To run this applet, you need the version 1.4 or higher of the Java Runtime Environment installed in your computer. A version for Microsoft Windows may be downloaded here (file j2re1.4.exe with 10 Mb).

The applet takes some time to be loaded in the first time. Please, be patient. If the applet doesn't start, you may need to change the Java settings in your browser. For the Windows XP, access the option “Java Plug-in” available in the “Control Panel”. Choose the tab “Advanced” and add the parameter --Xmx128M to the text field “Java Runtime Parameters”.

To rotate the globe, press the left button mouse over its surface, keep the button pressed and, then, drag the mouse.

To zoom in or to zoom out the globe, keep the key “s” pressed, click with the left button mouse over the figure and, then, drag the mouse.

To mark a point on the Earth's surface, keep the key “i” pressed, press the left button over the globe and, then, drag the mouse. The latitude and longitude of this point will be displayed in the tab “position” on the right side of the applet. In this same tab, there is a tool that computes the distance between capitals. The corresponding geodesical arc is drawn on the globe's surface.

You may use the applet offline downloading the file earth.zip (2.8 Mb). The source code of the program is also available in this file.

This Java applet is part of an undergraduate project sponsored by PIBIC/CNPq and PROPP/UFF (Fluminense Federal University in Niterói, RJ). Additional features were programmed and gently provided by Jonas Hurrelmann and Konrad Polthier from Freie Universität in Germany. The software helps the understanding of the concepts of latitude and longitude and it allows the visualization of geographical elements over the Earth's surface like meridians, parallels, poles, political divisions and the location of many countries' capitals. Moreover, for each country, there is a corresponding link to Wikepedia (a free encyclopedia), allowing quick access to useful informations about the country: its history, economy, politics, geography, demographics, etc. Some countries were not included in the applet because they have a very small surface.

If you have some suggestion or if you wish to see some funcionality added to the program, please, contact us. The e-mail address is at the bottom of this web page.