What is a compass bearing?
A compass bearing is a direction measured in degrees clockwise from North. 0° is always North, 90° is East, 180° is South, and 270° is West. A bearing of 315° points northwest.
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Compass Bearings Reference
A complete reference chart for compass bearings from 0° to 360°, with cardinal and intercardinal direction names and abbreviations.
| Degrees | Cardinal / Intercardinal Name | Abbrev. | Compass Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0° | North | N | Cardinal |
| 22.5° | North-Northeast | NNE | Half-quarter |
| 45° | Northeast | NE | Intercardinal |
| 67.5° | East-Northeast | ENE | Half-quarter |
| 90° | East | E | Cardinal |
| 112.5° | East-Southeast | ESE | Half-quarter |
| 135° | Southeast | SE | Intercardinal |
| 157.5° | South-Southeast | SSE | Half-quarter |
| 180° | South | S | Cardinal |
| 202.5° | South-Southwest | SSW | Half-quarter |
| 225° | Southwest | SW | Intercardinal |
| 247.5° | West-Southwest | WSW | Half-quarter |
| 270° | West | W | Cardinal |
| 292.5° | West-Northwest | WNW | Half-quarter |
| 315° | Northwest | NW | Intercardinal |
| 337.5° | North-Northwest | NNW | Half-quarter |
Cardinal Directions
The four main compass points, each 90° apart.
North
0°
East
90°
South
180°
West
270°
Navigation Guide
Understanding compass bearings.
The 32-point compass rose
Traditional compasses divide the circle into 32 points, each 11.25° apart. The 16 main points (shown above) include all cardinal (N, E, S, W) and intercardinal (NE, SE, SW, NW) directions.
Reading bearings on a compass
Hold the compass flat and let the needle settle. The red end points magnetic North. Rotate the bezel until the orienting arrow aligns with the needle — the bearing is read at the index line.
Azimuth vs Bearing
Both azimuth and bearing describe horizontal direction. Azimuth is measured clockwise from North from 0° to 360°, which is the same as a bearing in this tool. Some navigation systems use different conventions.