If you were dropped at a completely random spot on the planet, what would be your chances of landing on land?
The total surface area of Earth is approximately 197 million square miles. Research has shown that about 71% of our of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. The ocean covers most of that area, dwarfing other saltwater and freshwater bodies like lakes and rivers. The remaining 29% of Earth’s surface is land, consisting of continents and islands. If you were dropped at a completely random location on the planet, you’d have approximately a one-in-three chance of landing on land. Deserts cover approximately one third of the land’s surface area.
One in three
One in five
One in ten
Fifty-fifty
The correct answer is One in three.