Most cold continent on Earth it is Antarctica. It belongs to no one and is a place international cooperation. The world's scientists are the real masters of this continent. According to the jurisdiction of the Antarctic Agreement, all scientists must respect the land and resources, and use all the resources of the continent only for peaceful purposes.
The coldest places on earth are considered North Pole– The Arctic and the South Pole – Antarctica. All this is due to the fact that the sun's ray really warms when it reaches the ground at right angles from top to bottom. The sun's rays hit the poles of the earth obliquely and therefore the earth does not heat up from them, since the rays seem to slide across the surface.
And yet, where is it colder?
Logically, it should be colder in the north. But as it turned out, this is not so. In the Arctic, the average temperature in winter is -34°C, and higher in summer. average temperature in Antarctica it reaches -49°C, this is the coldest climate on Earth. Record low temperature on our planet was -86.9°C, and it was recorded near the South Geomagnetic Pole at Vostok station. The Arctic receives 7% less heat in the summer than Antarctica, but the climate in the Arctic is much warmer than Antarctica.
This phenomenon is explained by several factors. One of them is in the vast space between northern part Europe and between Greenland are freely connected by the Atlantic and North Arctic Ocean. Warm waters They give back to the Arctic great amount heat arctic ice, which they freely reach, and thereby soften the local climate.
In addition, the Arctic, together with fresh water largest northern rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean receives additional quantity heat, Antarctica is deprived of all this. But main reason Antarctic cold is that the southern continent has the highest level among the six continents existing on Earth.
Eurasia, the next highest in altitude after Antarctica, has an average altitude of 900 m, and average height Antarctica is 2,000 m. This is explained by the fact that the thick layer of ice covering the continental rocks of Antarctica has an average thickness of 1,800 m, while the surface height of the ice fields in the Central Arctic is only a few meters above sea level. Due to the difference in altitude between Antarctica and the Arctic, the first continent is colder by about 13°C, and at the tops of the ice domes it is colder by 25-28°C. After all, the air temperature decreases by 6.5° in the atmosphere with every kilometer of altitude.
Ice-covered Antarctica reflects 95% solar radiation. In such a cold climate, the snow never melts there. But this continent contains 90% of the world's ice reserves. Are they around here? reserves fresh water of our planet. That is why Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth, which is interesting to humanity for new discoveries and achievements.
2. The coldest place on Earth is a high ridge in Antarctica, where the temperature was recorded at -93.2 °C.
3. In some areas of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (the ice-free part of Antarctica) there has been no rain or snow for the last 2 million years.
5. In Antarctica there is a waterfall with water as red as blood, which is explained by the presence of iron, which oxidizes upon contact with air.
9. There are no polar bears in Antarctica (they are only in the Arctic), but there are many penguins.
12. Melting ice in Antarctica caused a slight change in gravity.
13. In Antarctica there is a Chilean town with a school, hospital, hotel, post office, Internet, TV and a network for mobile phones.
14. The Antarctic ice sheet has existed for at least 40 million years.
15. There are lakes in Antarctica that never freeze due to the heat emanating from the bowels of the Earth.
16. The highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was 14.5 °C.
17. Since 1994, the use of sled dogs has been prohibited on the continent.
18. Mount Erebus in Antarctica is the southernmost active volcano on Earth.
19. Once upon a time (more than 40 million years ago) it was as hot in Antarctica as in California.
20. There are seven Christian churches on the continent.
21. Ants, whose colonies are distributed over almost the entire land surface of the planet, are absent from Antarctica (as well as from Iceland, Greenland and several remote islands).
22. The territory of Antarctica is larger than Australia by approximately 5.8 million square kilometers.
23. Most of Antarctica is covered with ice, approximately 1% of the land is free from ice cover.
24. In 1977, Argentina sent a pregnant woman to Antarctica so that the Argentine baby would become the first person born on this harsh continent.
