Cardinal and Ordinal Directions (North, East, South, West)

The directional names are also routinely and very conveniently associated with the degrees of rotation in the unit circle, a necessary step for navigational calculations (derived from trigonometry) and/or for use with Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Receivers. The four cardinal directions correspond to the following degrees of a compass:

North (N): 0° = 360°

East (E): 90°

South (S): 180°

West (W): 270°

An ordinal, or inter-cardinal, or intermediate, direction is one of the four intermediate compass directions located halfway between the cardinal directions.

Northeast (NE), 45°, halfway between north and east, is the opposite of southwest.

Southeast (SE), 135°, halfway between south and east, is the opposite of northwest.

Southwest (SW), 225°, halfway between south and west, is the opposite of northeast.

Northwest (NW), 315°, halfway between north and west, is the opposite of southeast.

These 8 words have been further compounded, resulting in a total of 16 named (and numbered) points evenly spaced around the compass. Some languages do not use compound words to name the points, instead assigning unique words, colors, and/or associations with phenomena of the natural world.

#	Compass point	Abbr.	Traditional wind point	Lowest	Middle	Highest
1	North	N	Tramontana		0.00°	5.62°
2	North by east	NbE		5.63°	11.25°	16.87°
3	North-northeast	NNE		16.88°	22.50°	28.12°
4	Northeast by north	NEbN		28.13°	33.75°	39.37°
5	Northeast	NE	Greco or Bora	39.38°	45.00°	50.62°
6	Northeast by east	NEbE		50.63°	56.25°	61.87°
7	East-northeast	ENE		61.88°	67.50°	73.12°
8	East by north	EbN		73.13°	78.75°	84.37°
9	East	E	Levante	84.38°	90.00°	95.62°
10	East by south	EbS		95.63°	101.25°	106.87°
11	East-southeast	ESE		106.88°	112.50°	118.12°
12	Southeast by east	SEbE		118.13°	123.75°	129.37°
13	Southeast	SE	Sirocco	129.38°	135.00°	140.62°
14	Southeast by south	SEbS		140.63°	146.25°	151.87°
15	South-southeast	SSE		151.88°	157.50°	163.12°
16	South by east	SbE		163.13°	168.75°	174.37°
17	South	S	Ostro	174.38°	180.00°	185.62°
18	South by west	SbW		185.63°	191.25°	196.87°
19	South-southwest	SSW		196.88°	202.50°	208.12°
20	Southwest by south	SWbS		208.13°	213.75°	219.37°
21	Southwest	SW	Libeccio	219.38°	225.00°	230.62°
22	Southwest by west	SWbW		230.63°	236.25°	241.87°
23	West-southwest	WSW		241.88°	247.50°	253.12°
24	West by south	WbS		253.13°	258.75°	264.37°
25	West	W	Poniente or Zephyrus	264.38°	270.00°	275.62°
26	West by north	WbN		275.63°	281.25°	286.87°
27	West-northwest	WNW		286.88°	292.50°	298.12°
28	Northwest by west	NWbW		298.13°	303.75°	309.37°
29	Northwest	NW	Mistral	309.38°	315.00°	320.62°
30	Northwest by north	NWbN		320.63°	326.25°	331.87°
31	North-northwest	NNW		331.88°	337.50°	343.12°
32	North by west	NbW		343.13°	348.75°	354.37°
1	North	N	Tramontana	354.38°	360.00°