Anthroposphere

The anthroposphere (from Greek anthropos for man) comprises all parts of the Earth system that are significantly influenced by man.

Although in a strict sense it is a part of the biosphere, it is often treated separately. This is well justified by numerous peculiarities of man compared to other species, but mainly by the enormous impact human activities have on almost all parts of the Earth system. Man has adapted large parts of Earth according to his needs. From agricultural land used by indigenous people to the megacities of the industrialized parts of the world the anthroposphere covers a wide spectrum of different landscapes.

The anthroposphere plays an increasingly important role in Earth system, shifting the relations between the spheres as well as changing the balance. The consequences can be seen e.g. in the changing climate. For a sustainable future it will be important to reduce this destructive impact that at the end hits back.

Select your theme:

My home region from Space
	To come soon
Urbanisation – city development and urban sprawl
	Las Vegas, U.S.A. Developed in a desert, Las Vegas increasingly relies on the availability of water from the Colorado river.
	Suqian, China The quick development of the Chinese economy is reflected in the development of the urban centres.
	Cairo, Egypt The rapid growth of Cairo follows different directions and encloses the archaeological area around the Giza pyramids.
	Niamey, Niger Many African cities are among the most dynamic examples of urbanisation.
Regional development and land reclamation
	Wenzhou, China Land reclamation is one of the ways for a development beyond naturally available land.
Energy production – from traditional to renewable sources
	Olkiluoto, Finland The three reactor blocks of the nuclear powerplant produce one fifth of the electric power consumed in Finland.
	Tengger, China Desert environments offer excellent conditions for harvesting solar power.
	Bhadla, India The solar powerplant in the Thar desert is currently India’s largest.
	Belo Monte, Brazil The hydropower station at the Rio Xingu in the Amazon Basin is one of the largest in the world.
Traffic infrastructure
	Yangshan, China The increasing amount of internationally shipped goods requires efficient infrastructure.
	Gibraltar, UK The Strait of Gibraltar is an important gate for ship traffic between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
	Istanbul, Türkiye The new airport opened in 2019 and quickly fulfilled its role as an international hub.
	Suez Canal, Egypt The blocking of the canal in 2021 highlighted its crucial role for international shipping.
Influence of politics
	Kutupalong, Bangladesh All over the world, refugee camps are home to millions of people.