Antarctica is an unusual continent. Big, cold, deserted. There are few places on earth where such harsh, hostile conditions for humans are found. But what’s most interesting is that people also live and work there.

Our article is about what kind of continent this is, its characteristics, location, organic world and much more.

Where is Antarctica

Sometimes there is confusion - mainland or continent? For Antarctica, let's be absolutely clear - it is both a continent and a continent. On the globe it can be found in the southern hemisphere. The South Pole is located almost in the middle of the continent.

Map of Antarctica (click to enlarge)

Due to its unique location, Antarctica is washed by the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

On the world map, the area of ​​Antarctica is about 14 million km 2. During the cold period, the ice “coat” grows, adding a little to the area of ​​the continent. In summer (Antarctic summer - from December to February), the temperature on the coast rises to almost zero, the ice cover is reduced, and the famous icebergs break off from it.

How did the discovery of Antarctica take place?

Due to the harsh conditions, the continent was the last to be discovered, much later than others explored by mankind in ancient times. Here are some dates.

The famous Cook was unable to reach the shores of the mainland in 1773. The expedition almost died in the ice; in the end, Cook declared the ice around Antarctica continuous and impassable.

In 1820, the mainland was discovered by a Russian naval reconnaissance expedition. The expedition was led by F. Bellishausen and M. Lazarev.

They sailed around the mainland on two ships and compiled the first maps of the coastline. Of course, the entire continent within these borders was a large white spot, one of the last places of life on the planet.

Discovery of the pole

The history of the exploration of Antarctica and the conquest of the South Pole is dramatic. The first of the people to explore the continent was the Englishman Ross in 1841. He discovered a huge glacier, which later received the name Ross, discovered active volcanoes - Erebus and Terror, and reached the 78th southern parallel.

In 1902, the Englishmen Scott, Shackleton and Wilson were able to overcome a third of the distance to the pole. At that time, no one knew the real conditions of Antarctica. Inappropriate equipment and conflicts within the group forced the scientists to retreat. The expedition covered a total of 1,500 km and spent 3 months in the ice.

In 1911, the Norwegian Amundsen and the Englishman Scott, already known to us, set out to storm the pole. The expeditions started almost simultaneously. It was a competition to be the first.

Amundsen walked on a dog sled; 9 people took part in the expedition. They reached the pole on December 14, 1911, in just under 2 months, and went down in history as discoverers. All members of the expedition survived. Out of 100 dogs, 11 returned.

Scott used ponies and mechanical sleds. There were 5 people with him, not all of them had experience in polar expeditions. When the ponies fell and the equipment failed, the expedition continued its march. Scott reached the Pole 23 days later than Amundsen. All people were brought to an extreme degree of fatigue. No one could go back.

Who owns Antarctica

Antarctica has been a neutral territory since 1961. Despite this, many countries regularly make claims on different parts of it. The reason for this was the discovery of rich fossil resources.

In the 80s of the last century, the continent was declared a nuclear-free zone, any nuclear installations and the entry of nuclear ships were prohibited.

Antarctica and Antarctica - what is the difference

Antarctica is a continent and mainland.

A Antarctica is the area around the mainland, ocean and islands.

The current of the Western winds is considered the border of Antarctica. This poetic name is given to the circular current that circles the planet between 40 and 50 southern parallels.

Antarctic waters are sometimes called the Southern Ocean, by analogy with the Arctic Ocean.

Climate and climatic zones of Antarctica

The continent's climate is determined by its unique position. The sun's rays pass tangentially and do not warm the soil. It can be very sunny here, but the sun doesn’t warm up here at all.

Map of average annual temperature in Antarctica (click to enlarge)

In the southern hemisphere, the opposite is true: the winter months are warm and the summer months are cold. The Antarctic summer lasts from December to February, the temperature in the interior of the continent rises to -30 0 C. On the coast the temperature is higher, from -15 to 0 degrees.

In winter (June to August), temperatures in the mainland drop to an average -50 and even -75.

Fierce winter storms (with wind speeds of up to 300 km/h) completely disrupt communications with stations for 8 months. Planes do not fly, most explorers go home until the next favorable season, and those who decide to stay must rely only on their own strength.

Above the Arctic Circle, the change of day and night occurs every six months. The winter months are all night, twilight at best. In summer – never-setting sun. The sun in the Arctic is such that without sunglasses a person becomes snow blind in a matter of minutes.

