View source for Earth

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{{SeeWikipedia|Earth}}
{{Planet
|image=[[Image:Earth.JPG|300px|]]
|name= Earth
|star, position= [[Sol System]], Sol/Sun, III 
|moon(s)= [[Luna]]
|satellite(s)= Many
|gravity= 1.0 G (9.8 m/s<sup>2</sup>)
|daylength= 23 hours and 56 minutes
|yearlength= 365.25 days
|atmosphere= .9 atm (N<sub>2</sub>, O<sub>2</sub>)
|surface temperature= -18&deg; C to 38&deg; C
|population= In the Billions<ref>[[Halo Encyclopedia]] page 282</ref>|societal approximation= Mixed/Democratic/Religious
|government= Emergency Military
|technology tier= Tier 3
|current threat to array= Significant to Serious
}}
{{quote|Fight for her.|[[Bulletin Board]] poster of Earth}}

'''Earth''' is one of the four terrestrial planets in the [[Sol system|Solar system]] and is the home planet of the [[Human]] race, as well as many other various life forms. It is the capital planet of the [[United Nations]], the [[Unified Earth Government]], and the [[United Nations Space Command]]. Earth was possibly the most populated planet of the Human space territories. For a significant amount of humanity's history, it was to them the only known place in the universe to support life.

== History ==
[[Image:Earthshot.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[UNSCDF]] [[Orbital Defense Platform]]s in [[geosynchronous]] orbit around Earth.]]The Earth first formed about 4.6 billion years ago, and gave rise to the first single-celled organisms about 3.9 billion years ago. About 200,000 years ago, the ancestors of modern humans, ''Homo Sapiens'', evolved in Africa. Indigenous to Eastern Africa, they gradually spread across the entire planet. The enigmatic race known as the [[Forerunners]] are believed to have come to Earth 100,000 years ago, making significant contributions to the human race, and are believed to have made a "Conservation Measure"<ref>http://www.bungie.net/fanclub/118020/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=12360308</ref> to conserve the human race from the threat of the [[Flood]], and they built an [[Artifact]] to generate a slipspace portal to the [[Ark]] in Africa, where the Forerunner intelligence of [[AdjutantReflex]] resided<ref>http://206.16.223.61/X84xE2/flash/web/index.html</ref>. The [[Forerunners]] were also seen constructing "machines" in [[Africa]]<ref>''[[Halo 3: The Cradle of Life]]''</ref>.

Eventually, [[humans]], originally consisting of groups of hunter-gatherers, began to develop into [[wikipedia:civilization|civilizations]]. These civilizations gradually became more and more complex, with some becoming nation-states and empires. By the year 1914, much of the world was divided into two factions, the Triple Entente, or Allies: the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland|United Kingdom]], France, Russia, and later the [[United States of America]], and the Triple Alliance, or Central Powers: [[Germany]], Austria-Hungary, and other nations of similar ideals. The Central Powers were defeated at the end of World War I in 1918, resulting in a decade of prosperity for the Allies, followed by an economic depression and the rise of Fascism, Nazism, and Communism in many countries. In 1939, another [[World War II|World War]] erupted, between the Allies (Britain, the Soviet Union, later the United States, and many other nations) and the Axis (Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and the Empire of Japan). In 1945, the Allies defeated the Axis. Later that year, the victorious nations, in an attempt to prevent more World Wars, founded the [[United Nations]], an international assembly of peaceful nations, whose goal was to settle international disputes peacefully, and was the predecessor to the UNSC. In 1957, Humanity finally made their way into space with unmanned probes and by 1961, Humans themselves had gone into space. In 1969, Humanity had finally stepped on an extraterrestrial surface-Earth's Moon. After [[World War II]], Humanity would lack war on that scale, although smaller wars and conflicts erupted, including the Korean War, Vietnam War, [[wikipedia:Cold War|Cold War]], and the Iraq War. In the early 21st century, terrorism became a potential thorn in the side for the nations on Earth and small wars broke out along with civil unrest in many countries. However, no full wars on the same scale as past World Wars erupted.
[[Image:Cycle response.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Pangaea, the super-continent 250 million years ago that was the amalgamation of all current present-day [[:category:Continents|continents]].]]

