The Earth's crust varies in depth depending on whether it is oceanic or continental crust.
- The continental crust ranges approximately from 30 km to 50 km in thickness, and in some tectonically active regions, it can be as thick as 55 to 70 km. The thickest parts of the continental crust lie under mountain ranges.
- The oceanic crust is much thinner, typically about 10 km to 12 km thick, with an average depth under the ocean floor of about 3 to 6 miles (5 to 10 km).
In summary, the crust depth:
- Continental crust: about 30 to 70 km thick
- Oceanic crust: about 5 to 12 km thick
The crust is the Earth's outermost solid layer, relatively thin compared to the deeper mantle and core layers.
