control of the government of a state, community, or other body by its own members; democratic government. the condition of being self-governed.
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, after Mercury. Named after the Roman god of war, it is often referred to as the Red Planet because the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance.
This article is part of the NASA Knows! (Grades 5-8) series. Mars is the fourth planet from the sun and the next planet beyond Earth. It is, on average, more than 142 million miles from the sun. Mars is about one-sixth the size of Earth. Mars is known as the Red Planet. It gets its red color from the iron oxide (like rust) in its soil.