| Earth | |
|---|---|
 "Blue Marble" photo of Earth, from Apollo 17 in 1972. | |
|
Other Designations |
Sol III, Terra |
|
Orbital Distance from Sol: |
93 million miles (Approx. 1 AU) |
|
Continents: |
North and South America, Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, Antarctica |
|
Oceans: |
Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic Oceans |
|
Moon(s): |
Luna |
|
Major Space Agencies: |
NASA, JAXA, ESA |
|
Largest Country: |
Russia |
|
Human Population: |
(as of 2011) 7.2 billion |
|
Highest Mountain: |
(as of 2011) Mount Everest - Height 29,000 ft |
|
Current Age: |
Between 9 and 12 thousand years |
Earth is the home of the human race, as well as the third and only habitable planet in the Sol System.
Description
It is the only habitable planet within the Sol System, and the only known suitable for life in the universe for humans. Earth's age is not entirely known, but humans continually debate its age, though many think it as being anywhere from 6 to 12,000 years old. Earth has seven major continents and four major oceans. It constantly weathers natural disasters, from hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, to impact events from scattered asteroids and comets. It also has a manmade planetary 'ring' of sorts, composed of large groups of manmade satellites that circle the planet at various orbital distances, mainly communication and weather satellites, as of 2012.