diff --git a/R/PlotEquiMap.R b/R/PlotEquiMap.R
index 9c78873e98dbafa5f8c8943c695ad5613a57e62c..f6a85380bedaa0649ae56026c2721a6e308f4f2f 100644
--- a/R/PlotEquiMap.R
+++ b/R/PlotEquiMap.R
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@
 #'@param lab_dist_y A numeric of the distance of the latitude labels to the 
 #'  box borders. The default value is NULL and is automatically adjusted by 
 #'  the function.
+#'@param degree_sym A logical indicating whether to include degree symbol (30° N) or not (30N; default).
 #'@param intylat Interval between latitude ticks on y-axis, in degrees. 
 #'  Defaults to 20.
 #'@param intxlon Interval between latitude ticks on x-axis, in degrees. 
@@ -237,7 +238,7 @@ PlotEquiMap <- function(var, lon, lat, varu = NULL, varv = NULL,
                         arr_ref_len = 15, arr_units = "m/s", 
                         arr_scale_shaft = 1, arr_scale_shaft_angle = 1,
                         axelab = TRUE, labW = FALSE, 
-                        lab_dist_x = NULL, lab_dist_y = NULL,
+                        lab_dist_x = NULL, lab_dist_y = NULL, degree_sym = FALSE,
                         intylat = 20, intxlon = 20, 
                         axes_tick_scale = 1, axes_label_scale = 1,
                         drawleg = TRUE, subsampleg = NULL, 
@@ -700,6 +701,7 @@ PlotEquiMap <- function(var, lon, lat, varu = NULL, varv = NULL,
     margin_scale[1] <- margin_scale[1] - 1
   }
   margins <- rep(0.4, 4) * margin_scale
+  margins[4] <- margins[4] + 1
   cex_title <- 2 * title_scale
   cex_axes_labels <- 1.3 * axes_label_scale
   cex_axes_ticks <- -0.5 * axes_tick_scale
@@ -708,20 +710,34 @@ PlotEquiMap <- function(var, lon, lat, varu = NULL, varv = NULL,
     ypos <- seq(latmin, latmax, intylat)
     xpos <- seq(lonmin, lonmax, intxlon)
     letters <- array('', length(ypos))
-    letters[ypos < 0] <- 'S'
-    letters[ypos > 0] <- 'N'
+    if (degree_sym == FALSE) {
+      letters[ypos < 0] <- 'S'
+      letters[ypos > 0] <- 'N'
+    } else {
+      letters[ypos < 0] <- paste(intToUtf8(176), 'S')
+      letters[ypos > 0] <- paste(intToUtf8(176), 'N')
+    }
     ylabs <- paste(as.character(abs(ypos)), letters, sep = '')
     letters <- array('', length(xpos))
     if (labW) {
       xpos2 <- xpos  
       xpos2[xpos2 > 180] <- 360 - xpos2[xpos2 > 180]
     }
-    letters[xpos < 0] <- 'W'
-    letters[xpos > 0] <- 'E'
+    if (degree_sym == FALSE) {
+      letters[xpos < 0] <- 'W'
+      letters[xpos > 0] <- 'E'
+    } else {
+      letters[xpos < 0] <- paste(intToUtf8(176), 'W')
+      letters[xpos > 0] <- paste(intToUtf8(176), 'E')
+    }
     if (labW) {
       letters[xpos == 0] <- ' '
       letters[xpos == 180] <- ' '
-      letters[xpos > 180] <- 'W'  
+      if (degree_sym == FALSE) {
+        letters[xpos > 180] <- 'W'
+      } else {
+        letters[xpos > 180] <- paste(intToUtf8(176), 'W')
+      }  
       xlabs <- paste(as.character(abs(xpos2)), letters, sep = '')
     } else {
       xlabs <- paste(as.character(abs(xpos)), letters, sep = '')
diff --git a/man/PlotEquiMap.Rd b/man/PlotEquiMap.Rd
index c025afdab92225e2f5d4556ee559ed27944285ee..b574904cedbc13e914b8059e21ef3e8e5119b7a1 100644
--- a/man/PlotEquiMap.Rd
+++ b/man/PlotEquiMap.Rd
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ PlotEquiMap(
   labW = FALSE,
   lab_dist_x = NULL,
   lab_dist_y = NULL,
+  degree_sym = FALSE,
   intylat = 20,
   intxlon = 20,
   axes_tick_scale = 1,
@@ -229,6 +230,8 @@ the function.}
 box borders. The default value is NULL and is automatically adjusted by 
 the function.}
 
+\item{degree_sym}{A logical indicating whether to include degree symbol (30° N) or not (30N; default).}
+
 \item{intylat}{Interval between latitude ticks on y-axis, in degrees. 
 Defaults to 20.}