Antarctica is the driest, coldest and windiest continent on Earth. Find out about other features of the continent and the extreme points of Antarctica in our article.
Land of icy deserts
Antarctica was once called the “Southland” because the continent is the southernmost on the planet. Despite this, the continent is completely covered in ice. The coldest temperatures in the world are observed here. The record was set in 1983, when a temperature of -89 degrees Celsius was recorded.
Sunset and sunrise on the continent can only be observed once a year. In winter it does not rise at all, and the entire continent is plunged into darkness. In summer, the sun always shines, never completely falling below the horizon. It is extremely difficult to live in such conditions, so the only population on the continent are station workers, changing every six months.
Description of the continent Antarctica
The name of the continent is interpreted as “anti-Arctic,” that is, the opposite of the Arctic - the North Pole. All extreme points of Antarctica are entirely located in the Southern Hemisphere. Antarctica was discovered in 1820 by Russian navigators Lazarev and Bellingshausen. They began to study the mainland much later, and it received its known name only in 1961.
The area of the continent is 14 million square kilometers. Its glaciers contain about 80% of the world's fresh water. Kilometer-long layers of ice hide the diversity of the continent's topography. In the central part it rises 4 kilometers above sea level and is the highest on the planet. Its mountain folds are a continuation of the South American Andes, and most of the territory is flat.
Extreme points of Antarctica
This cold land is quite remote from other continents. The closest to it is South America, which is located at a distance of about 1000 meters. The continent is located in the polar latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. In this regard, all extreme points of Antarctica have one direction and can only be northern. Taking into account the unique features of the continent, researchers identify only one extreme point - Prime Head Cape.
Unlike most of the mainland, the cape is located in front of the Antarctic Circle. Its coordinates: 63°13" S, 57°00′ E. It belongs to Graham Land - a disputed territory between Argentina and Great Britain. The climate in the Prime Head area is quite mild. In summer, the air can warm up to a temperature of + 10 degrees, so sometimes you can even find plants here.
ANTARCTICA – Answers
No. 1 Geographical dictation.
1. Extreme points of Antarctica. Northern - Antarctic Peninsula
2. Who discovered Antarctica? F.F. Bellingshausen and M.P. Lazarev
3. Area of Antarctica? 14 million km
Youth
to the state
6. Who reached the South Pole? Raoul Amundsen and Robert Scott
2000 m
highest continent of the earth
Mirny, Vostok, Pionerskaya4500 m
Summer
1. GP2. Thick ice cover that reflects 90% of heat
3. Lack of clouds, which leads to cooling of the area
No. 2 Fill in what was missing.
Antarctica, like other southern continents, was part of... (Gondwana). In the Western Hemisphere, in the Pacific sector of the continent, during the period of Alpine folding, mountain systems were formed - a continuation of the Andes of South America - ... (Antarctic Andes). The highest point is located here - ... (Vinson massif - 5140 m). On the islands in the sea... (Rossa) there is an active volcano... (Erebus). The lowest air temperature on Earth was recorded in the area of the scientific station... (“Vostok” -89.3°C). The average daily temperature in summer is ... (-30°C), in winter - ... (-70°C).
The flora of Antarctic oases - ... (definition) (areas free from ice, and in summer from snow) is represented by mosses, ... (lichens, algae, some types of low grasses).
The coast of Antarctica is home to penguins, ... (petrels, cormorants, skuas, albatrosses).
The fauna of the oceanic waters washing the continent is relatively rich and is represented by... (blue whales, sperm whales, killer whales, seals, sea lions, elephant seals). Various minerals have been discovered in the depths of Antarctica: ... (coal, iron ore, non-ferrous metals, traces of oil and natural gas have been found).
ANTARCTICA
No. 1 Geographical dictation.
1. Extreme points of Antarctica.
2. Who discovered Antarctica?
3. Area of Antarctica?
4. The largest scientific station is located on the territory of Antarctica...
5. Antarctica does not belong to anyone...
6. Who reached the South Pole?
7. Average ice thickness...
8. Due to the thickness of the ice, Antarctica turned out to be the most...
9. Polar explorers and scientists Somov and Treshnikov built several scientific stations in Antarctica..., ..., ...
10. Maximum thickness of the ice sheet...
12. What time of year is it now in Antarctica?
13. The ice sheet contains most of all the fresh water on Earth - ...
14. Why is the climate of Antarctica more severe than the climate of the Arctic? (3 reasons)
No. 2 Fill in what was missing.
The flora of Antarctic oases is ... (definition) represented by mosses, .... Penguins live on the coast of Antarctica, .... The fauna of the oceanic waters washing the continent is relatively rich and represented .... Various minerals have been discovered in the depths of Antarctica: ...
