Antarctica
Sign in to saveAntarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, being about 40% larger than Europe, and has an area of . Most of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, with an average thickness of .
AI overview
Antarctica is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent, located almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and containing the geographic South Pole. It is the fifth-largest continent, roughly 40% larger than Europe, and is mostly covered by a massive ice sheet with an average thickness of about 1.9 kilometers, making it a crucial region for understanding global climate and sea levels.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Continent.title
- Antarctica
- Continent.image
- Antarctica (orthographic projection).svg
- Continent.image_size
- 240px
- Continent.alt
- This map uses an orthographic projection, near-polar aspect. The South Pole is near the center, where longitudinal lines converge.
- Continent.flag
- True_South_Antarctic_Flag.svg
- Continent.population
- 1,300 (winter) 5,100 (summer)
- Continent.density
- 0.00009/km2 to 0.00036/km2 (seasonal)
- Continent.adjective
- Antarctic
- Continent.countries
- 7 territorial claims
- Continent.list_countries
- Antarctic Treaty System
- Continent.time
- All time zones
- Continent.internet
Article
36 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Geography
- Geologic history
- Paleozoic era (539–252 Ma)
- Mesozoic era (252–66 Ma)
- Cenozoic era before present (66–10 Ma)
- Present day
- Climate
- Regional differences
- Climate change
- Ozone depletion
- Biodiversity
- Animals
- Fungi
- Plants
- Other organisms
- Conservation and environmental protection
- History of exploration
- 19th century
- 20th century
- Demographics
- Politics
- Territorial claims
- Economy and tourism
- Research
- Culture
- Film
- Music
- Sport
- Holidays
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
- Further reading
- External links
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, being about 40% larger than Europe, and has an area of . Most of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, with an average thickness of .
Antarctica is, on average, the coldest, driest, and windiest of the continents, and has the highest average elevation. It is mainly a polar desert, with annual precipitation of over along the coast and far less inland. About 70% of the world's freshwater reserves are frozen in Antarctica, which, if melted, would raise global sea levels by almost . Antarctica holds the record for the lowest measured temperature on Earth, . The coastal regions can reach temperatures over in the summer. Native species of animals include mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades. Where vegetation occurs, it is mostly in the form of lichen or moss.