Final answer:
The Human Genome Project was an international effort to map all human genes, completed in 2003, which sequenced 3.3 billion base pairs and identified over 20,000 genes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Human Genome Project was an international collaboration to map out all the human genes.This monumental scientific initiative began in 1990 and successfully completed in 2003, marking a significant milestone in biological and medical research. The project involved sequencing all 3.3 billion base pairs of the human genome. Thanks to the strenuous and dedicated efforts of scientists from various countries and fields, they were able not only to sequence but identify the locations of more than 20,000 human genes within our DNA.
The project was not just a scientific endeavor; it had substantial commercial implications, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. Funding was provided by multiple international sources, including the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health, as well as private and public institutions from countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, and China. In summarizing the project's outcome, the Human Genome Project has provided a reference DNA sequence invaluable for ongoing research in human health and disease.