facts about earth

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Nature

Here are some key facts about Earth:

  • Earth is the third planet from the Sun in the Solar System and the only known astronomical object to harbor life. It formed about 4.5 billion years ago from gas and dust in the early Solar System.
  • About 70.8% of Earth's surface is covered by liquid water, mostly in the form of oceans. The remaining 29.2% is land including continents and islands.
  • Earth's atmosphere is mostly nitrogen and oxygen. It sustains life by regulating temperature, protecting from harmful solar radiation, and enabling water to exist in liquid form.
  • The planet has a solid, rocky surface with diverse features such as mountains, valleys, deserts, and plains. The inner structure includes a solid inner core, liquid outer core, mantle, and crust.
  • Earth completes one orbit around the Sun in about 365.25 days (1 year) and rotates around its axis approximately every 24 hours, causing day and night. Its axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, which causes the seasons.
  • Earth has one natural satellite, the Moon, which influences tides and stabilizes Earth's axis.
  • It is the densest and largest of the four rocky planets in the Solar System.
  • Earth supports immense biodiversity, including millions of species of plants, animals, fungi, and other life forms.

These facts highlight Earth's unique features that allow it to sustain life and make it a dynamic and diverse planet in our Solar System.