Fascinating Facts About Planet Earth

Discover surprising facts about Earth’s oceans, land, continents, size and place in the solar system.

71% Water

About 71% of Earth’s surface is covered by water, while roughly 29% is land.

29% Land

Only about 29% of Earth’s surface is land, spread across continents and islands.

7 Continents

Earth’s land is commonly divided into seven continents: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America.

40,075 km Around

Earth’s circumference around the equator is approximately 40,075 kilometers.

12,756 km Wide

Earth’s equatorial diameter is approximately 12,756 kilometers.

150 Million km Away

Earth is approximately 150 million kilometers from the Sun, a distance known as one astronomical unit.

4.5 Billion Years Old

Earth formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago from material surrounding the young Sun.

One Ancient Supercontinent

Around 300 million years ago, Earth’s major landmasses were joined together in the supercontinent Pangaea.