Surface area of the Isle of Wight?

[paulobrad]

What is the area covered by the Isle of Wight, I'm trying to work out if the story that everone in the world could fit on the Island. Many Thanks.

[j2buttonsw]

The area of IOW is greater than 28 000 hectares or 280 000 000 square meters. The population of the world is 6 290 901 480 people (http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/popclockw) which would give them each 0.04 square meters or 4 square cm to stand in.

[paulobrad]

What about the Isle of Man?

[j2buttonsw]

Oops, the area is over 38 000 hectares making the area 6 square cm.

[Quizmonster]

According to the 'Encyclopedia of Britain', the island covers 380 square kilometres or 147 square miles. There are over six billion people in the world now. Given that they are all different sizes, let's imagine that the average 'area' required for each standing person is about � a square yard. I'm no mathematician, so I suppose I'll be shot down in flames here, but I calculate that 147 square miles = just over 441 million square yards...ie space for about 880 million people. That's not even one billion, never mind six.

[j2buttonsw]

The IOM is slightly bigger at 572 square km or 572 000 000 square meters (http://www.cpoint.co.uk/tw/countries/c4.html) giving the population 9 square cm to stand in.

[Quizmonster]

I should point out that my earlier answer referred to the Isle of Wight, not the Isle of Man. The latter is a bit bigger at 227 square miles, but there is still nowhere near enough room, nor is there if you shared the people out around both.

[Quizmonster]

We seem to be typing simultaneously here, J2B! As an oldster, the metric measures mean nothing to me, I'm afraid. Let's hope that, between us, we've answered the question to everybody's satisfaction. Cheers

[j2buttonsw]

QM, still working in feet and yards? We've only been decimalised for over 30 years! The calculations still comes out the same, though.

[j2buttonsw]

LOL!

[paulobrad]

I'm 16 and have no concept of feet, hectares etc. Saying that my math aint that good altogether - and i've got an A level exam on it in a fortnight!

[Quizmonster]

I had no choice but to 'go with' the money-decimalisation, J2 - though I actually can remember when you could go out on a Saturday evening with a ten-bob note (that's 50p!) have a skinful and still have enough for a fish supper and the bus home! A pint of scrumpy could be had for just nine old pence - 4�p in today's money!

I decided to draw the line at money, though. The other measures have never been a problem to me.