The two climatic zones of Antarctica are Antarctica proper and Subantarctic.

Antarctica is dry, very cold, and there is almost no life.

Subantarctic is the coast of a continent and an island. The conditions here are a little softer. In summer, the temperature even rises slightly above 0 0. Mosses and lichens are found on rocks and stones. However, cold strong winds blow here too and the conditions are extremely harsh.

Population of Antarctica - do people live there?

All residents of Antarctica are researchers at the stations. The climate is too harsh for people to live here permanently, and naturally, cities and countries do not exist in Antarctica.

In the summer season there are about 5 thousand people, no more than 1 thousand remain for the winter.

There is a strict selection of candidates. This is both health and psychological stability. By the way, to work at a station in Antarctica, you need to have your appendix and wisdom teeth removed.

Relief of the mainland - the highest and lowest points

It is known that the structure of the relief of Antarctica is the same as that of other continents. The most notable part of the relief is the Transantarctic Mountains. They divide the continent into two parts - eastern and western. The average height of the chain is 4500 m.

The highest point in Antarctica is Wilson Massif. Opened in 1957. At that time, the height of the mountain was 5140 m. Now, due to the melting of glaciers, its height has decreased to 4890 m.

The lowest point of the continent is the Bentley Deep. The depth of the depression is 2500 m, it is completely filled with ice. Opened in 1961

The study of the relief is complicated by the ice sheet. Interestingly, the mass of ice is so great that the Antarctic Plate has caved in, and now most of the continent's actual surface lies below ocean level.

Extreme points of Antarctica

If you stand exactly at the South Pole, then all directions will be north.

Based on this, on the globe Antarctica has only one extreme point - the northern one - Cape Sifre, located at 63 0 south. w.

Flora and fauna

Life in Antarctica is sparse. Several hundred species of algae (including single-celled ones) in the ocean.

Colobanthus Quito

Two species of higher plants - Colobanthus Quito and Meadowsweet Antarctica from the grass family. These plants have very little water, and metabolic processes are extremely slow, which helps them survive in frosts.

Please note: There are no purely land animals in these places. The reason is simple - only the ocean can serve as a food source.

Representatives of the animal world:

Rivers and lakes

In summer, rivers and lakes form in the ice cover. Antarctic rivers are usually winding and short. The largest such river, Onyx, is 20 km long.

The lakes are covered with ice; only at the very peak of the short summer does the ice crust melt and water opens. A total of 140 such lakes have been discovered. The largest is the lake. Figured, with an area of ​​14 km 2.

The only ice-free body of water on the continent is Lake. East.

Glaciers and icebergs

The South Pole Glacier is the largest glacier on earth. It completely hides the entire continent, including large mountain ranges. The maximum ice thickness reaches 4.8 km.

It's interesting that:

1. The continental glacier has solid land underneath it and exists for thousands of years, hardly changing in size.
2. An ice shelf is an extension of continental ice into the ocean. Its thickness decreases towards the edges and decreases from 1 km to 200 m. In winter, the ice shelf grows, in summer it melts, ice blocks and icebergs break off from it.

Majestic, dazzling white icebergs are an amazing natural phenomenon. The largest recorded iceberg (2000) was as large as the island of Jamaica.

Rare, dark blue icebergs form when a block of ice capsizes, exposing the underwater portion to air. This occurs due to the melting of the iceberg in warm water.

Sights of Antarctica

Several interesting natural objects:

Queen Maud's Land

Located in the Atlantic part of the mainland, on the coast. Named after the Norwegian queen.

According to some reports, Nazi Germany built underground fortifications on the island. Nowadays there are Russian and German scientific stations operating here – Lazorevskaya and Neumayer.

Bloody Falls

A stream of water from a lake hidden in the ice.

Salts and iron oxides explain the strange color of the water and prevent the stream from freezing even at -10 0 C.

McMurdo Valley

The driest place on earth. Bare rocks, sand, constant strong wind.

It is believed that of all the places on earth, this place is most similar to Mars.

Modern research

Research stations on this inhospitable continent work on a variety of tasks, from studying the world's climate to testing equipment before sending it to Mars.