ANTARCTICA
No. 1 Geographical dictation.
1. Extreme points of Antarctica.
2. Who discovered Antarctica?
3. Area of Antarctica?
4. The largest scientific station is located on the territory of Antarctica...
5. Antarctica does not belong to anyone...
6. Who reached the South Pole?
7. Average ice thickness...
8. Due to the thickness of the ice, Antarctica turned out to be the most...
9. Polar explorers and scientists Somov and Treshnikov built several scientific stations in Antarctica..., ..., ...
10. Maximum thickness of the ice sheet...
12. What time of year is it now in Antarctica?
13. The ice sheet contains most of all the fresh water on Earth - ...
14. Why is the climate of Antarctica more severe than the climate of the Arctic? (3 reasons)
No. 2 Fill in what was missing.
Antarctica, like other southern continents, was part of... In the Western Hemisphere, in the Pacific sector of the continent, during the period of Alpine folding, mountain systems were formed - a continuation of the Andes of South America - .... The highest point is located here -…. On the islands in the sea... there is an active volcano.... The lowest air temperature on Earth was recorded in the area of the scientific station.... The average daily temperature in summer is ..., in winter - ....
Antarctica is the driest, coldest and windiest continent on Earth. Find out about other features of the continent and the extreme points of Antarctica in our article.
Land of icy deserts
Antarctica was once called the “Southland” because the continent is the southernmost on the planet. Despite this, the continent is completely covered in ice. Here they are celebrated in the world. The record was set in 1983, when a temperature of -89 degrees Celsius was recorded.
Sunset and sunrise on the continent can only be observed once a year. In winter it does not rise at all, and the entire continent is plunged into darkness. In summer, the sun always shines, never completely falling below the horizon. It is extremely difficult to live in such conditions, so the only population on the continent are station workers, changing every six months.
Description of the continent Antarctica
The name of the continent is interpreted as “anti-Arctic,” that is, the opposite of the Arctic - the North Pole. All extreme points of Antarctica are entirely located in the Southern Hemisphere. Antarctica was discovered in 1820 by Russian navigators Lazarev and Bellingshausen. They began to study the mainland much later, and it received its known name only in 1961.
The area of the continent is 14 million square kilometers. Its glaciers contain about 80% of the world's fresh water. Kilometer-long layers of ice hide the diversity of the continent's topography. In the central part it rises 4 kilometers above sea level and is the highest on the planet. Its mountain folds are a continuation of the South American Andes, and most of the territory is flat.
Extreme points of Antarctica
This cold land is quite remote from other continents. The closest to it is South America, which is located at a distance of about 1000 meters. The continent is located in the polar latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. In this regard, all extreme points of Antarctica have one direction and can only be northern. Taking into account the unique features of the continent, researchers identify only one extreme point - Prime Head Cape.
Unlike most of the mainland, the cape is located in front of the Antarctic Circle. Its coordinates: 63°13" S, 57°00′ E. It belongs to Graham Land - a disputed territory between Argentina and Great Britain. The climate in the Prime Head area is quite mild. In summer, the air can warm up to a temperature of + 10 degrees, so sometimes you can even find plants here.
The length of the continent from west to east and from north to south in degrees and kilometers. Since the South Pole is located just within Antarctica, it can only have ONE extreme point - the northernmost one. This arrangement led to the emergence of permanent glaciation on the continent and very difficult climatic conditions. The continent is located in the polar latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. Based on fossil plants and soils, it can be said that the climate of the region was generally warm and humid.
The Antarctic border lies between 48-60 degrees south latitude. Despite this, the continent is completely covered in ice. The coldest temperatures in the world are observed here. The record was set in 1983, when a temperature of -89 degrees Celsius was recorded. All extreme points of Antarctica are entirely located in the Southern Hemisphere. Antarctica was discovered in 1820 by Russian navigators Lazarev and Bellingshausen. In the central part it rises 4 kilometers above sea level and is the highest on the planet.
Antarctica is an unusual continent. Big, cold, deserted. There are few places on earth where such harsh, hostile conditions for humans are found. But what’s most interesting is that people also live and work there.
Our article is about what kind of continent this is, its characteristics, location, organic world and much more.
Where is Antarctica
Sometimes there is confusion - mainland or continent? For Antarctica, let's be absolutely clear - it is both a continent and a continent. On the globe it can be found in the southern hemisphere. The South Pole is located almost in the middle of the continent.
Map of Antarctica (click to enlarge)
Due to its unique location, Antarctica is washed by the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
On the world map, the area of Antarctica is about 14 million km 2. During the cold period, the ice “coat” grows, adding a little to the area of the continent. In summer (Antarctic summer - from December to February), the temperature on the coast rises to almost zero, the ice cover is reduced, and the famous icebergs break off from it.
