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World Population

and the Isle of Wight

 

The question is often asked “Can the whole of the world’s population be fitted onto the Isle of Wight ?”.  It was certainly possible at the end of World War II in 1945, but what about now ?

 

The UN World Population Counter on 25^th October 2007 at 4 pm was 6,756,489,070 people, 30% of whom are under the age of 15.

 

So, there are 4,729,542,349 adults and 2,026,946,721 children.

 

For every obese American and European there are at least 10 under-nourished adults in the world, so one average adult can comfortably stand on a rectangle 500 cm wide by 400 cm deep (= 0.2 square metres), with the average child occupying half that area.

 

Therefore:-

 

4,729,542,349 adults x 0.2 sq. m        =          945,908,469 sq.m

2,026,946,721 children x 0.1               =          202,694,672 sq.m

__________________________                    _______________

Total area needed                               =        1,148,603,141 sq.m

 

=          1,149 sq km.

 

But, oh dear, the Isle of Wight is only 381 sq.km

 

We are going to have to chuck in a few more islands – fortunately we have plenty.  How about

 

Conclusion:

 

1.    It is no longer possible to fit the world's population on any of Britain’s islands.

2.    It would be possible to fit the world's population on our four largest islands, but only up to 2008.  After that we will have to start using lots of little Scottish islands as well.

 

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