Sorry GG, Casino Royale was Fleming&#39;s first book, but not the first movie and not the answer to the question.  The movie was &#39;You Only Live Twice&quot;.  It was an error that got past the editors.<br />
<br />
The world is approximately 26,000 miles in circumference at the equator.  Let&#39;s say for this question it&#39;s exactly 26,000 miles.<br />
If you have a piece of rope 26,000 mile long and wrap it around the earth, the ends will just touch.<br />
If you have a piece of rope 26,000 miles and six inches long and wrap it around the earth, give it a shake so that it is equally distant from the earth all around, what would be the approximate gap?<br />
Give a guess.  You might be surprised.