The main directions of modern research:

1. Ice. Properties, speed of movement of glaciers. Thanks to these studies, we better understand the times of the great glaciation.
2. Geology, paleontology. The ancient history of the earth, the formation of the crust, the development of the animal world.
3. Minerals. Antarctica is rich in fossils. Diamonds, oil, metals - exploration is necessary to assess the possibilities of industrial resource extraction.

Minerals

At the beginning of the 20th century, it was known about coal deposits in Antarctica. And now we know that the entire region is a real storehouse of resources. Iron, natural gas, granite.

Of particular interest are rare metals and elements: silver, copper, titanium, nickel, zirconium, chromium and cobalt. However, at the moment, industrial extraction of resources on this inhospitable continent will require too much money.

Scientific stations

According to the Antarctic Treaty, any country can establish a scientific station in Antarctica. In 1898, Norwegian explorer Carsten Borchgrevink founded the first Antarctic station. The wooden hut served as a transit point for expeditions deep into the mainland and is still well preserved.

Only after the Second World War did active construction of scientific stations begin. The first Russian station “Vostok” was built in 1957.

Three stations are located inland - Amundsen-Scott at the Pole itself, the Russian Vostok and Concordia, owned by France and Germany. All other stations operate on the coast.

Now there are 89 stations operating here: from Argentina, Chile, France, Germany, India and other countries. Antarctica is truly an international continent.

Conclusion

It is very cold, windy and dry here. The continent, discovered later than all the others, in the future may become a rich source of rare metals and clean fresh water.

The history of the discovery of Antarctica is dramatic. Currently, it is a free territory that does not belong to any state. There are many scientific stations in Antarctica.

Fauna and flora are sparse due to the extreme climate, but the ocean is rich in small invertebrates, plankton and algae.

This is a real end of the world, another world, more like Mars than our planet.

Antarctica is the largest, most mysterious, cold, inhospitable, sparsely populated and in its own way beautiful continent at the South Pole.

Where is Antarctica

In the southernmost part of our planet is the huge cold continent of Antarctica. Vast expanses of snow-covered territories that do not belong to anyone, which, due to their harsh weather conditions, have remained deserted for a long time.

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The territory of the mainland is washed by the southernmost part of the planet. Although Antarctica is considered the driest (except for frozen water)))) place on the planet, there are still rivers here. The most important of them is the Onyx River, flowing in an easterly direction. This river can only be observed during the Antarctic summer, which takes about two months of the entire season. Unfortunately, there are no fish in it, but there are algae and small organisms.

The variety of seas that wash the shores of Antarctica is impressive, there are about 13 of them, among them are the seas of Amundsen, Ross, Bellingshausen, Lazarev, Davis, Mawson, Somov, D'Urville, Riiser-Larsen and Cosmonauts.

Who discovered Antarctica

Antarctica – interesting facts

1. Polar bears, contrary to what many people think, do not live in Antarctica. Only proud penguins live here, who are not at all threatened by a meeting with a bloodthirsty predator.
2. There is a marvelous natural ice sculpture in Antarctica, which is called the “frozen wave” in Antarctica.
   If you stand next to this work of nature, you get the impression that it was a huge wave that froze in an instant. In fact, this sculpture was created over many centuries under the influence of local winds and temperature changes.
3. People do not live in Antarctica permanently. Few can withstand the dry, frosty climate of the mainland. In summer, the number of workers can reach up to 5 thousand people, but in winter it barely reaches a thousand.
4. The largest number of meteorites that fell from space can be found in Antarctica. Due to the weather characteristics of the continent, fallen meteorites are little susceptible to change under the influence of the external environment. Therefore, cosmic elements retain their properties.
5. There are no time zones in Antarctica. Scientists working on the mainland adhere to the time of their state or check the time of the expedition staff who supply them with food.
6. Antarctica is the only continent where ants do not live. The only insect that can be found here is the wingless midge.
7. Only Antarctica is home to the majestic Emperor penguins, which can breed even during the Arctic winter.
8. Off the coast of the mainland is the largest iceberg in the world. The surface dimensions of which exceed the island of Jamaica, and its mass is about three billion tons.
9. Antarctica is the driest place on the planet, although it contains about seventy percent of the world's fresh water. The amount of precipitation that fell for the entire year barely reaches 10 cm. This is several times less than in the hottest deserts of the world.
10. One glacier on the mainland, the Taylor Glacier, produces a stream of red blood-like liquid that has been dubbed the "Bloody Falls" in Antarctica.
    Scientists have long tried to explain why water has this color, and they disagree very much. At first, they explained this phenomenon by the rich content of iron oxide in the water, but further research showed that the cause of the bloody color of the flowing liquid was the small microorganisms with which it was infested. Even at the lowest temperatures, this stream does not freeze, due to the fact that its water is much saltier than the water in the world's oceans.

