Ocean Planet

The text on this site is presented as an archival version of the script of "Ocean Planet," a 1995 Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition. The content reflects the state of knowledge at the time of the exhibition, and has not been updated.

The world's population is expected to reach 8 billion by the year 2020.

Already, more than half the world's population-- over 2.7 billion people--live within 60 miles (100 km) of a coastline §.
Rapid urbanization, especially in developing countries, will lead to more coastal megacities--cities with 10 million or more people §.
As coastal zones become more densely populated, coastal water quality will suffer, wildlife will be displaced, and shorelines will erode §.

Fourth of July weekend, Absecon Island, New Jersey, 1983
photo © Michael Baytoff/Black Star

By 2000, 13 out of 15 of the world's largest cities will lie on or near coasts§:

1  Tokyo, Japan                           27,956,000 
2  Mexico City, Mexico                    27,872,000
3  São Paulo, Brazil                      22,558,000
4  Bombay, India                          18,142,000
5  Shanghai, China                        17,407,000
6  New York City, U.S.A.                  16,645,000
7  Beijing, China                         14,366,000
8  Lagos, Nigeria                         13,480,000
9  Jakarta, Indonesia                     13,380,000
10 Los Angeles, U.S.A.                    13,151,000
11 Seoul, Korea                           12,949,000
12 Buenos Aires, Argentina                12,822,000
13 Calcutta, India                        12,675,000
14 Manila, Philippines                    12,582,000
15 Tianjin, China                         12,508,000

Who consumes more?

With only 4.6 percent of world population, Americans use about one-third of the world's processed mineral resources, and about one-fourth of the world's non-renewable energy sources, like oil and coal §.

Compared to a person from India, a typical American uses§:

43 times more petroleum

184 times more natural gas

386 times more pulp wood (for paper)

More Information

United Nations World Demographic Trends
Current esitmates of the total population of the United States and of the World.

Ocean Planet Exhibition Floorplan

gene carl feldman (gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov) (301) 286-9428
Judith Gradwohl, Smithsonian Institution (Curator/Ocean Planet)