Do You Know Antarctica?

Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent, located in the South Pole. Most of the continent is south of the Antarctic Circle. 98% of it is covered by ice and it is, on average, the coldest, driest, and windiest continent. With little precipitation, the interior is the largest desert in the world.

There are no humans in residence there—only plants and animals that have adapted to this cold habitat. The first people who attempted to live here were sealers from England and America. Later whalers also spent some time living here while making their living. The first child born in this region was Solveg Jacobsen, daughter of a whaling station worker. No people have continued to live here.

The earliest known explorer here was Captain James Cook. With his ships HMS Resolution and Adventure, he landed here on January 17, 1773.

In 1842 explorer James Ross passed through the Ross Sea and sailed along a huge wall of ice that was later named after him—the Ross Ice Shelf.

Later, in 1907, Ernest Shackelton and crew of the Endurance journeyed here and, after losing their ship, became the first people to have climbed Mount Erebus to reach the South Magnetic Pole.

In the 1930s, Admiral Byrd traveled to the Antarctic by plane and conducted extensive research there.

The climate of Antarctica does not allow for much plant life—mostly mosses, lichens, algae, and fungi. It is home to more than 200 species of lichens.

Though study of geology in this area is limited, we do know that the main mineral resource is coal.

Some marine mammals exist here, including seals, blue whales, orca and penguins. The penguin, though birds, do not fly but swim.They rely on phytoplankton, krill, and other sea creatures for their food.

Antarctica has no government and belongs to no country. Various countries lay claim to pieces of it: the United Kingdom claims the British Antarctic Territory; New Zealand claims Ross Dependency; France claims Adélie Land; Norway Clamims Peter Island; Australia claims the Austrailian Antarctic Territory; Norway claims Queen Maud Land; Chile claims Antarctic Chilean Territory; and Argentina claims Argentine Antarctica.

In 1959, an Antarctic Treaty was signed by 12 countries. It set aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve.