The Earth’s circumference varies slightly depending on how it is measured. The equatorial circumference, measured around the widest part of the Earth, is approximately 24,901 miles (40,075 kilometers). However, because the Earth is not a perfect sphere but rather an oblate spheroid, the circumference measured around the poles is slightly shorter. This polar circumference is about 24,860 miles (40,008 kilometers). Despite these small differences, the Earth’s average circumference is commonly rounded to about 24,900 miles, providing an overall estimate of the distance around the planet at its widest point.