Where are the Arctic and Antarctic located? And how do these areas of the Earth differ from each other? This question puzzles many people, even if they diligently studied geography at school. Our article will help answer it.

Difference between the Arctic and Antarctic

A fairly popular one goes like this: “Do polar bears eat penguins?” The brain of an adult immediately begins to build a logical chain of thoughts. Pictures from school textbooks come to mind, where both animals are depicted against the backdrop of eternal ice and harsh winter landscapes. A person reasons like this: polar bears are predators, and penguins are rather clumsy birds, easy prey. Therefore, the former should happily feast on the latter.

However, everything is not like that at all! Not everyone will realize that these animals cannot be found in the wild at all, since they live in completely different parts of the world. One of them is the Arctic, and the other is the Antarctic. Therefore, they can only see each other in some zoo.

Where the Arctic and Antarctica are located - this will be discussed further. What are the features of the nature, climate and organic world of these areas?

Where is the Arctic? Brief description of the area

What is the difference between the Arctic, Antarctica and Antarctica? Let's try to understand this geographical issue.

Where is the Arctic located on the globe? In what part of the world should you look for it?

At the very beginning, we need to remember that our planet Earth has two poles that are diametrically opposed to each other - North and South. This will help you better navigate where the Arctic is and where the Antarctic is.

So, the Arctic is the polar region of the Earth, directly adjacent to its North Pole. Geographically, it covers the ends of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The Arctic also includes the outskirts of Eurasia and North America, as well as numerous islands.

Sometimes this physical-geographical macroregion is limited from the south. The area of ​​the region, depending on the location of its southern borders, ranges from 21 to 27 million square kilometers.

Now you know where the Arctic is. What was it like for man to master it? And when did it start?

The history of the conquest of the Arctic and the North Pole

The Arctic has been inhabited for a long time. This is evidenced by numerous archaeological finds. Thus, man first appeared on the shores of the Arctic Ocean 30 thousand years ago. However, later he began to be pulled further north. There were also daredevils who wanted to conquer the Earth's pole.

Serious and systematic study of the area began in the second half of the 19th century. The most famous polar explorer of that time is the Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen. In particular, he went down in history by being the first to cross the ice shell of Greenland, the largest island on the planet. This happened in 1889.

Robert Peary is another important name in history. In 1908-1909, he organized an expedition that reached the North Pole for the first time. Interestingly, the goal of this campaign was only this record. The expedition did not conduct any scientific research.

7 amazing facts about the Arctic

The Arctic is an amazing region that is full of secrets, mysteries and unusual natural phenomena. Below are the most interesting facts about him:

• The organic world of the Arctic, despite such a harsh climate, is quite rich. Huge expanses of ice are densely populated by polar bears, arctic foxes, lemmings, reindeer, dozens of species of birds and other animals. You can even meet an ordinary crow here!
• Five states at once claim their rights to the Arctic, including Russia;
• The Arctic shelf, according to rough estimates by scientists, hides over 100 billion tons of gas and oil;
• About 50 million years ago, the Arctic climate was significantly milder. The water in the Arctic Ocean in those days warmed up in the summer to +15...18 degrees!
• The Arctic is the region of the Earth that is most vulnerable to worldwide global warming;
• Deserts exist not only in the tropical zone, but also in the Arctic. Only here they are called Arctic;
• The very first voyage through Arctic waters was made by the ancient Greek Pytheas back in the 4th century BC.

Antarctica and Antarctica - where are they?

Geographers call Antarctica the southern circumpolar region of the Earth, which is located on the opposite side of the planet from the Arctic. It includes a huge landmass - the continent of Antarctica, as well as the southern ends of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans (many foreign scientists also identify in this area the fifth ocean of the Earth - the Southern).

The northern border of Antarctica is quite arbitrary. Most often it is carried out along the edge of the zone of floating ice (between 50-55 degrees south latitude). Thus, the total area of ​​Antarctica is significantly larger than the Arctic, and is about 60 million square kilometers.

