Earth

Earth, also known as Sol III, is the third planet within the Sol System in the Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. Earth is the home of humanity. Earth remains the political, cultural, and symbolic center of human space, serves as the capital world for the United Nations Federation, the New Soviet Union, the Chinese Protectorate, and the Arabic Republic, and home and headquarters of the United Space Command.
Earth is the most populated planet in human-controlled space. To protect Earth, it is defended by 48 Orbital Defense Stations. The largest and most powerful of these are the Cairo, the Texas, and the America.

Known Residents

Human

Earth is the homeworld and birthplace of the human race, a species known for its remarkable adaptability and resilience. Humanity's journey started in mesopotamia within the Tigris-Euphrates river system of the modern-day Arabic Republic (formerly Iraq) and has since expanded all around the Earth and beyond. The human population grew from small bands of hunter-gatherers to complex societies and advanced civilizations that have shaped the cultural, political, and economic landscapes of Earth.
Humans have harnessed technology to build sprawling metropolises teeming with life. They've bound their continents together with intricate networks of roads, railways, ships, aircrafts, and starships. And they've connected through global and interplanetary communications networks that provide near-instantaneous contact from the remotest corners of Earth to the furthest reaches of their interstellar colonies. Humans are also characterized by their cultural diversity, with countless ethnic groups, nations, and colonies each possessing unique traditions, languages, cuisines, and art forms. This rich tapestry is reflective of the entire species' journey through time and space, a record of their shared heritage and varied experiences.

History

[coming soon]

Geography

Earth features a wide range of geographic and climatic diversity across its vast surface area. This diversity is made up of seven continents - North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and Antarctica. Each features unique ecosystems ranging from the frigid landscapes of Antarctica to the rainforests of South America and the deserts of Africa. Oceans cover approximately 71% of Earth's surface. The largest, the Pacific Ocean, spans an area greater than all the planet's landmass combined. Deep under its waves are mysterious underwater trenches deeper than Mount Everest is tall. The highest peak on Earth is Mount Everest located in the Himalayas with a height of 8,848 meters above sea level. The longest river is the Nile running through eleven countries in northeastern Africa, meandering over 6,650 kilometers. The largest desert is the Sahara, stretching across North Africa, covering an area of over 9 million square kilometers.
North America, South America, and Europe contain some of Earth’s most varied geography. North America, the third-largest continent, spans about 24.7 million square kilometers from the Arctic Circle toward the equator, bordered by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. It includes North America proper, Central America, and the Caribbean, with major features such as the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains, and the Great Lakes, the largest group of freshwater lakes by surface area in the world. South America, the fourth-largest continent, covers roughly 17.84 million square kilometers between the Caribbean Sea and Cape Horn, bordered by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It contains twelve sovereign states, French Guiana, and the Falkland Islands, and is defined by the Amazon Rainforest, the Amazon River, the Andes Mountains, the Atacama Desert, Aconcagua, and Lake Titicaca. Europe, the second-smallest continent, covers about 10.18 million square kilometers from the Arctic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and includes around fifty sovereign states. Its geography includes major rivers such as the Danube and Volga, the Scandinavian fjords, the Northern Lights, and the Alps, including Mont Blanc.
Asia and Africa are Earth’s two largest continents and contain some of the planet’s most extreme landscapes. Asia, the largest continent, covers about 44.58 million square kilometers, stretching from Siberia to Indonesia and from Anatolia to the Nippon Archipelago. It includes forty-eight countries, many territories and disputed regions, and is bordered by the Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Red Sea, and Mediterranean Sea. Its major features include the Himalayas and Mount Everest, the Yangtze, Ganges, and Mekong Rivers, the Arabian Desert, the Rub’ al Khali, the Siberian taiga, and Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest and oldest freshwater lake. Africa, the second-largest continent, covers about 30.37 million square kilometers from the Mediterranean coast to Cape Agulhas and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean. It contains fifty-four recognized sovereign states and features the Nile, Congo River, Sahara Desert, Congo rainforest, Atlas Mountains, Drakensberg Range, and Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.
Australia and Oceania, along with Antarctica, form the smallest and southernmost major geographic regions of Earth. Australia and Oceania cover about 8.525 million square kilometers, stretching from Australia’s deserts to the islands of Polynesia and from New Guinea toward Antarctica, bordered by the Indian Ocean and South Pacific Ocean. The region includes fourteen recognized sovereign states, many territories and dependencies, and major features such as the Great Sandy Desert, Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand’s Southern Alps, Lake Taupo, Papua New Guinea’s rainforests, and Mount Wilhelm. Antarctica, the southernmost continent, spans about 14 million square kilometers and is nearly twice the size of Australia. About 98% of the continent is covered by an ice sheet averaging 1.6 kilometers thick, holding around 70% of Earth’s fresh water. Surrounded by the Southern Ocean, Antarctica is a polar desert and an important climate and research region, with Mount Vinson as its highest peak and vast ice shelves such as the Ross and Ronne Ice Shelves supporting seals, whales, and penguins.

