Entire World Population Could Fit into Greater London – Planning Firework Area

Posted on December 4, 2017

Did you know that you can fit the entire world population, all 7.5 billion of us, into a space no larger than Greater London? Amazing, but true!

When planning a fireworks display, it’s essential to know how many people you can safely fit into a given area.

If you’ve never worked with spectator-related events, this can be a difficult subject to grasp.  Quite often, we can be way wide of the mark when it comes to making such estimates, and the reality is that in most cases you can fit vastly more spectators than you thought possible.

No matter if you’re catering to a small or large audience, this information is vital when planning a display. In this post, we’ll take a look at the various aspects that need to be considered when planning a fireworks display and why audience size is crucial.

How Much Space is Required?

Standing shoulder to shoulder you can accommodate about six people — let’s say, three adults and three children — in a square metre. To work out how many square metres it would take to accommodate the world’s 7.5 billion people, divide this number by six. The answer is 1.25 billion square metres or 1250 square kilometres.

The size of Greater London, a mere speck on a map of the world shown here, is 1569 square kilometres, so you can see they would all fit in with room to spare. Use the slider on the map to see how.
[worldpopulationfit]
Bringing this back down to earth, your average football pitch occupies about 5000 square metres. If you allocate two thirds for your display firing site and safety zone, you’ll have about 1500 square metres left for spectators.

We wouldn’t advise trying to fit six people per square metre, but even at a comfortable two person per square metre, you can still have a very respectable 3000 paying customers.

Buy Fireworks to Suit Your Audience Size

When planning a fireworks display, you not only have to consider your options in regards to locations but also buy fireworks that suit specific environments. Everyone has a preference when it comes to fireworks; some like loud bangs, others prefer a visually stunning display, while others are happy with something on a smaller scale. While preference is definitely important, it’s the audience size you’re working with that matters most.

For example, with a large display for which thousands of people are set to attend, it’s safe to say a few roman candles, a spinning wheel and a fountain might not do the trick. Instead, you’ll be better off with a multi-shot firework that only has to be lit once and provides you with multiple volleys of loud bangs, screeches and mesmerising colours. Plus, if you’re working with a budget, it gives you more bang for your buck.

Now consider a smaller-scale, more intimate display, say for around ten of your friends on Bonfire Night. While part of you may want to bring out the big guns and opt for some of the most exciting fireworks for sale, there’s a good chance it will be in your garden, meaning nearby neighbours probably won’t appreciate it. Here at Fireworks Direct, we have a massive range of fireworks for sale that suit any situation and environment. There are plenty of options for home displays — and even quiet fireworks if you’re concerned about noise.

Bonfire Night is right around the corner, so now’s the time to put a plan together and buy fireworks for the occasion. Hopefully, this article will have given you some helpful advice to make sure everything runs smoothly and so that you put on the best possible show for the audience size you are expecting.

If you would like any more information about organising your own display, please refer to our firework safety guide.