What percentage of the earths surface is covered in asphalt?

Answer 1

An incredibly tiny amount, far less than 1%.

Answer:

There is no definitive answer but as total urban use occupies about 2 percent of the United States (a reasonably heavily urbanized country) and urban areas are high contributors of asphalt use we have basis to start some mathematics:

• 30% (30/100) of the world is land
• 2% (2/100)of the land is urban (using the USA as "typical")
• <10% (10/100) of the urban area is asphalt (guess)

The implication is that no more than 30%x10%x2%=0.06% (600/1000000) of the Earth is covered by asphalt. This estimate is high given the rural and undeveloped nature of many continents and countries.