page_title: Earth
section_title: Human geography
hierarchical_section_title: Earth / Human geography
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch&#x3a;&#32; Karte der Kontinente, basierend auf File:BlankMap-World.png. Die Karte enthält keine Beschriftung, damit sie als Grundlage für verschiedene Sprachen benutzt werden kann. Kontinente, für die verschiedene Aufteilungen in Gebrauch sind (z.B. Amerika bzw. Nord-/Südamerika oder Eurasien bzw. Europa/Asien) sind in verschiedenen Abstufungen der selben Farbe gehalten. Amerika: &#160;&#160; Nordamerika &#160;&#160; Südamerika Eurasien: &#160;&#160; Asien &#160;&#160; Europa &#160;&#160; Afrika &#160;&#160; Australien/Ozeanien &#160;&#160; AntarktikEnglish&#x3a;&#32; Compiled chiefly from File:BlankMap-World.png. Blank to permit labels in various languages. Controversial continents/subcontinents (i.e. one or two Americas, Eurasia vs Europe and Asia) are in different shades of the same colour: Americas: &#160;&#160; North America &#160;&#160; South America Eurasia: &#160;&#160; Asia &#160;&#160; Europe &#160;&#160; Africa &#160;&#160; Australia/Oceania &#160;&#160; AntarcticaFrançais&#x202f;&#x3a;&#32; Carte des continents, depuis File:BlankMap-World.png. C'est vide pour permettre aux gens d'ajouter des étiquettes propres à diverses langues. Les continents/sous-continents dont le statut est controversé (par example une Amérique ou deux, Eurasie vs Europe et Asie) sont illustrés en teints différents de la même couleur. Amérique: &#160;&#160; Amérique du Nord &#160;&#160; Amérique du Sud Eurasie: &#160;&#160; Asie &#160;&#160; Europe &#160;&#160; Afrique &#160;&#160; Océanie &#160;&#160; AntarctiqueItaliano&#x202f;&#x3a;&#32; Carta dei continenti, basata su File:BlankMap-World.png. La carta non contiene descrizioni, in modo che possa essere utilizzata in ogni lingua. I continenti che sono spesso menzionati come diversi (ad esempio America e Nord/Sud Amerika) sono mostrati in diverse gradazioni dello stesso colore. America: &#160;&#160; America del Nord &#160;&#160; America del Sud Eurasia: &#160;&#160; Asia &#160;&#160; Europa &#160;&#160; Africa &#160;&#160; Oceania &#160;&#160; AntartidePolski&#x3a;&#32; Mapa kontynentów, oparta na File:BlankMap-World.png. Nie zawiera żadnych nazw, aby można je było nanosić w różnych językach. Kontynenty, pomiędzy którymi granice są dyskusyjne (tzn. Ameryka Północna i Południowa, Europa i Azja) oznaczono różnymi odcieniami tych samych kolorów.
context_page_description: Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. According to radiometric dating estimation and other evidence, Earth formed over 4.5 billion years ago. Earth's gravity interacts with other objects in space, especially the Sun and the Moon, which is Earth's only natural satellite. Earth orbits around the Sun in 365.256 solar days, a period known as an Earth sidereal year. During this time, Earth rotates about its axis 366.256 times; that is, a sidereal year has 366.256 sidereal days.
  Earth's axis of rotation is tilted with respect to its orbital plane, producing seasons on Earth. The gravitational interaction between Earth and the Moon causes tides, stabilizes Earth's orientation on its axis, and gradually slows its rotation. Earth is the densest planet in the Solar System and the largest and most massive of the four rocky planets.
  Earth's outer layer is divided into several rigid tectonic plates that migrate across the surface over many millions of years. About 29% of Earth's surface is land consisting of continents and islands.
context_section_description: Cartography, the study and practice of map-making, and geography, the study of the lands, features, inhabitants and phenomena on Earth, have historically been the disciplines devoted to depicting Earth. Surveying, the determination of locations and distances, and to a lesser extent navigation, the determination of position and direction, have developed alongside cartography and geography, providing and suitably quantifying the requisite information.
  Earth's human population reached approximately seven billion on 31 October 2011. Projections indicate that the world's human population will reach 9.2 billion in 2050. Most of the growth is expected to take place in developing nations. Human population density varies widely around the world, but a majority live in Asia. By 2030, 60% of the world's population is expected to be living in urban, rather than rural, areas.
  68% of the land mass of the world is in the northern hemisphere. Partly due to the predominance of land mass, 90% of humans live in the northern hemisphere.
  It is estimated that one-eighth of Earth's surface is suitable for humans to live on – three-quarters of Earth's surface is covered by oceans, leaving one-quarter as land. Half of that land area is desert (14%), high mountains (27%), or other unsuitable terrains. The northernmost permanent settlement in the world is Alert, on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, Canada. (82°28′N) The southernmost is the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station, in Antarctica, almost exactly at the South Pole. (90°S)
  States claim the planet's entire land surface, except for parts of Antarctica and a few other unclaimed areas. Earth has never had a planetwide government, but the United Nations is the leading worldwide intergovernmental organization. 
  The first human to orbit Earth was Yuri Gagarin on 12 April 1961. In total, about 487 people have visited outer space and reached orbit as of 30 July 2010, and, of these, twelve have walked on the Moon. Normally, the only humans in space are those on the International Space Station. The station's crew, made up of six people, is usually replaced every six months. The farthest that humans have traveled from Earth is 400,171 km (248,655 mi), achieved during the Apollo 13 mission in 1970.
caption: The seven continents of Earth:[213]        North America  South America  Antarctica   Europe  Africa   Asia  Australia vte
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