Relative location refers to the position of a place or entity based on its location with respect to other locations. It is not a fixed reference and will change based on the secondary location. For example, the United States is located south of Canada. If the location of the United States is described based on its relative location to Venezuela, then it would be described as being north of that country. Relative location can also be used to provide geographic context, such as in overview or locator maps that show the relative location of a place or entity based on a larger geographic view.
In contrast, absolute location describes a precise point on Earth or another defined space. It is a fixed reference and does not change. For example, the absolute location of the United States Capitol is at First St SE in Washington, DC 20004, with a latitude/longitude of 38° 53′ 35″ N, 77° 00′ 32″ W.
Relative location is a more subjective way of describing a places location, as it is based on peoples perceptions and experiences of the area. It can be used to describe a places proximity to other important features, such as rivers, mountains, or cities.
