WORLD FACTS

Human Population of the Earth:

7,245,600,000 (estimated as of May
2015)

Water vs. Land: 70.8% Water,

29.2% Land

World Population Growth: 1.064%

- 2014 estimate (this means at the
current rate of growth, the earth's
population will double in about 68
years)

Age of the Earth: About 4.55 billion

years

Countries of the World: 196 (with

the addition of South Sudan in 2011
as the world's newest country)

Average Distance from the Earth

to the Sun: 93,020,000 miles
(149,669,180 km)

Rotation on Axis: 23 hours and 56

minutes and 04.09053 seconds. But,
it takes an additional four minutes

for the earth to revolve to the same

position as the day before relative to
the sun (i.e. 24 hours).

Average Distance from the Earth

to the Moon: 238,857 miles
(384,403.1 km)

Highest Elevation on Earth - Mt.

Everest, Asia: 29,035 feet (8850 m)

Tallest Mountain on Earth from

Base to Peak - Mauna Kea, Hawaii:
33,480 feet (rising to 13,796 feet
above sea level) (10204 m; 4205 m)

Point Farthest From the Center

of the Earth - The peak of the
volcano Chimborazo in Ecuador at
20,561 feet (6267 m) is farthest from
the center of the earth due to its
location near the equator and

the oblateness of the Earth.

Deepest Point in the Ocean Challenger Deep, Mariana Trench,

Western Pacific Ocean: 36,070 feet

(10,994 m)

Highest Temperature Recorded:

134F (56.7C) - Greenland Ranch
in Death Valley, California, July 10,
1913

Lowest Temperature Recorded:

-128.5F (-89.2C) - Vostok,
Antarctica, July 21, 1983

Atmosphere Content: 77%

nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and traces of
argon, carbon dioxide and water

Revolution around Sun: 365.2425

days

Chemical Composition of the

Earth: 34.6% Iron, 29.5% Oxygen,
15.2% Silicon, 12.7% Magnesium,
2.4% Nickel, 1.9% Sulfur, and 0.05%

Titanium
The total land area of the earth's
surface is estimated at 148,647,000
sq km. This is about 29.1% of the
total surface area of Earth.
The largest and most populated
continent is Asia, with an area of
44,579,000 sq km. The idea of its
size can be had from the fact that
the total land expanse of the world
can't contain even four continents of
this size.
According to latest data for 2011, the
world population stands at more
than 7 billion. Amazingly, the world
population has doubled during the
last 40 years. It is expected to touch
about 10.5 billion by the year 2050.
On average, there are 47 people for
every sq km of the world. Macau, an
administrative region in China, has
the highest population density
18,534 per sq km; on the other hand,
places like Mongolia have less than 2
people every sq km!
By area, the largest country is

Russia - 17,075,400 sq km. The

smallest one is Vatican City, a mere
0.44 sq km. Believe it or not, Russia
can hold close to 39 million countries

the size of Vatican City!

The estimated literacy rate for the

world is 82%. Overall, the male
literacy rate (87%) happens to be
higher than the female literacy rate
(77%). Greenland is the largest
island, with an area of 2,175,600 sq
km. However, still larger is Australia,
even though it is not considered an
island officially. If it were, it would
beat Greenland by 3.5 times its size!
Caspian Sea is regarded the largest
lake in the world. Because of its
large spread (371,000 sq km) and
saline water, the ancient people
considered it an ocean!
There are 24 time zones around the
world.
The earthquake that devastated
central China in 1557 and killed
830,000 people was the most lethal
of its kind.
The maximum depth of ocean in
world is 6.9 miles.
There are 10 families into which
countries around the world can be
categorized.
There are 540 volcanoes on earth's
surface.
There are certain countries or
regions that have descriptive
names not really indicative of them,
such as Greenland and Dead Sea.
The seasons around the world
change owing to earth's orbital
positioning.
There are 10 countries in the world
that are known by separate English
names.
The average rate of lightings on a
global scale is 100 per second.
There are 14 countries and cities
whose names have been changed in
the last few years.
The estimated amount of snow
crystals that drop from skies every
year all over the world is 1 septillion.
China, North Korea, Cuba, Vietnam
and Laos are the only countries
where Communism is still active.
At any time 10% of earth's surface is
under ice.
France has the maximum overseas
dependencies - 16 and Denmark
and the Netherlands have the least 2.
From
space
earth
looks
the
brightest among all planets, thanks
to its water bodies that reflect
sunlight.
There are 10 places in the world that
are known for their distance from
habitable
locations
such
as

Badlands in USA and Highlands in

UK.
Bay of Fundy experiences the
highest difference in changes in

tide.
The quantity of water used on a
daily basis around the world is 400

billion gallons.
Monaco
has
the
highest
population concentration in the
world.
The world has only 3% fresh water.
Peregrine Falcon has the maximum

speeds among birds of the world.