Antarctica, as mentioned above, is the sixth continent of planet Earth - the southernmost and coldest.

History of the discovery and development of Antarctica

Already in the 18th century, people assumed that there was another continent in the south of our planet. James Cook was the first to search for it in 1775. During his circumnavigation, he came close to the mysterious “Southland”, discovering the South Sandwich Islands.

The discovery of the continent of Antarctica took place in 1820 during the expedition of Russian navigators F. Bellingshausen and M. P. Lazarev. After this, a series of discoveries and mapping of various seas, islands and lands in Antarctica began.

In 1911, two expeditions at once (one led by Roald Amundsen, the other by Robert Scott) set off to conquer the South Pole of the Earth. But luck smiled on only one of the groups of desperate daredevils. On December 14, 1911, Amundsen planted the Norwegian flag at the pole point. Scott's group reached the goal of the expedition 27 days later, and all its members died on the way back.

The continent of Antarctica has significant mineral resource potential. However, the countries of the world signed an agreement on the “inviolability” of the continent’s subsoil until 2048.

7 Amazing Facts About Antarctica

We bring to your attention 7 interesting facts about Antarctica and Antarctica:

• Antarctica is the coldest continent on the planet. In the 80s, the lowest temperature on Earth was recorded at the Soviet polar station “Vostok” (-89 degrees);
• Antarctica is also the highest continent on the planet (primarily due to its massive ice cap, which in some places reaches a thickness of 1-1.5 km);
• Antarctica is the windiest and driest place on Earth (and this despite the fact that it contains up to 70% of all the world's fresh water);
• Antarctica is the only continent without a permanent population;
• There are 6 species of penguins in Antarctica. Among them are emperor penguins, which are distinguished by their large size;
• Huge blocks of ice periodically break off from Antarctic ice shelves. One of these was formed in 2000 and set off to float freely. Its length reached 300 kilometers!
• There are no time zones in Antarctica. Scientists staying here live according to the time of their states.

Arctic and Antarctic Museum

Do you know where it is? Many people are not even aware of the existence of such an institution. It turns out that such a museum exists!

It is located in the city of St. Petersburg, in the building of the former St. Nicholas Edinoverie Church (Marata Street, 24a). In 1930, the temple was closed and this unusual museum was opened within its walls. It introduces visitors to the history of the development and study of the Arctic and Antarctic.

The museum exhibits include polar explorers' equipment, unique instruments, rare photographs, models of ships and icebreakers, as well as numerous paintings by artists depicting the wild and harsh nature of the Earth's circumpolar regions.

In conclusion

Where are the Arctic, Antarctic and Antarctica located? Now you can easily answer this question and show the above areas on the globe. Despite the distance of thousands of kilometers between the Arctic and Antarctic, there is much in common between them. Both parts of the planet are extremely cold, there is a lot of snow, icebergs and ice, and virtually no vegetation.

flickr.com/dominique-filippi

About the country

Antarctica is an ice-covered continent located at the Earth's south pole, with an area of ​​approximately 14.1 million km2. From Greek, "Antarctica" means "the place opposite the Arctic." The continent is almost 2 times larger than Australia and 1.4 times larger than Europe. Antarctica's ice shelves, with a total area of ​​0.93 million km2, represent 1/15 of the continent's entire territory and are the source of the largest icebergs on the planet. The continent includes the continent of Antarctica and the adjacent islands (South Shetland Islands, Alexander Island, Peter I Island, Anvers Island, Adelaide Island, etc.). The continent is divided into territories (“lands”) named after their discoverers and historical figures, for example: Kemp Land, Macrobertson Land, Princess Elizabeth Land, Coats Land, Ellsworth Land, Wilhelhem Land, etc. Only 3-4% of the area of ​​Antarctica (40 thousand km2) is free from ice cover, these are sections of islands and coasts, “Dry Valleys”, ridges and peaks of the transantarctic mountains (they are also called “nunataks”). The thickness of the ice dome of Antarctica is on average 2600 meters; the world's supply of fresh water is concentrated in this ice (about 80% of all fresh water on Earth). Thanks to the ice cover, the continent rises 2000 meters above world sea level. Antarctica was discovered by a Russian scientific expedition in January 1820, its scientific leaders were Mikhail Lazarev and Thaddeus Bellingshausen. Since then, for almost two centuries, scientists from different countries have been constantly studying Antarctica. More than 45 scientific stations from different countries of the world have been built here, including Russia, the USA, China, Japan, Germany and Chile. Among the Russian scientific facilities in Antarctica that are currently operating: Vostok, Novolazarevskaya, Mirny, Bellingshausen and Progress, two more stations are reserved. Antarctica is recognized as a free zone for scientific research. According to the settlement agreement of December 1, 1959, Antarctica cannot belong to any country. The placement of military strategic facilities, nuclear power units and other nuclear carriers is prohibited on the mainland. Every 50 years, this treaty is revised; in 2009, a meeting of countries decided to leave the convention unchanged. Interest in studying the icy continent is growing as the need for new sources of energy resources grows, which, according to experts, are abundant in Antarctica. According to polar scientists, rich sources of oil, gas, precious metals, coal and charcoal are concentrated in the bowels of the continent. The development of such deposits requires enormous funds; scientists from the USA and China are working most actively in this direction today.

