The question “What is at the top of the Earth?” has no single, straightforward answer because the planet is not a simple sphere with a defined summit. The answer depends entirely on the specific frame of reference being used: direction, altitude, or geometry. Navigators, geographers, atmospheric scientists, and geologists all define the Earth’s “top” differently based on their fields of study. These various definitions point to locations separated by thousands of miles and different layers of material. Understanding the Earth’s “top” requires examining these distinct scientific viewpoints.
The Geographic Top
The directional “top” of the planet is understood to be the North Pole, which is the point where the Earth’s axis of rotation meets the surface. This location is fixed at 90 degrees North latitude, making it the geographical reference for true north. All lines of longitude converge at this single, precise spot in the Arctic Ocean.
The Geographic North Pole is distinct from the Magnetic North Pole, which is the point where the planet’s magnetic field lines dip vertically into the surface. Unlike the fixed geographic pole, the magnetic pole is constantly shifting due to the movement of molten iron in the Earth’s outer core. This difference explains why a compass needle, which points to the magnetic pole, does not always align perfectly with true north.
The Highest Point Above Sea Level
Most people recognize the highest point on Earth as the summit of Mount Everest, which is a measurement based on elevation above mean sea level. This traditional definition uses the global average of the ocean surface as a standardized baseline for height measurements. The mountain is located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas, straddling the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
The official height of Mount Everest, jointly declared by Nepal and China in 2020, stands at 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet) above sea level. This height places its summit in the atmospheric layer known as the “death zone,” where oxygen levels are insufficient for sustained human life.
The Outer Edge of the Atmosphere
The boundary between Earth and space provides a different interpretation of the planet’s “top.” The atmosphere is a series of layers that gradually fade into the vacuum of space. The lowest layer, the troposphere, is where all weather occurs, extending only about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from the surface.
Above the troposphere are the stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere, with the air becoming progressively thinner. The widely accepted marker for the beginning of space is the Kármán Line, situated at an altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles) above mean sea level. This is an internationally recognized boundary where aerodynamic lift becomes impractical, meaning that conventional aircraft can no longer fly and orbital mechanics take over.
Beyond the Kármán Line, the last layer of the atmosphere is the exosphere, which extends as far as 190,000 kilometers (120,000 miles) before finally merging with the solar wind. While the Kármán Line serves as the practical boundary for space, the exosphere represents the final physical transition from the Earth’s gaseous envelope to the interplanetary medium.
The Point Farthest from the Center
A different answer to the question of the Earth’s top arises when measuring distance from the planet’s core. The Earth is not a perfect sphere but an oblate spheroid, meaning its rotation causes it to bulge outward around the equator. This equatorial bulge makes the Earth’s diameter about 43 kilometers (27 miles) wider at the equator than it is from pole to pole.
Due to this pronounced bulge, the summit of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador is the farthest point on Earth from its center. Although Chimborazo’s peak is only 6,263 meters (20,548 feet) above sea level—significantly shorter than Everest—its equatorial location gives it a geometric advantage. The peak of Chimborazo is approximately 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) farther from the Earth’s center than the summit of Everest.