Climate

The Earth's climate is defined by a complex system of meteorological elements, including, but not limited to, temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and atmospheric pressure. It is influenced by a myriad of factors including the Earth’s rotation, distance from the sun, and the composition of the atmosphere. Among the Earth's five major climatic zones - tropical, dry, temperate, continental and polar - each provides unique conditions that sustain a diverse array of ecosystems. The tropical zone around the equator experiences high temperatures and heavy rainfall throughout the year, giving rise to lush jungles teeming with diversity such as the Amazon Rainforest in South America.
Dry climates, seen in areas like the Sahara Desert, receive minimal rainfall and can be divided into arid or semiarid zones. These regions are characterized by bare, rocky landscapes and extreme temperature changes between day and night. Still, they support a wide array of wildlife, from hardy desert plants to insects, reptiles, and mammals uniquely adapted to their harsh environment. Temperate zones exhibit moderate rainfall and variations in temperature throughout the year. These climates foster a rich variety of ecosystems, including deciduous forests in North America, Europe's grasslands, and Australia's expansive Mediterranean scrublands known as the Outback.
Continental climates are far from oceans—resulting in large annual temperature ranges. These regions experience long, cold winters and short, hot summers. For instance, Siberia in Russia, known for its severe winter conditions, falls under this type of climate. Despite the extreme conditions, these areas are home to a diverse range of plant and animal life; from coniferous taiga forests to the sparse tundra populated by reindeer, wolves and bears. Polar climates cover the Arctic and Antarctic regions - including Greenland and parts of the Alaskan Frontier Republic, Canada, Russia, and northern Scandinavia. These areas remain ice-covered throughout the year with extremely low temperatures.

Biodiversity and conservation

Biodiversity, the variety of life on Earth, manifests most remarkably in these diverse climatic zones. In every nook and cranny of the planet, life adapts and thrives - from the microorganisms that colonize the volcanic vents in the ocean depths to the snow leopards prowling the Himalayan peaks. This richness of life forms not only adds to the Earth's natural beauty but also plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and sustaining human life. Deaccelerating anthropogenic activities, including interstellar terraforming and colonization, have helped save many wildlife species once deemed endangered by allowing them to repopulate newly terraformed worlds. However, conservation efforts on Earth continue to be critically important.
From the towering sequoias of the Republic of California to the fragile coral reefs in the Pacific, various organizations work tirelessly to protect these natural wonders and the wildlife they support. Marine protected areas have been established worldwide, helping to safeguard marine biodiversity against threats like overfishing and pollution. On land, national parks and wildlife reserves serve as safe havens for countless endangered species, offering them a chance of survival free from hunting and habitat destruction. At the heart of all conservation efforts lies a simple principle: to ensure the survival of Earth's magnificent biodiversity for future generations. To this end, reforestation programs have breathed new life into once barren lands.

Government and Politics

Even in the 28th century, Earth still hasn't achieved a true global government. There are still numerous national governments on the Earth and other planetary colonies that fall under the jurisdiction of those governments. While these governments appear to maintain a limited degree of independence...domestically, their overall authority both internationally and colonially is negligible as most of these governing functions are handled by the United Nations Federation, New Soviet Union, and Chinese Protectorate. Unaffiliated nations have even less independence and are barred from advancing into a developed nation.

Political subdivisions

[coming soon]

Foreign relations

[coming soon]

Military

Earth as a whole, is defended by the United Space Command, though each individual nation still maintains their own national militaries, making Earth the most heavily defended and contested planet in human-controlled space.