After years of overcrowding on Earth and the other planets in the [[Sol System]], dissident factions emerged. The Neo-[[Communism|Communist]] [[Koslovics]] and [[Fascism|Fascist]] [[Frieden]], the two major movements, began to battle one another and the [[United Nations]]. In March-June [[2160]], Jovian secessionists attacked [[UN Colonial Advisors|United Nations Colonial advisers]] on the moon [[Io]], which led to three months of fighting between the Earth military and Jovian ''Frieden'' forces. [[National Governments]] began to support their own colonies which sparked proxy wars off-planet, leading to tension and militarization on Earth. In [[2162]] armed conflict ripped through [[South America]], starting the [[Rain Forest Wars]], as [[Koslovic]], [[Frieden]], and [[UN]] forces all clashed over ideological differences, sparking additional conflicts off-planet. In December of [[2163]], the three factions clashed, this time on [[Mars]]. This was the first extraterrestrial use of [[United Nations Marine Corps|Marines]], who launched lightning raids on Koslovics positions, permanently affecting military doctrine for centuries. In [[2164]] UN forces began a massive military build-up and began the first true interplanetary war. The [[UNSC]] was bolstered by a massive propaganda campaign running on the victories on [[Mars]] and over the next six years took back the [[Sol System]] and drove the dissident factions to destruction. Now with a massive military with no enemy to fight, overpopulation, famine, and a collapsing economy, the newly unified Earth faced an uncertain future. 

It wasn't until [[2291]] that this problem was solved when researchers created the [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]] and gained access to [[Slipspace]]. In [[2310]] the UNSC unveiled their first line of colony ships and the best and brightest from both civilian walks of life and the military set out to form the Inner Colonies. This eased the overpopulation problem upon Earth which became the capital of the [[Unified Earth Government]], while the inner colony of [[Reach]] would later became the headquarters of the [[UNSC]].

[[File:Earth Orbit.jpg|thumb|left|230px|Earth seen from orbit.]]Humanity would enter a period of peaceful stability for the next two hundred years, until [[Insurrection|civil unrest began]] to spread in the Outer Colonies, with various groups seeking secession from Earth and the UEG. The scale of the unrest would steadily rise, eventually becoming a major threat by 2517 to the UEG's existence, and in response the UNSC began the [[SPARTAN-II Program]]. All this was suddenly and violently rendered a moot point when a single alien ship made an unprovoked attack on the colony of Harvest, humanity's first encounter with an alien civilization - [[Covenant Empire|the Covenant]]. Over the next [[Human-Covenant War|twenty seven years]], Humanity would wage a brutal war of survival, losing hundreds of colonies, including all of the Outer Colonies in 2536; and on August 31st, 2552, the UNSC's largest military installation, the planet Reach, was discovered and invaded by the Covenant. On October 20th the Covenant launched their first attack upon Earth, resulting in final confrontation between UNSC forces and the Covenant.<ref>http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/storyline.htm</ref><ref>''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''</ref><ref>''[[Halo 2]]''</ref> The Human-Covenant war finally ended in March 3, 2553 as an allied Human/Sangheili victory against the Covenant Loyalists.

=== Pre-Battle of Earth ===
Prior to the first attempt to invade Earth there had been a suppressed influx of information by [[ONI]], resulting in people going about their normal lives even up until the attack. The forces stationed at Earth were heavy, with the [[Second Fleet]], [[Seventh Fleet]], the [[Sixteenth Fleet]] and the 6th Battle Group along with large amounts of Marines and [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper|ODST]]s present, four [[SPARTAN-II]]s, [[Admiral Hood]] and Earth's most prominent means of defense, three hundred [[Orbital Defense Platform]]s, each sporting a Mk. V "Super" [[MAC]]. Also, there were numerous human colonies on various moons, a large naval shipyard and factories at [[Mars]], and a listening post at [[Io]].

