This page is based on actual Mass Effect Canon. To see the full article on the Mass Effect Wiki, Click Here. Location: Milky Way / Central Federation Space / Sol System
Earth is the third planet from the Sun; the fifth-largest of the eight primary planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial (rocky) planets. It is sometimes referred by Humans as the "Little Blue Planet", or by its Terran lexicon name, Terra or Humus. Earth is the homeworld of the human race and the capital of the Terran Federation.
Description[]
Earth is an ocean world with 75% of the planet's surface covered with water. There are seven major landmasses, also called "continents", where the majority of human metropolitan areas are concentrated. The poles are covered in thin ice sheets, reduced due to the ecological affects of a warming atmosphere, while the equator regions are tropical with geologically and atmospherically created deserts. Other regions include temperate zones, in which the majority of humans live. Almost 70% of the population lives along the coastlines of the major oceans, or under the waves, this allows for quick transportation of goods between ports and nations.
The homeworld and capital of humanity is in a new golden age. The resource wealth of dozens of major settled colonies and a thousands of industrial outposts flows back to Earth, fueling great works of industry, commerce, and art. The great cities are massive metropolises as arcology skyscrapers and telecommuting allow more efficient use of land. And much of the available landmass bears witness to the achievements and settlements of mankind. Even the seas bear host to great underwater communities who power themselves off geothermal vents, grow crops of kelp, maintain truly astounding schools of fish, and produce many wet and void naval ships in great sub nautical shipyards.
Earth is still divided among nation-states, though all are under the unified banner of the Terran Federation. While every human enjoys a longer and better life than ever, the gap between rich and poor is ever present. Advanced nations have eliminated most genetic disease and pollution. There are still less fortunate regions who have not progressed much beyond their war-torn and poverty conditions of the Disorder Era. These regions currently bare witness of up to double digit population decline as increasingly the next generation seeks brighter futures in the stars in the Federal Colonial program. Regions like the middle east, Eurasian Steppe, and Australia are almost entirely un-inhabited now.
Sea levels have risen four meters in the last 200 years, and violent weather is common due to environmental
damage inflicted during the late 21st century. Much of the former coastline is either submerged or experience chronic flooding, The entirety of the pacific islands are underwater, Japan lost a third of its landmass in decades, and Australia witnessed almost the entirety of its industry and cities sink beneath the waves. Pre and post disorders large under water metropolises have developed, Hawai'i, Tokyo, Hong Kong, St. Petersburg, and New York are icons of a new age, often with great silver spires of office towers and apartments breaching the pristine waters below where one can see the submarines and boats, traverse between the buildings.
Another common sight in calmer coastal regions are seasonal city ships, the East Asian Sea, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean sea, and the Gulf of Mexico many communities invested in large town sized ships that could sail the waves and serve their regions as ferries, schools, farms, and even factories. These ships rival the size of the Hanar submarine cities, and form an essential part of the economy and international community.
However the past few decades, have seen significant improvement due to recent technological advances and the easing of population burdens to the colonies.
Known human supranational governments on Earth including:
- North American Republic
- Second European Alliance
- Third Swiss Confederation
- Chinese People's Federation
- Third Republic of Brazil
- Russian Federation
- Socialist Federal Republic of Viet-Laos
- Second Republic of The Philippines
- Third Malaysian Federation
- Second Republic of Indonesia
CITADEL TRAVEL ADVISORY(Environment): Earth's atmosphere is heavily dense with nitrogen and carbon dioxide. It is mandatory for Quarians and Volus visitors to use environmental suits when travelling outside of pressurized areas. It is also advised to wear oxygen respirators in more urban areas. In addition, Earth flora and fauna are hostile to both human and other sentient non-humans alike, Asari, Salarian and Turian tourists are advised to wear proper protection gear and equipment when venturing into harsh tropical regions like Australia and North Africa. In addition, coastal regions are prone to sudden flooding and tropical storms, heed regional warnings regarding weather. Finally much of the world suffers from yearly dips in temperature referred to as "Winter", for species more accustomed to regular weather follow local advice and wear warm clothes.
CITADEL TRAVEL ADVISORY(Cultural): Due to several successful and unsuccessful infiltration attacks and raids upon the world, security in all places is tight and controlled. Everyone, regardless of species or origin, must go through these security measures, failure can and will result in deportation. It is advised to keep all relevant documents and forms of ID at all times on your person, if for some reason you lose these documents or ID, please present yourself to the nearest law enforcement or Embassy for assessment and new documents. Failure to can result in deportation.
CITADEL TRAVEL ADVISORY(Food): Human food is highly diverse, but much of it is toxic to other species. Please be careful on what you eat, and have a medical App on your omnitool on standby. Do not eat street food.
Known Locations[]
Oceania[]
- Torrington Base: A Federation military base in West Coast of Australia, this base is one of the Federation main strategic nuclear weapons storage facilities on Earth. Located in Western Australia, north of the city of Perth
North America []
- Camp Spooky Smith:A Mobile Infantry basic training camp located in a very rocky region of North America.
- Camp Arthur Currie:A Mobile Infantry basic training camp located on the northern prairies of Canada. It consisted almost entirely of tents, the only permanent structures were for housing equipment.
- Edward Base: A Federation Fleet installation on Earth located in Southern California, this base served as a research base for aerospace developments as well as testing and evaluation of various experimental equipments for military use.
- Cheyenne Base: A Federation Army installation on Earth which also served as an orbital defense fortification, located near Colorado Springs. The base also served as the Emergency HQ for the North America branch of the Federation military on Earth throughout the Third Bugs War.
South America []
- Mount Chimborazo Space Elevator: A space elevator built on the peak of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, It provides a much cheaper transportation of manpower and materials from Earth to space compared to the conventional use of rocket fuels in the past.
- Nuevo Bueno Aires: A large city on Earth which was rebuild from the ruins of the old Bueno Aires after its destruction in the 2nd Bugs War by Arachnid Meteor strike.
Africa []
- Mount Kilimanjaro Space Elevator: A space elevator built on the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro. Like the Mt Chimborazo Elevator, it provided transportation of men and materials into space at a more efficient cost than lift-launch rockets.
Antarctica []
- The Tri-Domed Cities: Officially classified as a Federation Space Observatory Habitat, the Tri-Domed Cities area consists of three domed cities, Magellan, Da Gamma and Cook built in the late 22nd centuries in Antarctica initially as test beds for early terraforming experiments. The cities are one of many attractions on Earth featured in Citadel Travel Booklets.