88 Fascinating Facts About The Titanic [Free Fact Cards]

Did you know that the Titanic was once called the unsinkable ship? It’s true! Learn even more fascinating facts about the Titanic!

Once upon a time, way back in 1912, the Titanic was the biggest and most glamorous ship ever built. It was like a floating palace with fancy rooms, delicious food, and a pool (this was a big deal back then!) People worldwide were excited to come aboard and sail across the ocean.

On its very first journey from England to New York, the Titanic faced a huge iceberg. This lead to the Titanic sinking. Learn more about the Titanic with these Titanic facts.

Don’t forget to get your Titanic fact cards below so you always have these facts with you no matter where you go and so you can share them with your friends! 

Want a whole collection of fact cards? Don’t forget to get your Facts About William Shakespeare You Never Knew or Oinktastic Facts About Pigs.

Facts About Titanic Sinking

1. Six ice warnings the Titanic received before the collision.
2. 22.5 – the ship’s speed in knots whilst traveling amid iceberg laden waters, just .5 knots below the top speed of 23 knots.
3. The sinking of the Titanic resulted in significant changes to maritime safety regulations, including the requirement for more lifeboats on ships and improved safety procedures.
4. Thirty seconds – the length of time between the first sighting of the iceberg to the crash. As the ‘berg came into view, lookout Frederick Fleet called the bridge to announce, “Iceberg, right ahead!”
5. The ship’s design was believed to be unsinkable, which led to a lack of preparation for a disaster.

6. There are 4 forward compartments that could flood without the risk of the Titanic sinking.
7. 6 – the number of forward compartments that were ruptured in the collision.
8. 400 miles – the ship’s distance from land (640 km), when the iceberg was struck.
9. In 160 minutes took the Titanic to sink after hitting the iceberg (2 hours and 40 minutes).
10. 60-minute delay between the collision and the first Titanic lifeboat launching.

11. 220 to 245 feet is the estimated length of the gash caused by the collision (minimum to maximum length).
12. 12 – the actual estimated size of the opening in cubic feet.
13. Four hundred tons approximate amount of water the Titanic took on per minute after the collision.
14. Fifty-eight miles – distance of the rescue vessel Carpathia, at the time of the distress call.
15. The approximate volume of water was 38,000 tons, which filled the bow of the Titanic. This volume of water lifted the ship’s stern out of the water before it finally broke away, splitting just in front of the third funnel.

16. 11° is the estimated angle at which the stern is believed to have broken away when the Titanic sank.
17. 5-10 minutes is the approximate time it took the two major sections of the Titanic – bow and stern – to reach the sea bottom.
18. The Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, and sank less than three hours later.
19. 56 km/h estimated speed at the bow section was traveling when it hit the bottom (35 mph).
20. 80 km/h estimated speed that the stern section traveled on its way down (50 mph), spiraling as it descended and with sections breaking off from the ship, resulting in much more visible damage to this section than the bow

21. 30 knots – the estimated speed (around 35 mph / 56 km/h) at which the bow of the Titanic would have hit the ocean floor, taking many poor victims with her.
22. The angle of 20° at which the bow hit the bottom as the Titanic sank.
23. The Titanic’s band continued to play music as the ship sank, providing comfort to passengers.
24. -2°C – the temperature of the seawater in the area where the Titanic sank.
25. 5mm – the minimum amount of movement that could occur between the steel plates of the hull before the wrought iron rivets used to join the curved sections would fail 

Facts About Titanic Wreckage

1. The shipwreck is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 370 miles (600 kilometers) southeast of Newfoundland, Canada.
2. The ship’s anchor, weighing several tons, was recovered from the wreckage during an expedition in 1998.
3. The Titanic lies at a depth of approximately 12,500 feet (3,800 meters) on the ocean floor.
4. The approximate area of the wreck site is 60% that had previously been mapped.
5. The amount of metal was 270 kg. Titanic was estimated to be losing every day (through the corrosive effects of ‘rusticles’, iron-eating microbes) according to Canadian microbiologist D. Roy Cullimore, who visited the wreck in 1998.

6. The ship’s wreckage is split into two main sections: the bow and the stern. They are separated by a debris field.
7. The ship’s captain, Edward J. Smith, went down with the ship.
8. The Titanic’s wreck site is also the final resting place of many of the passengers and crew who perished in the disaster.
9. The debris field contains numerous artifacts, personal items, and pieces of the ship, including the ship’s boilers.
10. The Titanic’s location on the ocean floor was kept a secret for many years to prevent looting and disturbance of the site.

11. The Titanic’s radio room, where distress signals were sent on the night of the sinking, has been a focus of exploration and research.
12. Many artifacts recovered from the Titanic are preserved and displayed in museums and exhibitions around the world.
13. The Titanic’s grand staircase, a famous feature, was found in the wreckage.
14. Many artifacts from the Titanic have been recovered, including jewelry, dishes, and personal items.
15. The wreck of the Titanic was discovered in 1985 by oceanographer Robert Ballard and has since been the subject of numerous expeditions and studies.

