Google Earth downloads surpass 1 billion mark

Google Earth lets you fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, the ocean and even galaxies in outer space.

Google Earth reaches one billion downloads

That's how Google describes its amazing software Google Earth which on Wednesday has eclipsed 1 billion downloads since it was released in 2005. The number includes downloads of the mobile apps, plug-in and desktop client.

"Google Earth is probably one of the most downloaded applications of all time in terms of raw numbers," product manager Peter Birch told AFP.

In celebration of this stellar milestone, Google has launched a new Google Earth-centric site, One World Many Stories.

"Visit www.OneWorldManyStories.com to learn about people like Professor David Kennedy of the University of Western Australia, who’s used Google Earth to scan thousands of square kilometers in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Professor Kennedy has discovered ancient tombs and geoglyphs dating back at least 2,000 years, all without leaving his desk in Perth. Architect Barnaby Gunning, after the April 6, 2009 earthquake near L'Aquila Italy, encouraged his fellow citizens to start rebuilding the city virtually in 3D. Their online urban planning will aid city planners and architects. Retired English teacher Jerome Burg created Google Lit Trips, which uses Google Earth to match places in famous books to their geographical locations, encouraging students to create connections between the stories they read in school and the world they live in." Google writes.

Geography and Google Earth

The last time Google shared statistics on Google Earth was in 2009, when the company said Google Earth had been downloaded 700,000 times.

"The breadth of stories and discoveries over the last six years inspires us to keep making the product better. We look forward to seeing what comes out of the next billion downloads." said Brian McClendon, Keyhole founder and Google Vice President of Engineering.