What percentage of Earth's surface is covered by water, influencing meteorite impact statistics?

Roughly 71%

Understanding the astronomical odds against a human being struck by a meteorite requires considering the surface area distribution of the planet Earth. A substantial majority of the planet's surface area is covered by water, estimated at roughly 71%. This vast ocean surface, combined with sparsely populated landmasses like nature preserves or remote continents such as Antarctica or the Australian outback, statistically diverts the vast majority of incoming space debris away from human habitation. This dominance of uninhabited areas means that the actual density of human targets available for a direct strike is significantly reduced, mathematically contributing to the extreme rarity of confirmed fatalities.