View source for Land

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[[File:L’arretramento dei ghiacciai in Patagonia (Argentina 2005).jpg|thumb|260px|The [[rock]]y ocean [[cliff]]s of [[Patagonia]], [[Argentina]].]]
'''Land''' can mean some [[territory]], forming part of a [[country]]. Dry land is the parts of [[Earth]]'s surface not covered by the [[ocean]] or other permanent [[body of water]]. About 29% of the surface of Earth is dry land, while the rest is covered with liquid [[water]]. Land can have different types of [[soil]]; it may be covered with [[stone]]s, [[sand]], [[dirt]], etc. Sometimes it is not clear where land ends and a body of water begins.

== Amount and types of land ==
The total area of Earth is about 510 million km<sup>2</sup>. About 149 million km<sup>2</sup>, which is 29% of the surface, is land. Large masses of ice called [[glacier]]s cover 15 million km<sup>2</sup>, or 10% of the land area.<ref name="Roser">{{Cite journal|last1=Ritchie|first1=Hannah|last2=Roser|first2=Max|date=2013-11-13|title=Land Use|url=https://ourworldindata.org/land-use|journal=Our World in Data}}</ref> The biggest continuous landmasses are called [[continent]]s, and smaller landmasses, surrounded by water, are called [[island]]s.

19% of land on Earth (28 million km<sup>2</sup>), is barren: without plants. This includes [[desert]]s, [[beach]]es, and rocky areas with no soil. 26% of land (39 million km<sup>2</sup>) is [[forest]]s. 8% of land (12 million km<sup>2</sup>) is [[shrubland]] or [[grassland]]. 1% of land (1.5 million km<sup>2</sup>) is cities, towns, and land used for [[infrastructure]]. The remaining 34% of land (51 million km<sup>2</sup>) is used for [[farming]]: 7% (11 million km<sup>2</sup>) for [[crops]] (plants) 27% (40 million km<sup>2</sup>) for [[livestock]] (animals).<ref name = "Roser" />

== Formation of land ==
Even today, some land is being formed and some land is sinking into the ocean. The surface of the earth, which includes both the land and the ocean floor, is made of large pieces of rock called [[tectonic plate]]s. Continental plates are thicker and lighter, so they stay at the top and make up the land surface. Oceanic plates are thinner and heavier, so they sink down and make up the ocean surface.

Tectonic plates move over time, which is called [[continental drift]]. When two continental plates push into each other, they fold upwards to make mountains. When they move apart, they form a [[rift valley]]: the East African rift valley is forming now. Islands can be formed by [[volcanoes]]: the [[Hawaiian islands]] are a good example. Over time, land can wear away through erosion and sink below sea level. This can be seen with the Hawaiian islands, because the newer islands are taller than the older islands.

==Related pages==
* [[Geology]]
* [[Landscape]]
* [[Land (economics)]]

==Other websites==
* [http://www.tpl.org Conserving Land for People]

== References ==
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