[coming soon]

Law enforcement and crime

[coming soon]

Economy

[coming soon]

Science, technology, and energy

[coming soon]

Transportation

[coming soon]

Demographics

[coming soon]

Population

[coming soon]

Language

[coming soon]

Immigration

[coming soon]

Religion

[coming soon]

Urbanization

[coming soon]

Education

[coming soon]

Health

[coming soon]

Culture and Society

[coming soon]

Mass media

[coming soon]

Literature and visual arts

[coming soon]

Cinema and theater

[coming soon]

Music

[coming soon]

Cuisine

[coming soon]

Sports

[coming soon]

Designations

Alternative names

The world, The globe, Terra, Tellus, Gaia, Mother Earth, Sol III

Adjectives

Earthly, Terrestrial, Terran, Tellurian

Astrographical Information

Galaxy

Milkyway

Galactic Arm

Orion

System

Sol system

Orbiting

Sol

Orbital position

Third planet

Orbital Distance

1 AU (149,598,023 km)

Orbital characteristics

Aphelion

1.017 AU (152,097,597 km)

Perihelion

0.983 AU (147,098,450 km)

Semi-major axis

1 AU (149,598,023 km)

Eccentricity

0.0167086

Orbital period (sidereal)

365.2 days

Average orbital speed

29.7827 km/s

Mean anomaly

358.617°

Inclination

• 7.155° – Sol's equator;

• 1.57869° – invariable plane;

• 0.00005° – J2000 ecliptic

Longitude of ascending node

−11.26064° – J2000 ecliptic

Time of perihelion

220.8 days

Argument of perihelion

114.20783°

Moon(s)

1; Luna

Physical characteristics

Diameter

12,756 km (7,926 mi)

Mean radius

6,371 km (3,959 mi)

Equatorial radius

6,378.1 km (3,963.2 mi)

Polar radius

6,356.8 km (3,949.9 mi)

Flattening

0.0033528

Circumference

• 40,075.017 km; equatorial

• 40,007.86 km; meridional

Surface area 510,072,000 km²

• Land: 148,940,000 km²

• Water: 361,132,000 km² (71% of the Earth's surface area)

Volume

1.08321×10¹² km³

Mass

5.972168×10²⁴ kg

Mean density

5.513 g/cm³

Surface gravity

9.807 m/s² (exactly 1 g)

Moment of inertia factor

0.3307

Escape velocity

11.186 km/s

Synodic rotation period

24 hours

Sidereal rotation period

23 hours, 56 minutes, 4.100 seconds

Equatorial rotation velocity

0.4651 km/s

Axial tilt

23.4°

Albedo

• 0.434 geometric

• 0.294 Bond

Temperature 255 K

Surface temperature

• -89.2°C (-128.5°F) min

• 14.76°C (58.5°F) mean

• 56.7°C (134.06°F) max

Surface absorbed dose rate

0.214 μGy/h

Surface equivalent dose rate

0.274 μSv/h

Apparent magnitude

−26.74" to −26.72"

Absolute magnitude (H)

−3.99

Atmosphere

Surface pressure

101.325 kPa; 1.0 atm (at sea level)

Composition by volume

• 78.08% nitrogen (dry air)

• 20.95% oxygen (dry air)

• ≤1% water vapor (variable)

• 0.9340% argon

• 0.0415% carbon dioxide

• 0.00182% neon

• 0.00052% helium

• 0.00017% methane

• 0.00011% krypton

• 0.00006% hydrogen

Societal Information

Species

Human (Homeworld)

Capital(s)

Washington D.C., USA (UNF)

Moscow, Russia (New USSR)

Beijing, China (CP)

Baghdad, Arabic Republic (AR)

Largest Cities

New York City, Los Angles, London, Paris, Rome, Cairo, Tokyo, Dallas, Berlin, Seattle, Chicago, Pheonix, Oklahoma City, Miami, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv

Official languages

none

National languages

Multiple languages

Ethnic groups (2720)

• By race:

  • 52% White
  • 27% Black
  • 10% Hispanic
  • 11% Other

• By Origin:

  • 98.6% Earthling
  • 1.4% non-Earthling

Religion (2720)

• 67% Christianity

  • 33% Protestantism
  • 22% Catholicism
  • 12% Other Christian

• 22% Unaffiliated

• 1% Islam

• 1% Hinduism

• 1% Buddhism

• 1% Judaism

• 4% Other religion

• 3% Unanswered

Demonym

Earthling

Government

United Nations Federation

New Soviet Union

Chinese Protectorate

Arabic Republic

Multiple national governments

Population

• 2722 estimate 10,965,725,764 (low increase)

• 2720 census 10,983,598,681

• Density 992.65/sq mi

GDP (PPP)

2725 estimate

Total ₵797.476 trillion (1st)

Per capita ₵807,957 (1st)

GDP (nominal)

2725 estimate

Total ₵797.476 trillion (1st)

Per capita ₵807,957 (1st)

Gini (2720)

68.3 Negative decrease; high

HDI (2721)

6.967 Increase; very high · 1st

Currency

UNF Credit (₵), Soviet Credit, Chinese Yien, local/regional currencies

Date format

mm/dd/yyyy, or dd/mm/yyyy

Driving side

right or left (Varies by nation)