The True Shape of the Earth
The true shape of the Earth is an oblate spheroid, which means that it is mostly spherical but slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator. This shape is a result of the Earth's rotation, which causes it to be slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator.

Key Points:
- The Earth is not a perfect sphere, but rather an oblate spheroid.
- The flattening at the poles and bulging at the equator is due to the Earth's rotation.
- This shape has been confirmed by measurements taken from space and by calculations based on the Earth's gravitational field.
- The deviation from a perfect sphere is relatively small, with the Earth's diameter at the equator being about 43 kilometers larger than the diameter measured through the poles.