Sea level 500 m lower at a glance
- 34.6 million km²seabed becomes land
- 23.6%of today's land area
- 90.4%of today's sea remains (327.1 million km²)
- 10of 10 land bridges open
With the sea 500 m lower than today, about 34.6 million km² of seabed becomes land, 23.6% of today's land area. 90.4% of today's sea, about 327.1 million km² of the 361.8 million km² connected to the open ocean, is still under water.
The exposed area counts only seabed connected to the open ocean. Lakes stay water, and basins below sea level on land, such as Death Valley, stay land. It is a simple bathtub model, not a forecast.
Land bridges at this sea level
These places are seabed today and dry land at this step. Each depth is the average seabed level at the point we checked, taken from the 1 arc-minute grid.
| Land bridge | Depth today | Dry from |
|---|---|---|
| Doggerland (North Sea) | 43 m | 50 m lower |
| English Channel floor | 58 m | 80 m lower |
| Irish Sea floor | 48 m | 50 m lower |
| Beringia (Bering Strait) | 55 m | 80 m lower |
| Beringia (Chukchi shelf) | 53 m | 80 m lower |
| Sundaland (Java Sea) | 40 m | 50 m lower |
| Sundaland (Gulf of Thailand) | 63 m | 80 m lower |
| Sahul (Arafura Sea) | 111 m | 120 m lower |
| Sahul (Gulf of Carpentaria) | 65 m | 80 m lower |
| Bass Strait (Tasmania) | 81 m | 120 m lower |
The list holds 10 places that we checked against the grid. It is not every land bridge there has been.
Seas that shrink most at 500 m lower
| Sea, gulf or bay | Becomes land | Share of its water |
|---|---|---|
| East Siberian Sea | 602,561 km² | 100% |
| Yellow Sea | 369,247 km² | 100% |
| Chukchi Sea | 336,609 km² | 100% |
| Baltic Sea | 201,607 km² | 100% |
| White Sea | 87,671 km² | 100% |
| Bo Hai | 76,468 km² | 100% |
| Irish Sea | 48,890 km² | 100% |
| Inner Seas | 40,355 km² | 100% |
The Caspian Sea is left out because it is a lake and stays water in this model.
Other sea levels
Frequently asked questions
How much land appears if sea level drops 500 m?
About 34.6 million km² of seabed becomes land, which is 23.6% of today's land area (147,036,202 km², lakes excluded). 90.4% of today's sea remains.
Which land bridges open at 500 m?
No new bridge in our list opens at this step, but 10 are already open from earlier steps.
Is this a forecast of sea level change?
No. It is a simple bathtub model that lowers the sea everywhere by the same amount, from today's coast, using the GEBCO_2026 grid. It does not simulate how the water would drain, how the land would adjust, or any past or future climate.
Data: land and depths from the GEBCO_2026 grid, lakes from Natural Earth. See data sources and licences. The GEBCO Grid should NOT be used for navigation or for any other purpose involving safety at sea.