Earth Land – View per individual

It is usually difficult to grasp the complexity of the Earth’s size from a human perspective. Therefore, it is difficult to make decisions regarding the use of land for an individual or a collective. This article summarizes the available and current use of land in the world at the individual level. Data sources are provided afterwards

The land use per person (in a=ares=100m2, roughly a house)  assuming 10 Bn people on earth, is summarized here:

• The emerged land per person is roughly 150a per person, currently made rough rounding of 100a of habitable land , 15a of glaciers, 30a of barren land.

• In 2019, out of 100a of habitable land, 46a is used for agriculture, 38a for forests, 14a of shrubs, 1.5a of urban and built up land, and 1.5a of freshwater.

• Out of the 46a of agricultural land, 36a is used for livestock grazing and associated food production and 10a for other crops.

Note: Since livestocks provide about 30% (18% calories, 37% proteins, source UNFAO) of people calorie  and protein supplies, 70% of calories and proteins are provided by 10a of other crops. Therefore, increasing human dedicated crops by about 50% (+5a) to 15a, and freeing up the rest (about 31a) would normally be sufficient to cover the needs of people while freeing up animals and land for other use (for instance for forest, or energy production). Turning Vegan would therefore save about 3100m2 per individual while still consuming 1500m2 of agricultural land.

Data Sources and details:

As per the CIA world fact book, The earth surface (510.0 Mkm2) covered approximatively by 70.9% of interconnected oceans (361.9 Mkm2), and 29.1% by emerged land (148.9 Mkm2).

Additionally, the UN food and agriculture Organization (FAO) (data source, display source) states that in 2019 the emerged land is made of approximatively 71% (105 Mkm2) of habitable land, 10% (15 M km2) of glaciers, and 19% (28 Mkm2) of barren land, which includes the world’s deserts, salts flat, exposed rocks, beaches and dunes.

In year 2019, out of the 71% (105Mkm2) habitable land, 46% (48 Mkm2) is used for agriculture, 38% (40 Mkm2) is made of forest, and 14% (17 Mkm2) of shrub (small woody vegetation). Urban and built-up land covers 1.4% (1.5Mkm2) and Freshwater 1.5% (1.5Mkm2). Out of  the 48 Mkm2 of agriculture land, 77% (37Mkm2) is used for livestock grazing and food production. 23% (11Mkm2) is used for other crops. Meat and dairy represent 18% of global calories supply and 37% of protein supply.

Units:

• km2 (1 km2 = 100 hectares = 10000 ares), 1 Mkm2 refers to 1 million of km2, 1000 billions m2.

• hectares ( 1ha= 1 hectar = 100ares = roughly 2 football fields)

• ares (1 a =1 are= 100 m2 = roughly a house).