Key figures from the graphic
- If everyone lived like the average person in the UAE, humanity would need 5.8 Earths a year, the highest figure on the graphic.
- The figure is 4.9 Earths for the U.S.A, 3.9 for South Korea and 3.0 for Germany.
- China and the UK both come out at 2.4 Earths.
- India, at 0.7, is the only country shown below one Earth. Ecuador is just above at 1.1.
- All figures are from the graphic, which cites the Global Footprint Network (2022) and notes that figures are rounded.
How many Earths do we need, country by country
The graphic is titled “What If Everyone Lived Like These Countries?”. Each row shows a flag, the country name and a line of Earth photos, with part of an Earth drawn inside a dashed circle for fractions. The note on the right reads: “The number of Earths needed to sustain each countries’ resource use and waste per year.”
| Country (as labelled) | Earths needed, on the graphic |
|---|---|
| India | 0.7 |
| Ecuador | 1.1 |
| China | 2.4 |
| UK | 2.4 |
| Germany | 3.0 |
| S. Korea | 3.9 |
| U.S.A | 4.9 |
| UAE | 5.8 |
The footer reads “Figures rounded. Source: Global Footprint Network (2022)”. A blue logo sits in the bottom left corner.
What the number of Earths measures
The figures come from the Ecological Footprint, a measure developed by the Global Footprint Network. It adds up the biologically productive land and sea a population needs to produce what it consumes (food, timber, fibre, space for buildings and roads) and to absorb its waste, especially carbon emissions [3]. The supply side is biocapacity: what those areas can regenerate. Both are measured in global hectares [3].
A country’s number of Earths divides its footprint per person by the world’s biocapacity per person. The Global Footprint Network’s worked example is Switzerland in 2022: a footprint of 3.74 global hectares per person against world biocapacity of 1.51 gives 2.5 Earths [4]. Visual Capitalist says the figures on this graphic were published in 2022 and use data for 2018 [1].
Newer figures from the Global Footprint Network
The Global Footprint Network now publishes the number of Earths each year with its Country Overshoot Days. The 2026 table gives these values for the same eight countries [4]:
| Country | On the graphic (published 2022) | Global Footprint Network, Country Overshoot Days 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 0.7 | 0.75 |
| Ecuador | 1.1 | 1.2 |
| China | 2.4 | 2.5 |
| UK | 2.4 | 2.6 |
| Germany | 3.0 | 2.8 |
| S. Korea | 3.9 | 3.7 |
| U.S.A | 4.9 | 5.1 |
| UAE | 5.8 | 5.5 |
The 2026 table lists India as needing 75% of one Earth, which we show as 0.75 [4]. Differences between the two columns come partly from newer data and partly from revised accounting, which the Global Footprint Network says moved results more than real changes in consumption for most countries between its 2023 and 2025 data editions [4].
Notes on this infographic
- Data date. Published 2022, data for 2018 [1]. Use the table above for newer values.
- Wording. “each countries'” on the graphic should read “each country’s”.
- Cropped footer. The version on Visual Capitalist’s site has a green Voronoi by Visual Capitalist bar at the bottom [1]. That bar is missing from the copy on this page.
Questions about how many Earths we need
How many Earths do we need?
For humanity as a whole, the Global Footprint Network says we are using nature 73% faster than ecosystems can regenerate, the equivalent of 1.73 Earths [5]. For individual countries it depends on lifestyle: from 0.7 Earths for India to 5.8 for the UAE on this graphic.
How many Earths would we need if everyone lived like an American?
4.9 Earths on this graphic, which uses 2018 data [1]. The Global Footprint Network’s 2026 table puts the United States at 5.1 Earths [4].
What is ecological overshoot?
Overshoot is when humanity’s demand on nature in a year is more than Earth’s ecosystems can regenerate in that year. Earth Overshoot Day marks the date each year when that happens; in 2026 it fell on 30 July [5].
Who has the worst Ecological Footprint in the world?
Of the countries in the Global Footprint Network’s 2026 Country Overshoot Days table, Qatar has the earliest date, 4 February, and needs 10 Earths [4]. Among the eight countries on this graphic, the UAE is highest.
Sources
- Visual Capitalist, The Number of Earths Needed for Different Countries’ Lifestyles, the original post for this graphic.
- Voronoi by Visual Capitalist, How Many Earths Are Needed to Sustain These Countries’ Lifestyles.
- Global Footprint Network, Ecological Footprint.
- Global Footprint Network, Country Overshoot Days 2026.
- Global Footprint Network, Earth Overshoot Day 2026 Falls on July 30.
Last reviewed 29 October 2026
