle Map

According to the great-circle measure, Chile is commonly believed to be the most distanced nation to India. Much like distances they are calculated to New Delhi which is usually considered to be the reference point in India, Chile will always be at the possible extreme distance between two countries on earth. Chile is on the Pacific coast in South America; which is practically the opposite of India on the globe, and is thus the furthest sovereign nation in geographic terms.

How is the Distance Calculated?

Distance between countries is determined by the great-circle method which helps in determining the shortest distance between two points on the surface of the earth. Flat map measurements are not accurate since the earth is round.

Geographers and researchers typically choose a stationary point of reference, like a capital city. In India, New Delhi is considered as the point of reference. Then the great-circle distance between the capital or the central part of a country and New Delhi is determined as a result of the latitude and longitude coordinates. The technique is also applied in the field of aviation to calculate distances flown. Under this method, Chile is discovered to be almost 17,000 kilometres away from India.

According to the Maths Journal, “The great circle is an important concept because it is considered to give the shortest distance between any two points on Earth. “

Why is This Country Considered the Farthest?

The geographic location of Chile is the reason why the country is the farthest amongst India. It generates along the Western side of South America and goes deep into the Southern and Western hemispheres. This puts Chile very far away, both in terms of longitudinal and latitudinal positioning to South Asia.

Additionally, Chile’s long north–south shape means that some of its regions are even closer to the points on Earth that lie opposite Indian cities.When calculated with reliable distance tools, and global positioning data, Chile has been found to be the farthest country from India.

What Are Antipodes and their Purpose?

An antipode refers to a point on the earth that is in the furthest location opposite to another point with a straight line passing through the centre of the earth. The greatest distance that can be located between two points on the Earth is called antipodal points.

In the case of most regions in India, the antipodal points are located in the Pacific Ocean in the western coast of South America. Though such precise antipodes usually are found in the sea, the closest land areas are found in or near Chile and in some cases Peru. This is one of the reasons why Chile is commonly referred to as on the other side of the world as compared with India and justifies its status as the most distant country.

The EBSCO mentions: “Antipodes in geography refer to locations on Earth that are directly opposite each other. The concept can be visualized by imagining a rod extending through the Earth; if pushed through one point, it would emerge at its antipode on the opposite side. Antipodal points are determined using latitude and longitude coordinates, which define every place on Earth in relation to a reference system. The term "antipodes" has Greek origins, meaning "opposite feet," and was used historically to describe people living on the opposite side of the world, particularly in relation to Britain and its colonies.”

To sum up, Chile is the most distant country to India when it is measured with the help of scientific and geographic approaches. When the Great-circle distance is computed and the idea of antipodes is taken into consideration, it is clear that Chile is practically on the opposite side of the world as India.

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