How did the discovery of Antarctica take place?
Due to the harsh conditions, the continent was the last to be discovered, much later than others explored by mankind in ancient times. Here are some dates.
The famous Cook was unable to reach the shores of the mainland in 1773. The expedition almost died in the ice; in the end, Cook declared the ice around Antarctica continuous and impassable.
In 1820, the mainland was discovered by a Russian naval reconnaissance expedition. The expedition was led by F. Bellishausen and M. Lazarev.
They sailed around the mainland on two ships and compiled the first maps of the coastline. Of course, the entire continent within these borders was a large white spot, one of the last places of life on the planet.
Discovery of the pole
The history of the exploration of Antarctica and the conquest of the South Pole is dramatic. The first of the people to explore the mainland was the Englishman Ross in 1841. He discovered a huge glacier, which later received the name Ross, discovered active volcanoes - Erebus and Terror, and reached the 78th southern parallel.
In 1902, the Englishmen Scott, Shackleton and Wilson were able to overcome a third of the distance to the pole. At that time, no one knew the real conditions of Antarctica. Inappropriate equipment and conflicts within the group forced the scientists to retreat. The expedition covered a total of 1,500 km and spent 3 months in the ice.
In 1911, the Norwegian Amundsen and the Englishman Scott, already known to us, set out to storm the pole. The expeditions started almost simultaneously. It was a competition to be the first.
Amundsen walked on a dog sled; 9 people took part in the expedition. They reached the pole on December 14, 1911, in just under 2 months, and went down in history as discoverers. All members of the expedition survived. Out of 100 dogs, 11 returned.
Scott used ponies and mechanical sleds. There were 5 people with him, not all of them had experience in polar expeditions. When the ponies fell and the equipment failed, the expedition continued its march. Scott reached the Pole 23 days later than Amundsen. All people were brought to an extreme degree of fatigue. No one could go back.
Who owns Antarctica
Antarctica has been a neutral territory since 1961. Despite this, many countries regularly make claims on different parts of it. The reason for this was the discovery of rich fossil resources.
In the 80s of the last century, the continent was declared a nuclear-free zone, any nuclear installations and the entry of nuclear ships were prohibited.
Antarctica and Antarctica - what is the difference
Antarctica is a continent and mainland.
A Antarctica is the area around the mainland, ocean and islands.
The current of the Western winds is considered the border of Antarctica. This poetic name is given to the circular current that circles the planet between 40 and 50 southern parallels.
Antarctic waters are sometimes called the Southern Ocean, by analogy with the Arctic Ocean.
Climate and climatic zones of Antarctica
The continent's climate is determined by its unique position. The sun's rays pass tangentially and do not warm the soil. It can be very sunny here, but the sun doesn’t warm up here at all.
Map of average annual temperature in Antarctica (click to enlarge)
In the southern hemisphere, the opposite is true: the winter months are warm and the summer months are cold. The Antarctic summer lasts from December to February, the temperature in the interior of the continent rises to -30 0 C. On the coast the temperature is higher, from -15 to 0 degrees.
In winter (June to August), temperatures in the mainland drop to an average -50 and even -75.
Fierce winter storms (with wind speeds of up to 300 km/h) completely disrupt communications with stations for 8 months. Planes do not fly, most explorers go home until the next favorable season, and those who decide to stay must rely only on their own strength.
Above the Arctic Circle, the change of day and night occurs every six months. The winter months are all night, twilight at best. In summer – never-setting sun. The sun in the Arctic is such that without sunglasses a person becomes snow blind in a matter of minutes.
The two climatic zones of Antarctica are Antarctica proper and Subantarctic.
Antarctica is dry, very cold, and there is almost no life.
Subantarctic is the coast of a continent and an island. The conditions here are a little softer. In summer, the temperature even rises slightly above 0 0. Mosses and lichens are found on rocks and stones. However, cold strong winds blow here too and the conditions are extremely harsh.
Population of Antarctica - do people live there?
All residents of Antarctica are researchers at the stations. The climate is too harsh for people to live here permanently, and naturally, cities and countries do not exist in Antarctica.
In the summer season there are about 5 thousand people, no more than 1 thousand remain for the winter.
There is a strict selection of candidates. This is both health and psychological stability. By the way, to work at a station in Antarctica, you need to have your appendix and wisdom teeth removed.
Relief of the mainland - the highest and lowest points
It is known that the structure of the relief of Antarctica is the same as that of other continents. The most notable part of the relief is the Transantarctic Mountains. They divide the continent into two parts - eastern and western. The average height of the chain is 4500 m.
The highest point in Antarctica is Wilson Massif. Opened in 1957. At that time, the height of the mountain was 5140 m. Now, due to the melting of glaciers, its height has decreased to 4890 m.
