Antarctica

Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent, containing the geographic South Pole. It is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 14.0 million km2, it is the fifth-largest continent in area after Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. For comparison, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages 1.9 kilometers in thickness, which extends to all but the northernmost reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Did you know that:
1. The coldest recorded temperature on Earth occurred in 1983 at Vostok Station, Antarctica, measuring a rather chilly −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F).
2. While humans don’t permanently reside in Antarctica, several thousand people live and work at various research facilities found on the continent.
3. While Antarctica features harsh living conditions, a number of plants and animals have adapted to survive and call the icy continent home.
4. The name ‘Antarctica’ comes from a Greek word meaning ‘opposite to the north’.
5. Around 90% of the ice on Earth is found in Antarctica.
6. Sea levels would rise around 60m (200ft) if all the ice in Antarctica were to melt.