Earth’s oceans
Earth’s oceans are the interconnected bodies of salt water that cover most of the planet’s surface.
How big is it?
1.338 × 10⁹ km³ in capacity
Volume · estimated
A little perspective
About the same scale as All Earth’s water.
All Earth’s water: All Earth’s water includes the combined total of water in oceans, ice, groundwater, lakes, rivers and the atmosphere.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Earth’s oceans
Estimated total ocean-water volume: 1.338 billion cubic kilometres. The diagram compares water volume, not ocean depth or surface area.
USGS — How much natural water is there?
The marked volume is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
All Earth’s water
An estimate including oceans, ice, groundwater and other water stores. It is slightly larger than the ocean-only volume.
USGS — How much natural water is there?
The marked volume is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 1.338 × 10⁹ km³
For comparison, this page uses volume. This is labelled estimated; the central value is useful for comparison, while real values or measurement solutions can vary.
Estimated total ocean-water volume: 1.338 billion cubic kilometres. The diagram compares water volume, not ocean depth or surface area.
The identifying illustration and the numerical comparison remain separate. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Earth’s oceans dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.338 × 10⁹ km³ | Not recorded | estimated |
Around this scale
Go smaller. Go bigger.
These links use compatible volume records, ordered around the selected value.
Nearest lower value · SpaceCharon932,200,000 km³Charon is a natural satellite of Pluto, composed mainly of rock and water ice.
Nearest higher value · PlacesAll Earth’s water1.386 × 10⁹ km³All Earth’s water includes the combined total of water in oceans, ice, groundwater, lakes, rivers and the atmosphere.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- USGS — How much natural water is there?Estimated ocean volume 1.338 billion km³; total Earth water 1.386 billion km³.
More ways to see it
Curated comparisons
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
SpaceEarth12,740 kmEarth is the rocky planet on which we live and the third planet from the Sun.
Sport50 m swimming pool50 mA 50 m swimming pool is a large pool built for competitive swimming events, including international competitions.
PlacesA cubic-kilometre lake1 km³A cubic-kilometre lake is a hypothetical body of freshwater defined as containing exactly one cubic kilometre of water.PlacesAll Earth’s water1.386 × 10⁹ km³All Earth’s water includes the combined total of water in oceans, ice, groundwater, lakes, rivers and the atmosphere.SpaceCharon1,212 kmCharon is a natural satellite of Pluto, composed mainly of rock and water ice.
SpaceCeres939.4 kmCeres is a dwarf planet located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
SpacePluto2,377 kmPluto is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt, composed of rock and ice and orbiting the Sun.
SpaceEris2,326 kmEris is a dwarf planet in the scattered disc region beyond Neptune, composed of rock and ice.