The aggregate surface are of world
is 197 million square miles.

Iceland has ranked as the most

livable country in 2007 and in the
same year, Sierra Leone ranked as
the least livable country.

North
Atlantic
Treaty
Organization
(NATO)
has
26
member nations.

The
Commonwealth
of

Independent States (CIS) is made

up of 12 countries.
The Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) has
12 member nations.
G-8 or Group of 8 has 8 member
nations:
France,
Canada,
Italy,
Germany, Russia, Japan, U.S., and
UK.
Burj Khalifa (previously Burj Dubai in
Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, is
the tallest building in the world.
In 2010, Shanghai in China ranked as
the most populated city in the
world.
Vatican city is the smallest nation
in the world.
The Earth moves through space at a
speed of 66,700 miles/hour.
The Persian Gulf is the hottest sea
in the world.
Machu Picchu in Peru is also known
as "The City in the Clouds" and is
one of the Seven Wonders of the
world.
South Africa has three capital
cities - Pretoria (administrative),
Cape
Town
(legislative),
and
Bloemfontein (judicial).
Mariana Trench, the deepest place
in the world, is situated in the Pacific
Ocean.
Antarctica is the driest, tallest,
and coldest continent in the
world.
Situated in Hawaii, the Mauna Loa
volcano is the biggest volcano in
the world.
With a length of 4,132 miles, the Nile
River in Africa is the longest river
in the world.
Greenland is the largest island,
with an area of 2,175,600 sq km.

However, still larger is Australia,

even though it is not considered an
island officially. If it were, it would
beat Greenland by 3.5 times its size!
Estimated Weight (mass)
5,940,000,000,000,000,000,000
metric tons
Estimated Age 4.6 billion years
Surface Area 510,066,000 sq km
Land Area 148,647,000 sq
km 29.1%
Ocean Area 335,258,000 sq km
Total Water Area 361,419,000 sq
km 70.9%
Type of Water 97% salt, 3% fresh
Circumference at the
equator 40,066 km
Circumference at the poles 39,
992 km
Diameter at the equator 12,753
km
Diameter at the poles 12,710 km
Radius at the equator 6,376 km
Radius at the poles 6,355 km
Orbit Speeds The earth orbits the
Sun at 66,700 mph (107,320 km per
hour)

Largest Continent:

Asia, 17,212,000 square miles

Smallest Continent:

Australia, 3,132,000 square miles

Highest Mountain:

Mount Everest, Himalayan Mountains, Nepal-Tibet, 29,035 feet

Lowest Point on Land:

Deepest Underwater Trench:

above sea level

The Dead Sea, Israel-Jordan, water surface 1,349 feet below sea
level
Mariana Trench, 200 miles southwest of Guam in the Pacific
Ocean, 36,198 feet below the ocean surface

Largest Sea:

The Mediterranean Sea, 1,144,800 square miles

Highest Lake:

The highest navigable lake is Lake Titicaca in Peru, 12,500 feet

above sea level

Lowest Lake:

The Dead Sea, Israel-Jordan, surface of water 1,349 feet below

sea level

Largest Lake:

Caspian Sea, 152,239 square miles

Largest Freshwater Lake:

Lake Superior, U.S.-Canada, 31,820 square miles

Deepest Ocean:

Pacific Ocean, average depth 13,215 feet

Largest Ocean:

Pacific Ocean, 60,060,700 square miles

Smallest Ocean:

Arctic Ocean, 5,427,000 square miles

Largest Gulf:

Gulf of Mexico, 615,000 square miles

Largest Bay:

The Bay of Bengal, 1,300,000 square miles

Largest Island:

Greenland, 839,999 square miles

Largest Peninsula:

Arabia, 1,250,000 square miles

Largest Archipelago:

Indonesia, 3,500-mile stretch of 17,000 islands

Largest Gorge:

Grand Canyon, Colorado River, Arizona, U.S., 217 miles long, 4

18 miles wide, 1 mile deep

Deepest Gorge:

Hells Canyon, Snake River, Idaho, 7,900 feet deep

Longest Mountain Range:

The Andes of South America, 5,000 miles

Longest River:

The Nile, Africa, 4,180 miles

Shortest River:

The Roe, Montana, U.S., 200 feet long

Largest River:

The Amazon, South America, basin of 2,500,000 square miles

Longest Estuary:

Ob River, Russia, 550 miles long, up to 50 miles wide

Largest Lagoon:

Lagoa dos Patos, Brazil, 150 miles long, 4,500 square miles

Largest Waterfall:

Angel Falls, Venezuela, 3,212 feet high