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Appendix 2 - Dimensions of Earth and Ocean

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    52295
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    The Earth

    Earth's Dimensions
    Space Distance (km)
    Radius at equator  6,378
    Radius at poles  6,357
    Average radius  6,371
    Circumference at equator 40,077

    Areas of Land and Oceans

    Earth's Areas
    Space Area (km2)
    Land (29.22% of total) 149,000,000
    Oceans and seas (70.78%) 361,000,000
    Pacific Ocean (marginal seas included) 180,000,000
    Atlantic Ocean (marginal seas included) 107,000,000
    Indian Ocean (marginal seas included) 74,000,000
    Ice sheets and glaciers 15,600,000
    Land plus continental shelf 177,400,000
    Land in the Northern Hemisphere 100,200,000
    Ocean in the Northern Hemisphere 154,800,000
    Land in the Southern Hemisphere 48,700,000
    Ocean in the Southern Hemisphere 206,300,000

    Percentage of Ocean Area Occupied by Ocean Provinces

    Area of Earth's Ocean Features
    Space Percentage
    Continental shelf and slope 15.30%
    Continental rise  5.3%
    Abyssal seafloor 41.80%
    Volcanoes and volcanic ridges  3.1%
    Oceanic ridges and rises 32.70%
    Trenches  1.7%

    Density and Mass of Earth's Spheres

    Earth's Density and Mass
    Space Average Thickness or Radius
    (km)
    Mean Density 
    (g · cm–1)
    Total Mass
    (1024 g)
    Atmosphere 0.005
    Oceans and seas 3.8 1.03 1.41
    Ice sheets and glaciers 1.6 0.9 0.023
    Continental crust (includes continental shelves) 35 2.8 17.39
    Oceanic crust (excludes continental shelves) 8 2.9 7.71
    Mantle 2881 4.53 4068
    Core 3473 10.7 1881

    Elevations and Depths

    Earth's Highs and Lows
    Space Distance (m)
    Average elevation of land 840
    Average depth of oceans 3,800
    Average depth of Pacific Ocean (marginal seas excluded) 3,940
    Average depth of Atlantic Ocean (marginal seas excluded) 3,310
    Average depth of Indian Ocean (marginal seas excluded) 3,840
    Highest elevation of land (Mount Everest) 8,848
    Greatest depth of oceans (Mariana Trench) 11,035
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