Convert Cubic Kilometer (km³) to Gigaliter (GL) instantly.
About these units
Cubic Kilometer (km³)
A cubic kilometer represents one billion cubic meters, making it a colossal volume unit used in geology, hydrology, glaciology, and planetary science. Large lakes, ice sheets, magma chambers, and atmospheric water content are often measured in km³. Earth's total ocean volume—about 1.335 billion km³—illustrates the unit's utility in describing planetary-scale systems. The km³ gives scientists a manageable number when dealing with natural features too massive for cubic meters or liters to express conveniently.
Gigaliter (GL)
A gigaliter equals one billion liters or one million cubic meters. It is widely used when discussing very large natural or artificial water systems. Countries quantify national water reserves, lake capacities, and large-scale water transfers in gigaliters. For example, major reservoirs, such as those used for hydroelectric power generation, often have volumes in the tens of gigaliters. Environmental scientists use GL to describe groundwater extraction, rainfall totals across large regions, and freshwater availability. The GL helps quantify planetary-scale hydrological processes in a manageable numerical range.