Antarctica

Definition

The southernmost continent, located almost entirely within the Antarctic Circle. It is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, covered by an ice sheet that contains about 70% of Earth's fresh water, and has no permanent human population.

Examples

  • Scientific research stations like McMurdo Station (U.S.) and Vostok Station (Russia)
  • The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 that reserves the continent for peaceful scientific research
  • Antarctica's ice cores providing data on historical climate change

Related Terms

Physical geography Climate zones Environmental challenges Physical features

Study This Concept

Practice Antarctica with free review games in these units:

World Geography Unit 7: Oceania and Antarctica