---
title: "How many — living things and the natural world"
description: "18 counts and estimates in the living things and the natural world category, each with how the figure is arrived at and how confident it is."
url: https://atoneplace.net/how-many/nature/
site: "At One Place"
---

# How many: living things and the natural world

18 living things and the natural world counts.

| Question | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| How many people are there in the world? | about 8.2 billion |
| How many grains of sand are there on Earth? | roughly 7.5 quintillion on the world's beaches |
| How many ants are there in the world? | about 20 quadrillion |
| How many trees are there in the world? | about 3 trillion |
| How many insects are there? | about 10 quintillion |
| How many species are there? | about 8.7 million |
| How many people have ever lived? | about 117 billion |
| How many drops of water are there in the ocean? | about 27 septillion |
| How many fish are there in the sea? | somewhere between 3 trillion and 100 trillion — nobody knows |
| How many species are endangered? | more than 45,000 assessed as threatened |
| How many bees are there in the world? | roughly 2 trillion managed honey bees |
| How many birds are there in the world? | about 50 billion wild birds |
| How many bacteria are there on Earth? | about 5 nonillion |
| How many earthquakes are there each year? | about 20,000 located a year — around 55 a day |
| How many chickens are there in the world? | about 26 billion alive at any moment |
| How many hurricanes are there each year? | about 85 named storms worldwide, of which roughly 45 reach hurricane strength |
| How many leaves are there on a tree? | about 200,000 on a mature oak |
| How many blades of grass are there in the world? | very roughly 2 quintillion |

- [How many people are there in the world?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/people-alive-right-now/) — about 8.2 billion
- [How many grains of sand are there on Earth?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/grains-of-sand-on-earth/) — roughly 7.5 quintillion on the world's beaches
- [How many ants are there in the world?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/ants-on-earth/) — about 20 quadrillion
- [How many trees are there in the world?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/trees-on-earth/) — about 3 trillion
- [How many insects are there?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/insects-on-earth/) — about 10 quintillion
- [How many species are there?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/species-on-earth/) — about 8.7 million
- [How many people have ever lived?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/people-who-have-ever-lived/) — about 117 billion
- [How many drops of water are there in the ocean?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/drops-of-water-in-the-ocean/) — about 27 septillion
- [How many fish are there in the sea?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/fish-in-the-sea/) — somewhere between 3 trillion and 100 trillion — nobody knows
- [How many species are endangered?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/endangered-species/) — more than 45,000 assessed as threatened
- [How many bees are there in the world?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/bees-in-the-world/) — roughly 2 trillion managed honey bees
- [How many birds are there in the world?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/birds-in-the-world/) — about 50 billion wild birds
- [How many bacteria are there on Earth?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/bacteria-on-earth/) — about 5 nonillion
- [How many earthquakes are there each year?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/earthquakes-a-year/) — about 20,000 located a year — around 55 a day
- [How many chickens are there in the world?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/chickens-in-the-world/) — about 26 billion alive at any moment
- [How many hurricanes are there each year?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/hurricanes-a-year/) — about 85 named storms worldwide, of which roughly 45 reach hurricane strength
- [How many leaves are there on a tree?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/leaves-on-a-tree/) — about 200,000 on a mature oak
- [How many blades of grass are there in the world?](https://atoneplace.net/how-many/blades-of-grass/) — very roughly 2 quintillion