About 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, primarily in the form of oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, icecaps, and glaciers

. The oceans alone hold about 96.5% to 97% of all Earth's water, which is mostly saline

. Freshwater accounts for only about 2.5% of the total water on Earth, with most of that locked in ice and underground aquifers

. In terms of volume relative to the entire Earth, water makes up only about 0.128% of the Earth's volume, indicating that while water covers most of the surface, it is a small fraction of the planet's total mass and volume

. To summarize:

• Approximately 71% of Earth's surface is water-covered.
• Oceans contain about 96.5% to 97% of all Earth's water.
• Freshwater is about 2.5% of Earth's water, mostly trapped in ice and groundwater.
• Water volume is about 0.128% of Earth's total volume.

This coverage includes all forms of surface water, including frozen water in icecaps and glaciers