Definition: The word "southern" can refer to any location or region that is located closer to the equator than it is to the northern latitudes such as Antarctica, Greenland, Canada, Siberia, or Alaska. In geography, a "south" usually refers to a particular geographical feature (such as a river) located farther northward from the coast of its origin, while the word "southern" usually refers to regions that are further south than they are north of their equatorial boundaries. For example: - Southern Europe is defined by countries such as Spain and Portugal, which are located in southern Europe. - The southern tip of South Africa is also considered a part of southern Africa. The word "southern" has been used historically to refer to specific geographical features or regions. It is often used informally to denote areas that are located further south than they are north of their respective geographic boundaries, such as the United States, Canada, and Greenland. The word "south" also can be used to denote a location or region located farther from its current geographical location, such as in a map where "southern" is written above a symbol representing latitude. For example, in the map below: ``` South America | (°24N) (°18N) (°36N) (°0E) (°10E) (°5E) (°27N) (°12N) (°39.5N) (°21.5E) (°45N) (°60N) (°85.5N) (°105.5N) (°135.5N) (°170.5N) (°210.5N) (°245.5N) (°280.5N) (°310.5N) ``` The symbol above represents the latitude where the northern and southern ends of a 45 degree longitude line intersect, which is represented by a cross in the center of this map. The dashed lines below show the coordinates for several major cities in the Southern Hemisphere. So, while "south" is often used as a term to denote a location or region located farther from its current geographical location than it is north of its boundaries, "southern" can also be used informally to denote areas that are further south than they are north of their respective geographic boundaries.