The approximate proportion of water to land in each hemisphere is:
- Northern Hemisphere: About 61% water and 39% land
- Southern Hemisphere: About 81% water and 19% land
This makes the Southern Hemisphere much more dominated by oceans, which is why it is often called the “Water Hemisphere.”
Additional facts
Water and land distribution in the hemispheres:
- The Southern Hemisphere is mostly ocean – Around 81% of its surface is covered by water, while only 19% is land.
- The Northern Hemisphere has more land – About 39% of its surface is land, which supports most of the world’s population.
- Most continents are in the Northern Hemisphere – Asia, North America, Europe, and most of Africa are in the Northern Hemisphere, making it more land-dominated.
- The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean – It covers more area than all the continents combined and stretches across both hemispheres.
- The Southern Hemisphere has fewer countries – Because there is less land, fewer countries exist in this hemisphere, with Australia, Argentina, and South Africa being among the largest.
- Water helps regulate climate – The Southern Hemisphere has fewer extreme temperatures due to its vast oceans, while the Northern Hemisphere experiences greater temperature swings.
- Most of Earth’s rainforests are in the Southern Hemisphere – The Amazon Rainforest in South America is the largest, benefiting from the high water-to-land ratio.
- The Antarctic ice sheet holds most of the world’s freshwater – Around 70% of Earth’s freshwater is frozen in Antarctica, which is in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Ocean currents balance global climate – The Great Ocean Conveyor Belt moves warm and cold water between the hemispheres, helping regulate temperatures worldwide.
- More ocean means fewer cities – Major cities are less common in the Southern Hemisphere because of the limited land area, compared to the Northern Hemisphere, which has many large urban centers.
FAQs
The Northern Hemisphere is about 61% water and 39% land, making it more land-dominated compared to the Southern Hemisphere.
The Southern Hemisphere is about 81% water and 19% land, which is why it is often called the “Water Hemisphere.”
The Southern Hemisphere contains larger oceanic expanses, such as the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, and has fewer large landmasses.
Since water absorbs and releases heat slowly, the Southern Hemisphere has milder and more stable temperatures, while the Northern Hemisphere experiences more extreme seasonal changes due to larger landmasses.
The Northern Hemisphere has about 90% of the world’s population because it has more land area, supporting agriculture, cities, and economic activities.
