Coruscant population/logistics

[FullBorg]

After a think and a debate about it, I have concluded that the Coruscant population figure given by WEG (650 billion, according to Shadowdragon), is at least ONE HUNDRED TIMES too small.

With my overall point stated, I will now back it up.

Data:
1. Coruscant's mean diameter is r = 8800 km(rounding down to nearest hundred km, from Galaxy Guide 2).
2. Shadowdragon concurred with my assertion that, since that the planet wide city is at least as built up, on average, as Hong Kong (possibly the mostly densely populated urban area on Earth), the global average population density is at least 98,000 people per square kilometre (9.8E4 people/km^2).

Intermediate conclusions:
1. Planetary surface area: Since Coruscant is, on average, spherical, we can find the surface area of the planet as 4 pi r^2

Coruscant area = 973138918.4 km^2, or, rounding down to 4 significant figures, it is 9.731E8 km^2.

2. The planet is at least 90% urbanised (the planetary city appears to completely cover the planet when viewed from orbit), giving a surface area in use of at least 8.756E8 km^2.

Final conclusion:
Planetary population = surface area in use * average population density
= 8.756E8 km^2 * 9.8E4 people / km^2
= 8.580E13 people - roughly 85 trillion people, only assuming the planet is as densely populated as Hong Kong.

I must emphasise, since I've used lower estimates and have rounded down throughout, the population estimate above is a lower limit - Coruscant's population is somewhere above that figure, but we do not know how far.

Logistics etc coming up in future posts to this thread.

[Regrix]

[glow=blue,2,300]According to C&CW (D 20) Coruscant is 12,240 km in diameter and has a population of 1 trillion Just to bring the relevant facts to life..

[/glow]

[FullBorg]

Doubt it.

Those figures give:

planetary radius: 6120 km (so how do you reconcile Coruscant's higher surface gravity (~14 m/s^2) and mass (1.8E25 kg), compared to Earth (gravity 9.8 m/s^2 and mass 5.97E24 kg))?

90% of planetary surface area: 423,598,926.5856 km^2, or, rounding down to 4 sig figs, 4.2360E9 km^2.

Planetary population: 1 trillion people (1E12 people)

Global average population density: 236 people/km^2.

That population density is still lower than a single level (on average) city constructed on Earth, and therefore the planetary diameter quoted by WOTC is simply wrong, as is the population they quoted.

My original conclusion remains unaltered.

[Regrix]

[glow=Blue,2,300]For my own personal curiosity, why are you bogging down classic Sci Fi with "Real World" logic/statistics? Does it really matter? [/glow]

[FullBorg]

When the "official" numbers are so far wrong, hell yeah.

And it isn't "bogging down", merely correcting mistakes.

[Regrix]

[glow=blue,2,300]Must have a lot of free time on your hands.. [/glow]

[FullBorg]

Orders of magnitude better than worrying about my upcoming end of semester exams.

Shadowdragon brought me here to try to stir up debate, so that's what I'm trying to do.

Since you don't seem exactly strapped for free time yourself, Regrix, why don't you rebut my argument?

[Regrix]

[glow=blue,2,300]Heh.. I learned a long time ago there is no argueing with a crazy man.. So I will but say this.. Star Wars is not now nor has it ever been a "Hard Science" Space opera. Trying to force it to conform to "REAL" mathmatics is akin to trying to make oranges grow on an apple tree.

So as this fool's pursuit has no bearing on the actual realm of Star Wars, and is at best speculative equating.. there is no rational dispute that can be made.. as the rebuttle will inevitibly be.. "The Numbers don't support the established "facts" of the Star Wars Reality.

Never once from the time I saw the very first Star Wars movie "A New Hope A.K. A. Star Wars or EP IV" through the interveining years to the day I breathe my last on my death bed will the actual math of that galaxy ever cross my mind..

My friend, I fear you are not seeing the forest for the trees.. [/glow]

[Regrix]

It should also be noted that the population is not solely terrerial but in skyhooks in orbit around Coruscant as well.. and similar other means.


The skyhooks are almost "Apartment complexes" in orbit, tethered to Coruscant by kilometers long, flexible shafts which serve as the turbolift tubes to reach them.

The wealthiest of the population have their OWN skyhook while others serve many residents.


So regardless of what the planetary "allowable" limit is of a population, there are other factors to consider. There are also several space stations in orbit around Coruscant that also act as residences. The fact that they are man made and in orbit around a particular planet means that they are counted for that planet's census.