Facts About Titanic Survivors 

1. Of 2,223 people aboard the Titanic, 1,517 did not survive the collision with the iceberg.
2. First-class passenger and survivor Edith Rosenbaum Russell became known as the “Titanic’s Last Survivor” when she passed away in 1975.
3. Only 31.6% of people aboard (passengers and crew) survived the sinking.
4. Some survivors suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and experienced recurring nightmares and anxiety.
5. 53.4% who could have survived, given the number of spaces available on the lifeboats.

6. Many survivors had to endure the extreme cold of the North Atlantic Ocean for hours until rescue arrived.
7. Titanic survivor Eva Hart became an outspoken critic of ship safety standards and continued to advocate for maritime safety throughout her life.
8. First Class passengers who survived is 61%.
9. Some survivors, like Jack Thayer, Jr., had to cope with survivor’s guilt and struggled to come to terms with the loss of loved ones.
10. 42% of Standard Class passengers who survived.

11. Two dogs are believed to have survived (both were lapdogs taken onto lifeboats by their owners).
12. In Third Class passengers, only 24% survived.
13. Many survivors reported feeling guilt and anguish for being unable to save more people.
14. Survivors were mainly from the first and second-class passenger categories, as they had more accessible access to lifeboats.
15. Ticket number 242154 of an anonymous passenger who received a full refund before departure and is assumed not to have sailed.

16. Miss Lucile Polk Carter is the youngest female survivor from first class aged 13 years, 5 months, and 26 days.
17. Master Hudson Trevor Allison is the youngest male survivor from first class age 11 months, 8 days.
18. Mrs. Mary Eliza Compton is the oldest male survivor from first class (also the oldest survivor overall) age 60 years, 6 months, 21 days.
19. Survivors were brought aboard the Carpathia and received medical care, food, and clothing.
20. The youngest female survivor from the second class Miss Barbara Joyce West was only 10 months, 22 days at that time. 

21. The youngest male survivor from the second class is Master Viljo Unto Johannes Hämäläinen, aged 7 months and 17 days. 
22. Millvina Dean was just two months and 13 days old when she traveled aboard the Titanic.
23. The trauma of the Titanic disaster had a lasting impact on many survivors’ mental and emotional well-being.
24. Lifeboat No. 7 was one of the first to be lowered and contained several prominent survivors, including the Astors and the Thayers.
25. Many survivors, particularly those from first-class, lost valuable possessions and had to deal with insurance claims and legal issues.
26. First-class passenger Molly Brown, later known as “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” played an active role in helping fellow survivors in lifeboat No. 6.
27. The majority of survivors were women and children. Approximately 74% of women survived, compared to only 20% of men.

Facts About Building The Titanic

1. The Titanic was built in Belfast, Northern Ireland, at the Harland and Wolff shipyard.
2. Titanic measures 28 meters wide, 53 meters tall, and 269 meters long — that’s about the length of three football fields!
3. The Titanic’s lifeboats could only accommodate about 1,178 people, which was far fewer than the ship’s maximum capacity.
4. The Titanic’s construction cost was approximately $7.5 million in 1912, equivalent to roughly $200 million today.
5. She was completed and ready for the ocean on 31 March 1912, after three years of construction in Belfast, Ireland.

6. The ship’s total weight, including passengers and cargo, was estimated to be around 52,310 tons.
7. The Titanic lies 12,600 feet underwater.
8. The Titanic was the largest ship afloat at the time of her maiden voyage, measuring 882 feet and 9 inches (269 meters) in length.
9. The ruins of the Titanic lie nearly 2.5 miles beneath the surface of the ocean, approximately 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. 
10. The Titanic was built by a company called White Star Line. 

11. The ship’s chief designer was Thomas Andrews, who tragically perished in the sinking.
12. The ship’s four propellers, powered by steam engines, were designed to be more efficient and fuel-saving.
13. The shipyard employed around 15,000 workers during the construction of the Titanic.
14. The ship’s hull was made of iron and steel, with a double bottom for added strength and buoyancy.
15. The Titanic was one of three nearly identical sister ships, with the others being the RMS Britannic and the RMS Olympic.

16. The Titanic was the most impressive and luxurious ship of her time! 
17. The ship’s interiors were lavishly decorated with expensive materials such as marble, mahogany, and stained glass.
18. The Titanic was capable of carrying up to 3,547 passengers and crew members.
19. The Titanic’s interiors were designed to cater to different classes of passengers, from first-class luxury to more modest accommodations for third-class passengers.
20. The ship’s interior was equipped with cutting-edge safety features for the time, including a watertight door system and a system of bulkheads.
21.  The ship had a gymnasium, swimming pool, and Turkish bath facilities for first-class passengers.

Do you have even more interesting facts about the Titanic? Share them with us in the comments! Also, don’t forget to grab your free Titanic fact cards to add to your collection! 

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