=== Battle of Earth ===
[[Image:H2_UNSCDF_Earth.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The [[UNSCDF]] streams towards the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] attack fleet during the [[Battle of Earth]] (The Black Sea can be seen in the background).]]
{{Main|Battle of Earth}}

On October 20th, 2552, the first Covenant forces entered the [[Sol system]]. An expeditionary force of 13 {{Class|CCS|Battlecruiser}}s and 2 [[Assault Carrier]]s appeared in system, first detected around Io, the third largest moon of Jupiter. After the existence of the Covenant presence was confirmed by probes the [[UNSCDF]] forces went to full alert. The option was taken to wait for the Covenant forces to come to them rather than let [[Fleet Admiral Harper]] launch a counter attack. The Covenant began to work on punching a hole through the orbital defenses by taking out the stations in the battle cluster above the Mediterranean via bombs planted by boarding parties. Both [[Athens Station|Athens]] and [[Malta Station]]s were destroyed. [[Cairo Station]] was saved thanks to the efforts of [[John-117]], who was on board for an awards ceremony at the time. After the Covenant fleet attempted to rush through the newly formed gap the UNSC fleet annihilated them, destroying most of the Battlecruisers but failing to destroy the Assault Carriers, though one Carrier was destroyed during its descent to Earth by John-117. The other Carrier, commanded by the [[Prophet of Regret]], assaulted the city of [[Mombasa]] in [[Kenya]]. 

Marines from [["A" Company]] of the [[405th]] counter-attacked from [[Diego Garcia]] and succeeded in gaining and holding bridgeheads in the city despite suffering heavy casualties. They were reinforced by [[SPARTAN-117]], [[Sergeant Avery Johnson]], and elements of the [[7th Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Battalion]] deploying from the {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}}. The Covenant were subsequently dislodged from [[Old Mombasa]] and, following the destruction of a [[Scarab]], from New Mombasa as well. The Prophet of Regret ordered a general retreat and the Prophet's carrier initiated a slipspace jump while still over the city. The UNSC Frigate ''In Amber Clad'' followed in the carrier's wake, but the city itself was severely damaged. Even the space elevator was weakened and later destroyed and the remains were scattered all over east [[Africa]]. The Prophet's Assault Carrier was one of only two known Covenant vessels to survive from the initial Covenant fleet.

[[Image:H3_TheArk_Opening.jpg|200px|right|thumb|The [[Forerunner]] [[Artifact]] under what was once New Mombasa, built to protect humanity, unveils itself in [[2552]] during the  Battle of Earth.]]

The Covenant returned in force following the [[Prophet of Regret]]'s abortive attack and Covenant assault forces succeeded in penetrating the orbital defenses. At [[Mount Erebus]], the sea floor off of the the [[Yucatan Peninsula]], and at the [[Centennial Orbital Elevator]] in [[Havana]], [[Republic of Cuba|Cuba]], the Covenant were stymied by three [[SPARTAN-II]]'s, only to have those SPARTAN-IIs get re-deployed to [[Onyx]]. However, UNSC forces were unable to repulse and route Covenant landings in [[Kenya]]. After breaking Earth's [[UNSC Home Fleet|space defenses]], the Covenant bombarded Earth in east Africa.

The arrival in-system of [[SPARTAN-117]] in a Covenant-controlled [[Forerunner Dreadnought]], freshly escaped from the [[Battle of Installation 05]], was unexpected. SPARTAN-117 disembarked from the dreadnought in Earth's atmosphere, later recovered by Marines and taken to [[Crow's Nest (Base)|Crow's Nest]]. With the aid of the [[The Arbiter (character)|Arbiter]], Commander [[Miranda Keyes]], and Sergeant [[Avery Johnson]], SPARTAN-117 [[Battle of Voi|breached the Covenant anti-air defenses]] near the excavated [[Artifact]], clearing the way for an aerial strike on the artifact. The strike was unable to disable the device or prevent the [[Prophet of Truth]] from traveling through the portal. After a brief intervention by the [[Flood]] a joint [[Sangheili]]/UNSC force departed through the portal in pursuit.

