Introducing Antarctica

The landscape

The Antarctic continent is a land mass covered with ice up to 4 km thick. The highest point is about 4 km above sea level. There is some exposed rock and the only plants are very small mosses and lichens (although it was once heavily vegetated - millions of years ago). Antarctica is the highest, driest, windiest, coldest continent in the world.

Iceberg at sunset Photo: Warwick Barnes

Height of Antarctica

Antarctica is the highest continent on earth: average elevation is 2500 meters (average elevation of Australia is only 340 meters). The height of the South Pole is 2835 meters. The highest point on the icecap is in Australian Antarctic Territory, at 4100 meters, at 82° 20'S, 56° 30'E. The highest mountains in Australian Antarctic Territory are Mt McClintock (3490 meters) and Mt Menzies (3355 meters). Vinson Massif is the highest mountain in Antarctica, at 4897 meters. For more information, see the ice cap.

Snow (precipitation) in Antarctica

Antarctica is the driest continent on earth. The amount of moisture received by the polar plateau is comparable to that falling on the world's hot deserts. For more information, see ice and snow.

Wind in Antarctica

Antarctica is the windiest continent on earth. Winds flow down the coastal slopes under the influence of gravity. Speeds of these katabatic winds have been recorded up to 327 kilometers per hour. For more information, see Antarctic weather - meteorology.

Temperature in Antarctica

Antarctica is the coldest continent on earth. The lowest temperature ever recorded on earth was minus 89.2°C at Vostok, in the Australian Antarctic Territory, in 1983. For more information see Dome Argus (the coldest place in the Antarctic Territory) and wind chill.

Size of Antarctica

With all islands and ice shelves, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia, covering 13,661,000 square kilometers. The Australian Antarctic Territory is 5,896,500 square kilometers (42% of Antarctica).

Comparison map of Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica
(View a larger map by downloading as either a GIF or PDF file.) 

The closest country to Antarctica

South America, whose tip is shared by Chile and Argentina, is the closest continent to Antarctica. It is 1238 km from Ushuaia, the southern-most city of Argentina, to the Argentinian station, Vice Comodoro Marambio, at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Map of Antarctica and surrounding countries

In contrast, the distance between Hobart, Tasmania (where the Australian Antarctic Division is situated) and Australia's closest station, Casey, is 3443 km.

Map showing distances between Australia, Antarctic stations and sub-Antarctic locations

Who owns Antarctica?

There are no cities or states in the Antarctic. The only places where people live are bases or stations, usually operated by national governments. Seven countries, including Australia, claim territory in Antarctica, but all of these countries have agreed to put their claims to one side and cooperate with other countries in studying and conserving Antarctica for the benefit of the world.
 

Territorial Claims in Antarctica
(Click on image to view a larger version)

Claims for Antarctic Terrirory

The Antarctic Treaty was designed to provide an agreement for the future care and use of Antarctica, as well as the avoid territorial and other disputes. It encourages international cooperation in scientific research - it is an extraordinary agreement that was signed during the Cold War!

For more information see Antarctic Treaty.