Look what happens to the land if ice melt.

Ice around the North Pole and the South constitute 10 percent of the surface of our planet Earth and is thought to contain five million cubic miles of frozen water - so what would happen if all the ice melts ? National Geographic has created some interactive maps that demonstrate the catastrophic effect that the Earth's ice could cause if it melts and flows into the oceans and seas .

This can cause the sea level to rise to 65.8 feet , taking over cities and even countries , while drastically changing how continents and coasts look . Scientists believe they have around 5,000 years for temperatures to rise enough to melt all the ice on the planet , but claim that the planet is already seeing the beginnings of this .

During the last century , reports suggest that the Earth's temperature has risen by half a degree Celsius and the U.S. Agency for Environmental Protection ( EPA ) , it has already caused sea level rise of about 17 centimeters . The largest concentrations of ice on Earth are found in Greenland and Antarctica , but is also found in areas exposed mountain tops and other areas .