There are about 8.2 billion people alive today — but that is only around 7% of the roughly 117 billion humans who have ever lived. Every day some 385,000 babies are born and about 170,000 people die, a net gain that keeps the population climbing, for now.

The world has 195 sovereign countries — 193 UN members plus Vatican City and Palestine as observer states. That number has changed dramatically: in 1900 there were fewer than 60 recognised independent nations.

The 20th century's deadliest conflict — World War 2 — killed an estimated 70-85 million people, roughly 3% of the world's population at the time. More civilians died than soldiers — a reversal of earlier wars.

Egypt has 138 pyramids — not 3. The famous Giza complex is the best known but the ancient Egyptians built pyramids for over 1,000 years across multiple sites. Of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only one still stands — the Great Pyramid of Giza.

The United States has 50 states, but the number has changed many times since the original 13 colonies declared independence. The most recent addition was Hawaii in 1959.