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Antarctica Climate Information Antarctica is the coldest and driest continent in the world. The average temperature on Antarctica is -49ºC (-56.2 ºF). The lowest temperature ever recorded anywhere on Earth was measured in Antarctica at -128.6ºF (-199.48 ºF). The average temperature in the summer in Antarctica is 20 ºF. Geographic Information

The continent of Antarctica is mostly located south of the Antarctic Circle. It is located at 90 00 S, 0 00 E. Antarctica has an average elevation of 2,300 meters. Antarctica is mainly ice and snow, which covers the surface. Antarctica is larger in land area than Europe or Australia, but if it did not have its ice caps, it would be the smallest continent. Antarctica is home to the largest cold desert in the world, at 5.5 million square miles, The Antarctic Desert. Powerful winds keep the region from building up ice sheets like the rest of Antarctica. The Transantarctic Mountains separate the eastern and western parts of the continent and stretch across from one side of the continent to the other. They are believed to be part of the Andes Mountains from South America when Antarctica was connected to South America millions of years ago. Many parts of the mountain range are covered in vast ice sheets. Ice sheets and ice bergs are important to Antarctica because they build the landscape making Antarctica the way it is now. The Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans isolate Antarctica from all the other continents.  Antarctic Animals There are no polar bears in Antarctica, they would certainly die. The South Pole (or the center of Antarctica) has almost no life other than bacteria and the bear would probably starve to death. There are birds and other types of animals on the coast of Antarctica. The Adelie Penguin on the other hand is the smallest living penguin on Antarctica. They are about 28 inches and weigh 8 to 9 lbs. Another penguin living on the continent of Antarctica is the Chinstrap Penguin. It weighs about 4.5 kilograms or 10 lbs. It is 68 centimeters or 27 inches tall. But other than penguins there are various species of seals, many birds, and various types of whale species. Antarctic Plants All vegetation of Antarctica is resistant to the extreme cold weather conditions. The plants there are mosses, lichens, algae, and fungi. Only a small number of moss species are found in Antarctica. Out of all the plants in Antarctica, lichens are best adapted to survive in the cold climate. More than 300 species of algae have been found in Antarctica. The fungi of Antarctica haven’t been studied nearly as much as the other plants, but several mushrooms have been found on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Antarctic Studies Many scientists have visited Antarctica over the years upon bases were setup. Scientists do not stay in Antarctica for their whole career. They are just there to study Antarctica’s many things to offer. Scientists like Antarctica very much because it is 'a window to outer space', meaning you could see space easily with equipment. Antarctica is an amazing place for an astrologist to visit. The 'window to space' makes it easy to see the stars. Astrologists go to The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station to study space. But the ozone depletion only allows the 'window' to open in certain seasons. Another important thing scientists study in Antarctica is the theory of Global Warming and how it is affecting Earth. They have uncovered that there is a huge hole in the ozone layer, allowing more harmful UV rays to penetrate the surface of Earth. In humans those rays, if being exposed to them for too long, can cause skin cancer. The current research in Antarctica focuses on stratospheric chemistry, aerosols, and the vital role played by ozone. One other amazing thing scientists have found out here is the proof an ancient continent called Gondwanaland exists. They found the evidence by looking at the rocks of Antarctica and compared them to other rocks from other parts of the Earth. The evidence indicates that at one time the continent had a temperate climate.

Who Owns Antarctica? Seven nations claim territorial rights over Antarctica. They are Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The United States and Russia don’t have claims over any land, but still can explore and study the land due to a peace treaty. The 1959 Antarctic Peace Treaty reserved the continent for peaceful purposes and scientific exploration. Interesting Facts Antarctica has six months of sunlight and six months of darkness. The land of Antarctica heats up faster than the waters of the Arctic. Eastern Antarctica is colder than Western Antarctica because of its higher elevation. The highest point in Antarctica is Vinson Massif at 4,897 meters tall. The lowest point in Antarctica is the Bentley Subglacial Trench at -2,540 meters. There are 26 airports in Antarctica. <span style="color: #00ccff; display: block; font-family: 'Segoe UI',sans-serif; text-align: center;">Where We Found Our Internet Information <span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI',sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">[|Climate Info.] <span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI',sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">[|Science Info.] <span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI',sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">[|Plant Info.] <span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI',sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">[|Animals Info.] <span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI',sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">[|Interesting Info.] <span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI',sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">[|Info. About All Categories]