According to the [[Halo Encyclopedia]], page 282, "the entire population of Earth was cut in half as the first battle of Earth began." It does not however specify whether this means half the people on Earth were killed, or if a significant number were evacuated.

Following the victory at the Battle of Earth, the [[Human-Covenant War]] ended in March 2553 following the [[Battle of Installation 00]].

== Earth  Locations==
[[Image:Tanaga_District.png|thumb|right|300px|[[Tanaga]] district of [[New Mombasa]], with the [[New Mombasa Orbital Elevator]] in the background. This is seconds prior to the New Mombasa Slipspace incident.]]
[[Image:Zanzibarfull.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Wind Power Station 7]] on [[Zanzibar Island]], [[Tanzania]].]]
[[Image:FoundationH2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Tactical Autonomous Robotic Defense System]] testing grounds in Industrial Zone 08 of [[Chicago]], United States of America.]]
[[Image:Macstationcairolarge1ki.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Orbital Defense Platform]] ''[[Cairo Station]]'' in geosynchronous orbit over Earth.]]

=== Planetside ===
Planetside, Earth has seven continents of extremely varied climates and cultures.

==== [[Africa]] ====
*[[Diego Garcia]] - Island in the Indian Ocean and a major [[UNSC]] base.
*[[Arab Republic of Egypt]]
**[[Cairo (City)|Cairo]]
*[[Republic of Kenya]]
**[[Mombasa]] - Major African city that was the first landing site of Covenant forces on Earth, destroyed in ensuing attack and retreat during the Battle of Earth.
***[[New Mombasa|New Mombasa]]
****[[New Mombasa Orbital Elevator]]
***[[Old Mombasa]]
****''[[Turf (Level)|Turf]]'' - The "backstreets"<ref>''[[Halo 2]]'', ''[[Turf (Level)|Turf]]''</ref> of Old Mombasa, and the location of a downed Scarab destroyed by [[UNSC Marine Corps|UNSC Marine]]s
***[[Tombstone (Level)|UNSC Munitions Testing Facility]] - A decommissioned, hazardous facility turned into an industrial wasteland on the outskirts of Mombasa<ref>http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12358</ref>
**[[Nairobi]] - The capital city of Kenya
**[[Voi]] - A town further inland from Mombasa and a source of major battles late in the [[Battle of Earth]]
***[[Voi Municipal Water Pump House 03]]
***[[Traxus Factory Complex 09]]
**[[Tsavo]]
***[[Tsavo Highway (Location)|Tsavo Highway]] - An overpass highway bridging Voi, Mombasa, Arusha, and other cities together.
***[[Outpost C9]]
***[[Crow's Nest (Base)|UNSC Underground Facility "Crow's Nest"]]
*[[United Republic of Tanzania]]
**[[Mount Kilimanjaro]]
**[[Nkuu River]]
***[[GWC Trans-African Pipelines]]
**[[Zanzibar Island]] - Location of [[Wind Power Station 7]]
***[[Wind Power Station 7]] - Decommissioned wind wheel<ref>''[[Halo 2]]'', ''[[Zanzibar (Level)]]''</ref>, which was acquired by the UNSC as [[SPARTAN]] training grounds.<ref>''[[Halo 3]]'', ''[[Last Resort (Level)|Last Resort]]''</ref>

==== [[Australia|Oceania]] ====
*[[Commonwealth of Australia]]
**[[Sydney]]
***[[HighCom Facility Bravo-6]] - Home of [[HIGHCOM]] and HQ of the UNSC. 
***[[Sydney Synthetic Intellect Institute]] - [[Artificial Intelligence|A.I.]] research institute.
**[[Western Australia]]
***[[Perth]]
****[[Swanbourne]]
*****[[ONI Ordnance Testing Facility B5D]]