If you ask a person: “What is the coldest continent,” most will answer absolutely mechanically – Antarctica. But then they’ll think: maybe it’s the Arctic? After all, it is located at the North Pole, which means it should be colder there. And in general: is Antarctica a continent? Or is it a continent... Is there any difference between these concepts? Some will remember another concept: “parts of light.” From a distant course school geography Another vague name pops up - Antarctica - what is it then? Not the third pole... Maybe they also have something to do with this mess?
In any case, the simplest question at first glance raises more detailed analysis a lot of controversy and confusion. And to avoid them, let's figure out what is what.
A little theory
First, let’s deal with the boring and uninteresting: let’s clarify the terminology so that we can further understand what we’re talking about we're talking about:
- The mainland is most of sushi surrounded by water. It lies on the continental plate and in to a greater extent is located above the level of the world's oceans. The peripheral part surrounds the mainland and is under water.
- A continent is the same as a mainland. No difference with geographical point there is no vision between them. This absolute synonyms.
- Part of the world - this concept has less to do with geography than with history.
There are 6 continents - Africa, Australia, Eurasia, North America, South America, Antarctica.
There are also 6 parts of the world, but in a different combination: Africa, Australia, America, Europe, Asia, Antarctica.
Now we can see that Antarctica is a continent. She is also the mainland. She is also part of the world.
But there is no Arctic either there or there. Because the Arctic is a conventional area at the North Pole, formed mainly from ice. To remember: the name "Arctic" comes from Greek word"bear". This means that it is located in the north, under the constellation Ursa Major.
Antarctica - from the same language - “opposite to the Arctic”, is located on South Pole.
Antarctica is a conventional region that includes Antarctica itself as a continent, as well as nearby islands and parts of the adjacent oceans.
Let's clarify one more difference: penguins and polar bears have never met in natural conditions because birds live at the South Pole, and bears live at the North Pole.
Now that we have clarified the situation, the question of which is the coldest continent will not even arise. Of course, Antarctica.
Interestingly, even if there was a continent at the North Pole, it would still be warmer there than at the South Pole (no matter how funny it may sound). So in Antarctica, the average annual temperature fluctuates around -58 degrees Celsius. The maximum recorded during the observation period was “only” -12. By the way, this happened quite recently - in 2002. Apparently, talk about Global warming still have some basis. And the lowest recorded temperature was -83 degrees. By the way, the coldest point on the continent is the Russian Vostok station.
In Antarctica, temperatures are not so bracing: average in winter-43 and about zero in the summer. The reason for such a “warm” climate is that Antarctica is still a frozen part of the ocean, and not a continent frozen through, unlike Antarctica.
Asian frosts
The second coldest continent is Asia. Honorary title the coldest point is disputed by two settlements: the village of Oymyakon (500 inhabitants) and the city of Verkhoyansk (about 1200).
WITH official point In terms of view, it should be given to Verkhoyansk, where -67.8 degrees was recorded at the local meteorological station in 1892. In the village of Oymyakon, the temperature was unofficially recorded as -71.2 degrees. The temperature was measured by academician Sergei Obruchev, whose opinion you can trust.
It’s funny, but both of these points show completely different temperatures in summer – up to +30 in both places. So the difference between minimum and maximum value can reach almost 100 degrees.
Northern – from the word “north”
It is quite logical that in North America winter temperatures will be spectacular. Thus, the minimum was recorded in 54 at the Northern Ice weather station located in Greenland. That year the mercury dropped to -66.1 degrees. The mainland also has its own cold spot - a small Canadian settlement with telling name Snow. In 1947, a temperature of -63 degrees was noted here.
The remaining continents are closer to the equator, which means such low temperatures are not expected there.
October 07, 2014
Cold Antarctica
In order to accurately state that the coldest continent on Earth is Antarctica, it should be clarified that there is a tectonic plate only at the North Pole. In the South there is not only a continent, but even an island.
When the question arises about the coldest continent on the planet, any person with even minimal knowledge of geography will say that it is Antarctica. This statement is completely true. The fact is that a continent or continent can be called a part of land located on tectonic plate. Some ignorant students may say that it is colder in the Arctic, that is, at the North Pole, which means that the coldest continent is located there, but this is not so. Firstly, at the very northern point There is no land on Earth, not even islands; secondly, the average annual temperature at the South Pole is much lower.
