Accurate Population of Coruscant

[General Mung Beans]

It is considered that the canon population of Coruscant-three trillion would mean an extremely light population density. So if the population density of Coruscant was somewhat more realistic what would be its population?

[Guardsman Bass]

It is considered that the canon population of Coruscant-three trillion would mean an extremely light population density. So if the population density of Coruscant was somewhat more realistic what would be its population?

Curtis Saxton has a pretty good section on this. The guess he came up with was a population in the low quadrillions/very high trillions.

[Lord Revan]

You got to remember that there's sections of Corusant that are too toxic for permanent residents (like the abandoned industrial region where Darth Sidious' base was), so Saxton's estimate seems pretty good, especially when you remember there's probably billions if not trillions of "unregistered" habitants in Corusant.

[Srelex]

Don't some older sources describe Coruscant as having mountain ranges, of all things?

[Temujin]

I remember something like that as well, but I though it was considered park land, kind of like a scaled up version of Central Park.

[Sea Skimmer]

Don't some older sources describe Coruscant as having mountain ranges, of all things?

Mountains and oceans and big empty areas, certain authors simply refused to accept the idea of a city planet at all, but its canon as shit now. Three movies and no oceans or mountains to be seen in numerous orbital shots... they might exist but they are all covered over.

[Connor MacLeod]

It doesn't have mountains or oceans, but it does have industrial centers. and quite frankly, we've really got no idea how Coruscant is organized or how the land mass is used. Curtis's stuff is a perfectly acceptable estimate of "potential", but one cannot ever get around the fact it lacks hard data. Hell, I never even particularily got the impression that Coruscant's top levels (at least) were ever that particularily crowded. IF anything, my impression was that space was probably wasted deliberately by the Rich and Powreful (Who basically make up all that matters in the upper levels anyhow) as a sign of status (We DO know Coruscant is the policial and cultural center of the universe, so it has arrogance in spades.)

Now, saying all that, it is perfectly reasonable to argue the Coruscant population is a.. selective interpretation of the facts. That is, its an estimate of the population considered "important" (EG those living in the top levels - the rich and powerful - and those who help maintain that existence. Basically the people who matter and thus are most likely to be counted.)

That covered, there are two potential sources for additional population:

1.- Transients, vacationers, and all manner of offworlders. Coruscant again is the center of everything, and it makes sense that tourism, politics, and other various activiites will necessitate a substantial "transient" populace (Think of Amidala going to Coruscant in Ep 1.) Hell, a fair bit of Coruscant's surface could even be given over to the activities and services supporting that (Dex's diner from Ep2 perhaps.)

2.) - a vast underclass/underground of "invisibles". Basically the poor, impoverished, criminal and other "undesirables" (which under the Empire can include Aliens) who could be inhabiting the vast levels below the upper ones. These people could be folk who go broke or lose power on Coruscan and are cast out, they could be transients (the SW version of illegal immigrants, basically.), they could be part of the various criminal organizations and empires (and activities) that exist in SW (again Coruscant being the center of the galaxy can influence even that) and so on. I doubt the "official" side of Coruscant - the government and bureacracy, the rich and powerful, etc. would give a damn about them, and many of them may not even realize they exist. going below to do a census would be impractical (and probably dangerous.) And once those people are on planet they probably would have ah ard time leaving, so they breed and eventually contribute to expanding the belowground populations.

Now, in light of all that, an "accurate" popualtin of Coruscant is going to be impossible . Which brings us back to Curtis' estimates. As an "accurate" figure they don't work, but as an estimate of what Coruscant could theoretically handle it tells us quite a bit more, and in scifi a range of values is often the best you can hope for (and its not as if populations can fluctuate for tons of reasons anyhow.)

[General Mung Beans]

Don't some older sources describe Coruscant as having mountain ranges, of all things?

Mountains and oceans and big empty areas, certain authors simply refused to accept the idea of a city planet at all, but its canon as shit now. Three movies and no oceans or mountains to be seen in numerous orbital shots... they might exist but they are all covered over.

The mountains could be seen from the Imperial Palace (Heir to the Empire) which may mean the Palace was built in an area where a bit of Courscant's nature was preserved although it is a miniscule percentage.

[Temujin]

If a large portion of the planet is for the rich and tourists, those mountains could be artificial, serving as a ski resort / amusement center.

[Ghost Rider]

If a large portion of the planet is for the rich and tourists, those mountains could be artificial, serving as a ski resort / amusement center.

That is the best vision. Skimmer's bit is that in that no form or fashion did the highest form of canon show any mountains, and certainly not in view that Zahn and others claim. Thus they are either some floaty ski resort or said characters are talking out of their asses .

[Guardsman Bass]

How might commercial/industrial property affect the population value? Coruscant is the administrative capital of an entire galaxy - large parts of the cityscape covering its surface might be taken up by commercial/industrial/government property with no permanent residents.

[chris0101]

How might commercial/industrial property affect the population value? Coruscant is the administrative capital of an entire galaxy - large parts of the cityscape covering its surface might be taken up by commercial/industrial/government property with no permanent residents.

If we are looking at quadrillions or high trillions, that does not account for the possibility that the population estimates would be off by 2-3 orders of magnitude. It suggests that whoever wrote the 2-3 trillion wildly underestimated the reality and came up with that figure out of the blue.

Even with just 10% of the planet inhabitable by people (likely an underestimate), that would be 1 order of magnitude off.

[jollyreaper]

Coruscant is Trantor from Asimov's Foundation. All the same "facts" for uban density should apply.

[Eframepilot]

Coruscant is Trantor from Asimov's Foundation. All the same "facts" for uban density should apply.

Bad example. Asimov only gave Trantor a population of 40 billion IIRC. Waaaay too small for a planet-covering city.

[jollyreaper]

Coruscant is Trantor from Asimov's Foundation. All the same "facts" for uban density should apply.

Bad example. Asimov only gave Trantor a population of 40 billion IIRC. Waaaay too small for a planet-covering city.

Maybe people were taller in his story. I don't think he ever specifically stated that. Maybe all the trantorans were really zentraedi.

[Mayabird]

Also Trantor wasn't a true ecumenopolis - the city only covered the land area and there were still vast oceans uncovered. The population density was still ridiculously low for the land area that's covered, especially since the city is supposed to be all-enclosed and dug deep into the crust.

[Teleros]

That is the best vision. Skimmer's bit is that in that no form or fashion did the highest form of canon show any mountains, and certainly not in view that Zahn and others claim. Thus they are either some floaty ski resort or said characters are talking out of their asses .

The other option may be that under the Galactic Empire, Coruscant had a lot of districts levelled & replaced with mountains, oceans and whatnot. Would also be easier if you go with the idea of Palpatine as a speciesist, as he could replace the Wookie district with a mountain range or whatever.

[Darwin]

only way I can see to rationalize it is that's the official census, and Coruscant actually has very few permanent legal residents but has a huge temporary population of bureaucrats, businessmen, tourists, refugees, and a massive un-accounted-for underclass. So with any crowd scene on Coruscant, only like 1 out of 100 actually live there (and fewer still are actually registered residents) and aren't 'just visiting'.

It's still ridiculous.