Facts About Earth
Published September 16, 2026 · FactsSeeker
Our home planet combines a rocky surface, a protective atmosphere, and abundant liquid water.
It is the third planet
Earth orbits between Venus and Mars. Its distance from the Sun helps permit surface liquid water. [1]
The surface is mostly ocean
Water covers about seventy-one percent of the surface. Land occupies the smaller share. [1]
Nitrogen dominates the air
The atmosphere is mostly nitrogen, followed by oxygen. Other gases make up a smaller fraction. [1]
The interior has layers
The crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core have different properties and play different roles. [1]
The surface is divided into plates
Tectonic plates move over geological time. Their interactions reshape continents and ocean basins. [1]
Earth has one natural moon
The Moon is Earth’s permanent natural satellite. Its gravity contributes to ocean tides. [1]
Our planet formed billions of years ago
Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago. Gravity gathered material from the young solar system. [1]
An orbit takes more than 365 days
Earth’s year is approximately 365.25 days. Calendar leap days compensate for the extra fraction. [1]
Axial tilt produces the seasons
Earth’s tilted axis changes how sunlight reaches each hemisphere during its orbit. The hemispheres experience opposite seasons. [1]
A magnetic field surrounds the planet
Motion in Earth’s metallic outer core helps generate this field. It interacts with charged particles from the Sun. [1]
Auroras occur near the magnetic poles
Charged particles interact with atmospheric gases to produce these lights. Earth’s magnetic environment guides many of those particles poleward. [1]
It is the largest rocky planet
Earth is the largest of the solar system’s four terrestrial planets. Mercury, Venus, and Mars are the other three. [1]
Sources & further reading
Explore the linked source for more detail and the context behind these facts.
Sources checked 2026-09-16. Our approach to facts · Suggest a correction