title: 2nd meridian west
text: # 2nd meridian west
  
  The meridian 2° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Africa, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole.
  
  The 2nd meridian west forms a great circle with the 178th meridian east.
  
  ## From Pole to Pole
  
  Starting at the North Pole and heading south to the South Pole, the 2nd meridian west passes through:
  
      Co-ordinates Country, territory or sea Notes 90°0′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿90.000°N 2.000°W﻿ / 90.000; -2.000﻿ (Arctic Ocean) Arctic Ocean 81°45′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿81.750°N 2.000°W﻿ / 81.750; -2.000﻿ (Atlantic Ocean) Atlantic Ocean Passing just east of the island of Foula, Scotland, United Kingdom (at 60°8′N 2°3′W﻿ / ﻿60.133°N 2.050°W﻿ / 60.133; -2.050﻿ (Foula)) 59°33′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿59.550°N 2.000°W﻿ / 59.550; -2.000﻿ (North Sea) North Sea 57°41′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿57.683°N 2.000°W﻿ / 57.683; -2.000﻿ (United Kingdom)  United Kingdom Scotland 57°18′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿57.300°N 2.000°W﻿ / 57.300; -2.000﻿ (North Sea) North Sea Passing just east of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom (at 25°8′N 2°5′W﻿ / ﻿25.133°N 2.083°W﻿ / 25.133; -2.083﻿ (Aberdeen)) 55°46′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿55.767°N 2.000°W﻿ / 55.767; -2.000﻿ (United Kingdom)  United Kingdom England — passing through Berwick-upon-Tweed (at 55°46′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿55.767°N 2.000°W﻿ / 55.767; -2.000﻿ (Berwick-upon-Tweed)) and western Birmingham (at 52°40′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿52.667°N 2.000°W﻿ / 52.667; -2.000﻿ (Birmingham)) 50°36′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿50.600°N 2.000°W﻿ / 50.600; -2.000﻿ (English Channel) English Channel Passing just west of the Cotentin Peninsula, France (at 49°42′N 1°57′W﻿ / ﻿49.700°N 1.950°W﻿ / 49.700; -1.950﻿ (Cotentin Peninsula)) Passing just east of the island of Jersey (at 49°12′N 2°1′W﻿ / ﻿49.200°N 2.017°W﻿ / 49.200; -2.017﻿ (Jersey)) 48°40′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿48.667°N 2.000°W﻿ / 48.667; -2.000﻿ (France)  France 46°44′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿46.733°N 2.000°W﻿ / 46.733; -2.000﻿ (Atlantic Ocean) Atlantic Ocean Bay of Biscay 43°19′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿43.317°N 2.000°W﻿ / 43.317; -2.000﻿ (Spain)  Spain Passing just west of San Sebastián (at 43°19′N 1°59′W﻿ / ﻿43.317°N 1.983°W﻿ / 43.317; -1.983﻿ (San Sebastián)) 36°51′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿36.850°N 2.000°W﻿ / 36.850; -2.000﻿ (Mediterranean Sea) Mediterranean Sea Alboran Sea 35°5′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿35.083°N 2.000°W﻿ / 35.083; -2.000﻿ (Algeria)  Algeria 34°56′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿34.933°N 2.000°W﻿ / 34.933; -2.000﻿ (Morocco)  Morocco 32°9′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿32.150°N 2.000°W﻿ / 32.150; -2.000﻿ (Algeria)  Algeria 23°12′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿23.200°N 2.000°W﻿ / 23.200; -2.000﻿ (Mali)  Mali 14°35′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿14.583°N 2.000°W﻿ / 14.583; -2.000﻿ (Burkina Faso)  Burkina Faso 10°59′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿10.983°N 2.000°W﻿ / 10.983; -2.000﻿ (Ghana)  Ghana 4°45′N 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿4.750°N 2.000°W﻿ / 4.750; -2.000﻿ (Atlantic Ocean) Atlantic Ocean 60°0′S 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿60.000°S 2.000°W﻿ / -60.000; -2.000﻿ (Southern Ocean) Southern Ocean 69°53′S 2°0′W﻿ / ﻿69.883°S 2.000°W﻿ / -69.883; -2.000﻿ (Antarctica) Antarctica Queen Maud Land — claimed by Norway
  
  ## Ordnance Survey of Great Britain
  
  The British national grid reference system uses the point 49°N 2°W﻿ / ﻿49°N 2°W﻿ / 49; -2 as its true origin.
  
  