If All The Ice On Earth Melted, The Destruction Would Be Unimaginable

By JENNIFER WELSH

What would the world look like if all the ice currently on land (more than 5 million cubic miles) melted? Well, we wouldn't be living in Waterworld, but the drastic sea level rise would have very destructive implications for many of the world's major cities. 

These amazing images come from National Geographic magazine's interactive "If All The Ice Melted" graphics up on their website. In the image, sea level has risen 216 feet.

They let us post a few of the maps here.

Bye-bye Florida. Oh, and the Gulf Coast. And most of the East Coast. San Diego would be gone and the hills around San Francisco would be turned into islands. Destroyed cities: Houston, New Orleans, Tampa, Miami, Charleston, Norfolk, Boston, and Montreal.

JASON TREAT, MATTHEW TWOMBLY, WEB BARR, MAGGIE SMITH, NGM STAFF. ART: KEES VEENENBOS.

Sources: Philippe Huybrechts, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Richard. Williams, Jr., Woods Hole Research Center; James C. Zachos, University of California, Santa Cruz; GS; NOAA, ETOPO1 Bedrock, 1 arc-minute global relief model copyright © September 2013 National Geographic Society

South America has some big new inlets, and loses a lot of shoreline. Destroyed cities: Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Georgetown, and Paramaribo.

JASON TREAT, MATTHEW TWOMBLY, WEB BARR, MAGGIE SMITH, NGM STAFF. ART: KEES VEENENBOS.

Sources: Philippe Huybrechts, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Richard. Williams, Jr., Woods Hole Research Center; James C. Zachos, University of California, Santa Cruz; GS; NOAA, ETOPO1 Bedrock, 1 arc-minute global relief model copyright © September 2013 National Geographic Society

Asia is a lot smaller than it used to be. Bangladesh is also flooded. More than 760 million people (at current population levels and placement) would be under water. Destroyed cities: Karachi, Baghdad, Dubai, Calcutta, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Beijing.

JASON TREAT, MATTHEW TWOMBLY, WEB BARR, MAGGIE SMITH, NGM STAFF. ART: KEES VEENENBOS.

Sources: Philippe Huybrechts, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Richard. Williams, Jr., Woods Hole Research Center; James C. Zachos, University of California, Santa Cruz; GS; NOAA, ETOPO1 Bedrock, 1 arc-minute global relief model copyright © September 2013 National Geographic Society

What used to be land ice is now no longer land or ice in Antarctica. That's because the ice sits on bedrock that is actually lower than sea level.

Jason Treat, Matthew Twombly, Web Barr, Maggie Smith, NGM staff. Art: Kees Veenenbos.

Philippe Huybrechts, Vrije Universiteit Brussel; Richard. Williams, Jr., Woods Hole Research Center; James C. Zachos, University of California, Santa Cruz; GS; NOAA, ETOPO1 Bedrock, 1 arc-minute global relief model copyright © September 2013 National Geographic Society

See the rest of the maps, including Europe and Africa. 

Don't worry too much though, it would take thousands of years for the ice itself to actually even go through the melting process, according to National Geographic.

They have a ton of other great climate change graphics and charts over there, too.

SEE ALSO:  Shocking Before And After Pictures Of How Climate Change Is Destroying The Earth

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-would-happen-if-all-the-ice-melted-2013-11#ixzz2jxiSH1qh