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What Spheroid Is Earth?

David Miller • • 6 min read
What Spheroid Is Earth?

The earth is an oblate spheroid

oblate spheroid
An oblate spheroid is a famous shape. It is the shape of the Earth and some other planets. It is like a sphere squashed from the top so the circumference around the poles is less than the circumference around the equator. Shapes of this type are called ellipsoids.
with a diameter at the equator that is 43 km larger than at the poles, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Is the Earth an oblong spheroid?

The Earth's Shape and its Gravity Field

However, the Earth is not a perfect sphere; it is an oblate spheroid, and has a smaller radius at the poles than at the equator.

Is Earth a ellipsoid or spheroid?

The earth's shape is a spheroid. Although the earth's shape is technically an ellipsoid, its major and minor axes do not vary greatly. In fact, its shape is so close to a sphere that it is often called a spheroid rather than an ellipsoid. A spheroid is simply an ellipsoid that approximates a sphere.

David Miller
Author

David Miller

David Miller brings 15 years of experience in global economics, personal finance strategy, and market dynamics. He specializes in turning complex economic trends into actionable insights for everyday readers.