Antarctica
| Area: | 14,200,000 km2 5,500,000 sq mi |
|---|---|
| Population: | 1,300 (winter) 5,100 (summer) |
| Density : | 0.00009/km2 to 0.00036/km2 (seasonal) |
| Time : | All time zones |
| Settlements : | McMurdo Station |
| M49 : | {{{case_file }}} |
| Case Files : | {{{case_file }}} |
Antarctica is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent, situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean. It is the fifth-largest continent, with an area of approximately 14.2 million km² (5.5 million sq mi), making it about 40% larger than Europe and comparable in size to Pluto. The continent is almost entirely covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, which averages 1.9 km (1.2 mi) in thickness and holds about 98% of its surface in ice. This ice sheet contains roughly 60% of the world's freshwater reserves and 90% of its ice, and if fully melted, would raise global sea levels by nearly 60 meters (200 ft).
Antarctica is the coldest, driest, windiest, and highest continent on Earth, with an average elevation of about 2,200 meters (7,200 ft) above sea level. It is classified as a polar desert, receiving an average annual precipitation of only 166 mm (6.5 in) across the entire continent, with coastal regions receiving more and the high interior receiving as little as 50 mm (2.0 in) per year. The lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth was −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F) at Vostok Station in 1983, and temperatures in places like Dome Argus can reach as low as −90 °C (−130 °F).
The continent is divided into East Antarctica and West Antarctica by the Transantarctic Mountains, which stretch over 3,400 km (2,100 mi). East Antarctica is a high ice-covered plateau, while West Antarctica consists of an archipelago of mountainous islands covered by ice. The highest peak is Vinson Massif at 4,892 m (16,050 ft), and Mount Erebus on Ross Island is the world’s southernmost active volcano, erupting around 10 times daily. Deception Island is one of the few places where ships can sail into an active volcano, and it is one of only two known active volcanoes in Antarctica.
Despite its harsh conditions, Antarctica supports native species such as penguins, seals, mites, nematodes, tardigrades, and various invertebrates like Antarctic krill, primarily in coastal areas and the Southern Ocean. Vegetation is limited to mosses, lichens, and liverworts, with no trees or shrubs present. The continent has no permanent residents, but research stations host about 5,000 people during the summer months and drop to around 1,000 in winter. Human activity is governed by the Antarctic Treaty System, signed in 1959 by 54 countries, which prohibits military activity, mining, and nuclear waste disposal, while allowing scientific research, tourism, and fishing.
Tourism to Antarctica has grown since the mid-1960s, with most visitors arriving via expedition vessels from Ushuaia, Argentina, crossing the Drake Passage. The best time to visit is between November and March, when temperatures on the Antarctic Peninsula range from −7°C to 4°C (20°F to 40°F). The continent is also a key region for climate research, with the melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet posing significant uncertainty in sea level rise projections and affecting Southern Ocean circulation.
