Geography

Initial Bearing Calculator

Calculate the initial bearing from one geographic coordinate to another.

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Calculate the initial bearing from one geographic coordinate to another.

How it works

Enter compatible geographic values. The calculator validates the numerical inputs and applies Initial bearing θ = atan2(sin Δλ × cos φ2, cos φ1 × sin φ2 - sin φ1 × cos φ2 × cos Δλ).

The formula

Initial bearing θ = atan2(sin Δλ × cos φ2, cos φ1 × sin φ2 - sin φ1 × cos φ2 × cos Δλ)

Variables: Latitude 1 = Latitude 1 (°); Longitude 1 = Longitude 1 (°); Latitude 2 = Latitude 2 (°); Longitude 2 = Longitude 2 (°).

Worked example

Example: From (0°, 0°) to (0°, 1°), the initial spherical bearing is 90°.

Frequently asked questions

What is this Geography calculator intended for?

It is an educational tool for map scale, population and spherical geographic calculations.

Is the result suitable for professional surveying or official statistical reporting?

Not automatically. Surveying can require ellipsoidal geodesy, a specified datum and higher-precision methods, while official statistics can use defined population, land-area and growth methodologies.

Last content reviewSeptember 26, 2026
Editorial reviewHe-Sab Editorial Review

Sources and references

These sources are used to verify terminology, formulas, and information related to this calculator.