Portal:Antarctica

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Antarctica

Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent, overlying the South Pole. It is situated in the southern hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 14.4 million km² (5.4 million sq mi), it is the fifth-largest continent in area after Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. Some 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice, which averages at least 1.6 kilometers (1.0 mi) in thickness.

On average, Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents. Since there is little precipitation, except at the coasts, the interior of the continent is technically the largest desert in the world. There are no permanent human residents and there is no evidence of any existing or pre-historic indigenous population. Only cold-adapted plants and animals survive there, including penguins, fur seals, mosses, lichen, and many types of algae.

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The climate of Antarcticais the coldest climate on Earth. It is colder than that of the Arctic regionsbecause of the elevation, continental influence, and the fact that the Antarctic winter currently occurs when the Earth is just past its aphelion. The Antarctic climate is also extremely dry, with an average of only 166 mm (42.2 in.) of precipitation per year; however, on most parts of the continent, the snow never melts and is eventually compressed to become the glacialice that makes up the ice sheet. The lowest natural temperaturerecorded on the continent (and consequently on Earth) was −89.2°C (−128.6°F), recorded on Thursday, July 21, 1983, at Vostok Station. The highest recorded natural temperature on the continent was 14.6°C (58.3°F) in two places, Hope Bayand Vanda Station, on January 5, 1974. The mean annual temperature of the continental interior is −57°C (−70°F), but the coast is warmer on average. In fact, McMurdo Stationon Ross Islandexperiences a summer daytime average temperature of −3°C (26.6°F). The continent's unique location and its ice sheetare of ongoing interest to sciencethat is engaged in climatologyand global warmingstudies. ...Archive/Nominations

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Credit: User:Dbush

The Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the tallest and heaviest of all living penguin species and is endemic to Antarctica. The species breeds in the coldest environment of any bird species; air temperatures may reach −40 °C (−40 °F), and wind speeds may reach 144 km/h (89 mph). Water temperature is a frigid −1.8 °C (30 °F).

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Credit: Uwe Kils

Tabletop icebergs ...Archive/Nominations

WikiProjects

WikiProject Antarctica

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In the news

Wikinews Antarctica portal

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Did you know?

... that the lowest temperature ever recorded in nature on Earth was an astounding −89.2°C (−128.6°F), recorded on July 21, 1983, at Vostok Station?
... that Roald Amundsen named his expedition's South Pole camp Polheim, which means "Home on the Pole" in Norwegian?
... that Emilio Marcos Palma (born January 7, 1978, at Esperanza Base) was the first person known to be born on the continent of Antarctica?