Where
is Antarctica? Antarctica
is found at what most people consider to be the “bottom”
of the world. It is the continent that covers and surrounds
the South Pole.
How
cold is it in Antarctica?
Colder than anywhere else on Earth! The world’s lowest
temperature, -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit, was recorded in
Antarctica in 1983. Right now, it’s almost summer there,
but that still means subzero temperatures: -40 to -94 degrees
F (inland) and -5 to -22 degrees F (on the coast).
Was
Antarctica always so cold?
No. Fossils of plants and animals that have been found in
Antarctica show that the continent once had a warmer climate.
Also, scientists think these fossils show that Antarctica
was once joined to other southern continents.
Is
Antarctica made entirely of ice?
No. Ice and snow make up 98 percent of Antarctica, but beneath
that is solid land. Seventy percent of the world’s
fresh water is contained in the Antarctic icecap.
How
big is Antarctica?
It’s bigger than Europe and bigger than Australia,
making it the fifth-largest continent on Earth. Without
its icecap, though, it would be the world’s smallest
continent. As is, it covers about 5,400,000 square miles.
Its tallest peak is Vinson Massif, which is almost 17,000
feet high.
Do
animals live there?
Only a few insects and other tiny creatures live in the
bitterly cold interior, but the coasts and surrounding
waters are home to abundant wildlife. Many flying birds
and several kinds of penguins and seals raise their young
on the coast. Krill (small shrimplike animals) and about
one hundred kinds of fishes live in the ocean. During
the summer months, various kinds of whales migrate to
the area. While Bob Marstall is in Antarctica, he will
be studying Weddell seals.
What
else lives in Antarctica?
Mosses, lichens, algae, and two flowering plants can be
found there.
Do
people live there?
There
are no peoples native to Antarctica, but scientists live
at research stations there year-round. About 4,000 scientists
work there in the Antarctic summer months, and about 1,000
work there in the Antarctic winter months. Thousands of
tourists, mostly on cruise ships, also head to Antarctica
in the warm months.
What
is McMurdo Station?
Established in 1955, McMurdo Station is the largest research
station on Antarctica and the base for the U.S. Antarctic
Program. It has about eighty-five buildings and even has
above-ground water, sewer, telephone, and power lines. Its
population is about 1,100 people in the Antarctic summer
and about 250 people in the Antarctic winter.
Who
owns Antarctica?
No single country owns Antarctica. The Antarctic Treaty,
which has forty-five nations as members, declares that the
continent should be used by members for peaceful purposes
only, such as exploration and scientific research.
When
was it discovered?
Around 1820, several sailors reported seeing the landmass,
but it wasn’t until 1840 that Antarctica was officially
declared to be a continent. In 1911, Norwegian explorer
Roald Amundsen became the first person to reach the South
Pole. Five weeks later, British Captain Robert F. Scott
also reached it.
What’s
the difference between the South Pole and the South Magnetic
Pole?
The South Pole (also known as the South Geographic Pole)
is the southern end of the Earth’s axis of rotation.
That imaginary line goes from the North Pole, straight through
the center of the Earth, and farther south to a point near
the middle of Antarctica. Every day, the Earth makes one
turn, or rotation, on this axis. The South Magnetic Pole
is miles away from the South Pole. The Earth is a giant
magnet, and this point is one of its poles. On the opposite
side of the Earth, there is a North Magnetic Pole, which
is miles away from the North Pole.