==== [[Asia]] ====
*[[Korea]]
**[[Kyonggi Province]]
***[[Songnam]]
****[[Special Warfare Center]] - Testing and training area, famous for testing the [[MJOLNIR|MJOLNIR MK VI]] and the [[CQB Armor|C]] and [[EVA Armor|V]] variants
*[[Pakistan]]
*[[China]]
*[[Japan]]

==== [[North America]] ====
*[[Canada]]
*[[United States of America]]
**[[Massachusetts]]
***[[Boston]]
****[[Chawla Base]] - An [[ONI]] base that housed the artifact from [[I Love Bees]]
**[[Ohio]]
***[[Cleveland]] - Site of the [[Battle of Cleveland]]; underneath the city is the [[Key of Osanalan]].
**[[Illinois]]
***[[Chicago]]
****[[Industrial Zone 08]]
*****[[Tactical Autonomous Robotic Defense System]] - Site of the [[Halo 2]] map [[Foundation]]
**[[New York]]
***[[New York City]] - The Morelli family from I Love Bees all live or were born here.
**[[Commonwealth of Kentucky]] - [[Rani Sobeck]] from I Love Bees lives here or was born here.
**[[Oregon]] - [[Fueder Construction|A construction company]] in the [[United States]] is located here.
***[[Salem]] - The capital of Oregon and location of Fueder Construction.
*[[Mexico]]
**[[Mexico City]]
***[[Base Segundo Terra]] - Mexico City, Mexico. Used as the staging area to attack the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] incursions on Havana and the Yucatan Peninsula. 
*[[Republic of Cuba]]
**[[Havana]]
***[[Centennial Orbital Elevator]] - A 200 year old antiquated Space Elevator that was destroyed during the Battle of Earth.

==== [[South America]] ====
*[[Republic of Chile]]
*Republic of Ecuador
**[[Quito]] - Home to the [[Quito Space Tether]], one of Earth's six Space Elevators.

==== [[Europe]] ====
*[[United Kingdom]]
**[[Great Britain]]
***[[London]]
***[[Bristol]]
***[[Leeds]]
***[[Reading]]
***[[Cheshire]]
***[[Birmingham]]
***[[Portsmouth]]
***[[Islington]]
**[[Scotland]]
***[[Edinburgh]]
*[[Federal Republic of Germany]]
**[[Essen]]
***[[Beweglichrüstungsysteme|Beweglichrüstungsysteme Testing Facility]] - Testing site of the C Variant MJOLNIR MK. VI

==== [[Antarctica]] ====
*[[Ross Island]]
**[[Mount Erebus]] - Site of a Covenant attack during the Battle of Earth.

====[[Arctic]]====
*[[Arctic|Arctic Ocean]]
**[[UNSC Weather Station Z/41]]

=== Orbital ===
*''[[Athens Station]]'' - An [[Orbital Defense Platform|ODP]] defending Earth, destroyed by boarders in the Battle of Earth.
*''[[Cairo Station]]'' - An [[Orbital Defense Platform|ODP]] defending Earth. It was the command center of Earth's defense by [[Admiral Hood]].
*''[[Malta Station]]'' -  An [[Orbital Defense Platform|ODP]] defending Earth, destroyed by boarders in the Battle of Earth.
*''[[Nassau Station]]'' - An [[Orbital Defense Platform|ODP]] defending earth.
*[[Station Wayward Rest]] - Termination point of the COE. Destroyed during the Battle of Earth.

=== [[Luna]] ===
*[[Luna OCS Academy]] - The Moon-based training academy for [[UNSC]] Naval officers.

==Sources==
<references/>
[[Category:UNSC]]
[[Category:Planets]]
[[Category:Places]]