Explanation:

?? The earth's shape is Geoid. That is, the earth is slightly flattened at the poles and bulged at the equatorial
region. The radius at the equator is larger than at the poles due to the long-term effects of the earth's rotation.
o The centrifugal force, is greater at the equator than at the poles. This caused the bulge at the Equator.
o The density of earth along the poles is greater than along the equator (because of the difference
in speed of rotation.
?? Latitude is the angular distance of a place north or south of the equator measured in degrees from the earth's
centre. As the earth is slightly flattened at the poles, the linear distance of a degree of latitude at the pole is
slightly longer than that at the equator. Hence statement 1 is correct.
o For example, at the equator linear distance of a degree of latitude is 110.57 km (68.7 miles), at 45" it is
111.13 km (69 miles), and at the poles, it is 111.7 km (69.4 miles). The average is taken as 111 km (69
miles).
?? Midnight Sun:
o Because of the axial tilt of the Earth, the Sun does not set at high latitudes in local summer. The number
of days per year with potential midnight sun increases as one goes closer to the poles. The Sun remains
continuously visible for one day during the summer solstice (21' June in the Northern Hemisphere and
22nd December in the Southern Hemisphere) at the polar circle, for several weeks only 100 km closer
to the pole, and for six months at the poles.
o At extreme latitudes, the midnight sun is usually referred to as polar day. At the poles themselves,
the Sun rises and sets only once each year on the equinox. Hence statement 2 is not correct.
o The opposite phenomenon, polar night, occurs in winter when the Sun stays below the horizon
throughout the day.