Do You Capitalize North, South, East, and West?
Learn when north, south, east, west, northern, southern, eastern, and western are capitalized as directions, regions, names, and title words.
North, south, east, and west are lowercase when they describe a direction. They are capitalized when they form part of a proper name or refer to a recognized region as a proper geographic or cultural name.
That distinction sounds simple, but words such as Western, Southern, and Midwestern can change meaning depending on context.
Directions Are Lowercase
Use lowercase when the word tells someone which way to go.
Examples:
Drive north for two miles.
The storm moved east.
The window faces west.
They traveled south.
These are compass directions, not proper names.
Directions in Addresses
Address formats can use abbreviations and capitalization according to postal or local conventions.
Examples can include:
N
S
E
W
as directional address components.
This is an address formatting issue, not ordinary prose capitalization.
Regions Can Be Capitalized
Capitalize a recognized geographic or cultural region.
Examples:
the West
the South
the Midwest
the Middle East
the Pacific Northwest
These terms function as proper regional names.
Sentence:
She grew up in the South.
This does not simply mean she grew up somewhere south of the speaker. “the South” refers to a recognized region.
“Western” Can Be Capitalized or Lowercase
Lowercase for direction:
the western side of the building
Capitalized for a recognized region or cultural concept:
Western Europe
Western philosophy
The exact capitalization can depend on how narrowly the term is being used and the style guide.
“Southern” Examples
Lowercase direction:
the southern entrance
Regional proper name:
Southern California
Generic descriptive area:
southern Pakistan
can be lowercase if it simply means the southern part rather than an official named region.
Meaning determines case.
“Northern” Examples
Generic direction:
northern France
can be lowercase when it simply describes the north part of the country.
Formal or recognized regional name:
Northern Ireland
is capitalized because it is a proper name.
“Eastern” Examples
eastern coast
is descriptive.
Eastern Europe
is commonly capitalized as a recognized region.
Again, the word itself does not have one permanent case.
“Midwestern” in Chicago 18
Chicago 18 updated its guidance and now capitalizes Midwestern and Midwesterner, along with analogous terms related to recognized regions.
This is another reminder that style manuals evolve.
If you are writing under Chicago, use the current edition rather than a decade old capitalization article.
North Pole and South Pole
Formal geographic names are capitalized:
North Pole
South Pole
Generic direction:
north
remains lowercase.
Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
and:
Southern Hemisphere
are commonly capitalized as formal geographic designations.
In less formal descriptive prose, house style can vary. Follow the publication's standard.
The Global North and Global South
Terms such as:
Global North
Global South
are commonly capitalized when they refer to geopolitical and economic groupings.
They are conceptual region names, not simple compass directions.
Because the terms can carry political and analytical meaning, use them carefully and define them when necessary.
East Coast and West Coast
Recognized U.S. regions are commonly capitalized:
East Coast
West Coast
Generic:
the east coast of the island
can be lowercase because it describes a physical side of an island rather than a proper region.
Context decides.
Directions in Titles
In Title Case, a directional word can be capitalized simply because it is a major word in the title.
Example:
Traveling North for the Winter
“North” is capitalized because it appears in title case, even though the sentence form would be:
We are traveling north for the winter.
This is title capitalization, not proper name capitalization.
Directions in Sentence Case Titles
Sentence case removes that title based capital unless the word is a proper name.
Title case:
Traveling North for the Winter
Sentence case:
Traveling north for the winter
Regional proper name:
Writing about the South
keeps “South” capitalized because the region is a proper name.
“North of” and “South of”
Use lowercase when indicating relative location:
The town is north of the river.
The airport is south of the city.
These phrases describe direction.
Compass Points in Maps
Maps, diagrams, and interfaces often capitalize compass labels:
NORTH
SOUTH
EAST
WEST
This is a display convention.
It does not mean the same words should be capitalized in body prose.
Cultural and Political Uses
Terms such as:
the West
Western culture
the East
can refer to broad cultural or political concepts.
Capitalization may depend on the publication and meaning. Because such categories can oversimplify diverse societies, precise wording is often better than relying on broad regional labels.
Country and Region Names
Proper geographic names are capitalized:
South Africa
North Korea
South Korea
East Timor is commonly referred to internationally as Timor-Leste, so use the current official name appropriate to the context.
Do not lowercase part of a proper country name merely because it is a compass word.
Common Mistakes
Capitalizing directions automatically
Wrong:
Drive North for three miles.
Better:
Drive north for three miles.
Lowercasing a region
Wrong:
the middle east
Better:
the Middle East
Assuming “southern” is always lowercase
It can be part of a proper regional name.
Using title case rules in body text
A capital in a heading does not prove the word needs a capital in a normal sentence.
A Quick Test
Ask:
- Is the word giving a direction?
- Is it part of an official place name?
- Is it a recognized regional name?
- Is the word capitalized only because the text is in Title Case?
- Does my style guide define this region specially?
If it is only a direction, use lowercase.
Related Resources
- Use the Title Case Converter
- When Should Job Titles Be Capitalized?
- Are Seasons Capitalized? Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter Explained
- Are Academic Degrees Capitalized? Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, and More
Frequently Asked Questions
Is north capitalized?
Not when it means a direction. Capitalize it when it forms part of a proper name or appears as a major word in title case.
Is the South capitalized?
Yes when referring to a recognized region such as the American South. Use lowercase when simply describing a southern direction or area.
Is “western” capitalized?
It depends. Use lowercase for a direction or descriptive area, and uppercase when it forms part of a recognized proper regional or cultural term such as Western Europe.
Is “Midwestern” capitalized?
Under current Chicago 18 guidance, Midwestern and Midwesterner are capitalized as regional terms.