Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest …

Dec 15, 2025 · Antarctica, the world’s southernmost continent, is almost wholly covered by an ice sheet and is about 5.5 million square miles (14.2 million square km) in size.

Without any ice, Antarctica would emerge as a giant peninsula and archipelago of mountainous islands, known as Lesser Antarctica, and a single large landmass about the size of Australia, known as …

Sep 25, 2025 · Though Antarctica is really, really chilly, it is considered a desert because it receives very little rain or snowfall. The small amount of snow that does fall does not melt but builds up over …

Apr 17, 2025 · Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest continent on Earth. The Antarctic ice sheet contains about 7.2 million cubic miles (30 million cubic kilometers) in an area just under 1.5 times...

Dec 12, 2025 · Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Antarctica (/ ænˈtɑːrktɪkə / ⓘ) [note 1] is Earth 's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as …

2 days ago · In Antarctica, Photos Show a Remote Area Teeming With Life Amid Growing Risks From Climate Change ANTARCTICA (AP) — The Southern Ocean is one of the most remote places on …

A map of the Antarctic region, including the Antarctic Convergence and the 60th parallel south The Antarctic Plate The Antarctic (/ ænˈtɑːr (k) tɪk /, US also / æntˈɑːr (k) tɪk /; commonly / ænˈɑːrtɪk /) …

Jun 16, 2025 · Antarctica, a continent of unparalleled ice and stark beauty, is Earth’s southernmost landmass, representing a vital frontier for scientific research and a testament to nature’s formidable …