The lowest point of the continent is the Bentley Deep. The depth of the depression is 2500 m, it is completely filled with ice. Opened in 1961
The study of the relief is complicated by the ice sheet. Interestingly, the mass of ice is so great that the Antarctic Plate has caved in, and now most of the continent's actual surface lies below ocean level.
Extreme points of Antarctica
If you stand exactly at the South Pole, then all directions will be north.
Based on this, on the globe Antarctica has only one extreme point - the northern one - Cape Sifre, located at 63 0 south. w.
Flora and fauna
Life in Antarctica is sparse. Several hundred species of algae (including single-celled ones) in the ocean.
Colobanthus Quito
Two species of higher plants - Colobanthus Quito and Meadowsweet Antarctica from the grass family. These plants have very little water, and metabolic processes are extremely slow, which helps them survive in frosts.
Please note: There are no purely land animals in these places. The reason is simple - only the ocean can serve as a food source.
Representatives of the animal world:
Rivers and lakes
In summer, rivers and lakes form in the ice cover. Antarctic rivers are usually winding and short. The largest such river, Onyx, is 20 km long.
The lakes are covered with ice; only at the very peak of the short summer does the ice crust melt and the water opens. A total of 140 such lakes have been discovered. The largest is the lake. Figured, with an area of 14 km 2.
The only ice-free body of water on the continent is Lake. East.
Glaciers and icebergs
The South Pole Glacier is the largest glacier on earth. It completely hides the entire continent, including large mountain ranges. The maximum ice thickness reaches 4.8 km.
It's interesting that:
- The continental glacier has solid land underneath it and exists for thousands of years, hardly changing in size.
- An ice shelf is an extension of continental ice into the ocean. Its thickness decreases towards the edges and decreases from 1 km to 200 m. In winter, the ice shelf grows, in summer it melts, ice blocks and icebergs break off from it.
Majestic, dazzling white icebergs are an amazing natural phenomenon. The largest recorded iceberg (2000) was as large as the island of Jamaica.
Rare, dark blue icebergs form when a block of ice capsizes, exposing the underwater portion to air. This occurs due to the melting of the iceberg in warm water.
Sights of Antarctica
Several interesting natural objects:
Queen Maud's Land
Located in the Atlantic part of the mainland, on the coast. Named after the Norwegian queen.
According to some reports, Nazi Germany built underground fortifications on the island. Nowadays there are Russian and German scientific stations operating here – Lazorevskaya and Neumayer.
Bloody Falls
A stream of water from a lake hidden in the ice.
Salts and iron oxides explain the strange color of the water and prevent the stream from freezing even at -10 0 C.
McMurdo Valley
The driest place on earth. Bare rocks, sand, constant strong wind.
It is believed that of all the places on earth, this place is most similar to Mars.
Modern research
Research stations on this inhospitable continent work on a variety of tasks, from studying the world's climate to testing equipment before sending it to Mars.
The main directions of modern research:
- Ice. Properties, speed of movement of glaciers. Thanks to these studies, we better understand the times of the great glaciation.
- Geology, paleontology. The ancient history of the earth, the formation of the crust, the development of the animal world.
- Minerals. Antarctica is rich in fossils. Diamonds, oil, metals - exploration is necessary to assess the possibilities of industrial resource extraction.
Minerals
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was known about coal deposits in Antarctica. And now we know that the entire region is a real storehouse of resources. Iron, natural gas, granite.
Of particular interest are rare metals and elements: silver, copper, titanium, nickel, zirconium, chromium and cobalt. However, at the moment, industrial extraction of resources on this inhospitable continent would be too expensive.
Scientific stations
According to the Antarctic Treaty, any country can establish a scientific station in Antarctica. In 1898, Norwegian explorer Carsten Borchgrevink founded the first Antarctic station. The wooden hut served as a transit point for expeditions deep into the mainland and is still well preserved.
Only after the Second World War did active construction of scientific stations begin. The first Russian station “Vostok” was built in 1957.
Three stations are located inland - Amundsen-Scott at the Pole itself, the Russian Vostok and Concordia, owned by France and Germany. All other stations operate on the coast.
Now there are 89 stations operating here: from Argentina, Chile, France, Germany, India and other countries. Antarctica is truly an international continent.
Conclusion
It is very cold, windy and dry here. The continent, discovered later than all the others, in the future may become a rich source of rare metals and clean fresh water.
The history of the discovery of Antarctica is dramatic. Currently, it is a free territory that does not belong to any state. There are many scientific stations in Antarctica.
Fauna and flora are sparse due to the extreme climate, but the ocean is rich in small invertebrates, plankton and algae.
This is a real end of the world, another world, more like Mars than our planet.