12 degrees - record heat
A continent is a part of land located on a continental plate and located above water. This is exactly what Antarctica looks like, although it is constantly covered with ice. It is known that the lowest temperature recorded here was -83 degrees below zero. It is not clear how anyone can exist in such conditions, but the Russian polar station “Vostok” was built and operates in this place. In 2002, the highest ever recorded in Antarctica heat- 12 degrees below zero. It has never been so warm in these places before. Probably, rumors about global warming are still not without meaning.
Oddly enough, but in Antarctica there is also animal world. These are mainly penguins - non-flying birds. Yes, they cannot fly, but they swim well and fish in the coastal seas. They never encountered polar bears only because these animals live on opposite side Globe. One of the differences of the Southern continent is that it is completely covered with ice, in some places reaching a height of 4 kilometers. Here are the largest reserves of fresh water. They make up 80% of the world's. In the center of the continent the weather is constantly sunny and dry. This is where winds and hurricanes originate, which rage in coastal areas.
IN summer period at the ends of Antarctica, ice sometimes melts and appears there plant life in the form of mosses and lichens. No other plants grow here. The seas around Antarctica are home to whales, sperm whales and some pinnipeds, which are the natural enemies of penguins. It is known that on southern continent It never happened local residents, civilization simply could not arise in such terrible conditions. But sailors from other places on the globe were still able to get here in 1820. These were Russian travelers Lazarev and Bellingshausen. The cold continent has been systematically studied since 1950.
What's under the ice?
As a result of the study, it turned out that mountains, depressions and plains are hidden under many meters of ice. Some researchers believe that once upon a time, a very long time ago, perhaps many millions of years ago, there was a thriving continent with a diverse flora and fauna, of which little remains today. Antarctica is also considered a source of icebergs that break off from continental ice and drift in the ocean, greatly complicating navigation.
The Earth's North Pole is not a continent and therefore cannot a priori claim to be the coldest continent. And the temperature here is not as invigorating as in the south. The lowest in winter is -43, and in summer it generally rises to zero. There is no vegetation in these places at all, since there is no soil, and among the animals you can find polar bears. Various species of fish live in the water, which the bears actually feed on.
Antarctica is rightfully considered the coldest continent on Earth. The lowest temperature was recorded here both in winter and in summer time. The continent has centuries-old ice that melts only in coastal areas.
The coldest areas on Earth are the poles. It's cold at the earth's poles because Sun rays they fall there not vertically, but obliquely. And the more vertically it falls on the Earth, the more intensely a sunbeam heats. At the poles, the sun's rays seem to glide across the Earth, and therefore do not warm.
Where is it colder - at the north pole (in the Arctic) or at the south (Antarctica)? The first thing that comes to mind is that it is colder in the north. And this is wrong! The lowest temperature recorded on our planet was recorded at Vostok station near the South Geomagnetic Pole and amounted to -86.9°C. average temperature southern continent is -49°C, which is the coldest climate on Earth. In the Arctic, the average winter temperature approaches only -34°C, and in the summer it is even warmer there.
And all because the Arctic is just a frozen cover of the ocean, and Antarctica is a huge continent. In terms of territory, Antarctica covers an area of about 14 million km 2, which is almost double more area Australia and one and a half times the area of Europe! Therefore, the climate in the South Arctic Circle more severe than in the Arctic. In addition, Antarctica is completely covered with ice, and the ice reflects 95% of solar radiation. Finally, the cold climate of Antarctica is due to the region of high atmospheric pressure with downward air currents that do not form clouds. For the same reason, there is no precipitation in Antarctica.
Antarctica is so cold that the snow in some parts of the continent never melts. This continent contains almost 90% of the world's ice reserves, containing approximately ¾ of our planet's fresh water.
Did you know that...
Antarctica is the only continent that does not belong to anyone, but is a continent of international cooperation. The real masters of the continent are scientists from different parts Sveta. Antarctica has no indigenous history and is under the jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty, which requires respect for the land and resources and their use only for peaceful and scientific purposes.