Geography of Antarctica

The center of the continent coincides with the southern geographic pole of the earth. Antarctica is washed by the waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The waters surrounding Antarctica are also called the Southern Ocean; its area is conventionally defined as 20 million km2. The continent includes the continent of Antarctica, the Antarctic Peninsula and nearby islands. The entire territory of the mainland is penetrated by subglacial rivers and lakes.

The area of ​​Antarctica is 14.1 million km. sq.

Population

Population of Antarctica

Due to the cold climate, there is no permanent population in Antarctica. Scientific stations operate here in winter and summer; about 1,000 people are employed on the continent in winter, and about 4,000 people in summer. Tourists visit the continent every year; in 2010, their number was 36,000. It is noteworthy that in 1978, a human child was born for the first time on the mainland; this happened at the Esperanza station, where Argentinean Emilio Marcos Palma was born. In 2004 on the island. Waterloo illuminated the first Orthodox Church in Antarctica - the Church of the Holy Trinity. In 2007, the first wedding ceremony in Antarctica took place here, the priest blessed Eduardo Aliaga Ilabac (a scientist from Chile) and Angelina Zhuldybina (the daughter of a Russian researcher) for marriage.

Weather in Antarctica

Antarctica is characterized by harsh climatic conditions with low temperatures, strong winds (katabatic winds, the speed of which reaches 300 km/h), snow storms and fog. It never rains here, and the air humidity is almost zero. In the eastern part of the continent in 1983, the lowest temperature in the entire history of meteorological observations was recorded, minus 89.2 Celsius. Winter here lasts from June to August, with an average temperature from -60 to -70 degrees, in summer (December, January, February) - from -30 to -50 degrees. On the coast of Antarctica, the temperature is much higher than the average for the mainland; in winter the thermometer here shows from -8 to -35 degrees, and in summer - from 0 to -5 degrees. The tourist season to Antarctica opens in November-December and ends in March-April.

Sights of Antarctica

Every year Antarctica receives tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world, and every year the tourist flow only increases. Such interest in the ice continent is explained by the desire to visit an extraordinary, mysterious and deserted place, admire the majestic icebergs of gigantic size, look at the wonderful animals of Antarctica, admire the polar lights, visit mysterious places and stations of polar scientists, and also enjoy the peace and tranquility of the eternal ice. It should be noted that Antarctica has transparent, clean air, which is unusual for the human eye; because of this, objects here seem closer than they really are. The sunlight here is very bright, so all agencies recommend that tourists take good sunglasses and special attachments (lenses) for cameras. Most tourists come to the continent on cruise ships. The organizers of such trips additionally offer their clients diving services (studying the underwater world of Antarctica, including observing unusual “ice” white-blooded fish); “kayaking” (exploring glaciers and icebergs from the sea on boats called kayaks); mountaineering (climbing Antarctic mountain peaks, including Vinson, Erebus, etc.); camping (services of a tent camp located on the coast); skiing and photo tours. Particular attention is paid to organizing New Year's tours to Antarctica, during which tourists will be able to celebrate the New Year within the walls of a polar research station. The cost of such cruises averages from 10,000 USD for 13-18 days of travel. Among the attractions of Antarctica, the South Shetland Islands and Deception Island are especially popular. Notable for its volcanic origin and geothermal activity, the island. Deception is part of a once existing volcano; "Dry Valleys" The conditions of this area are close to those on Mars, astronauts are trained here, and the desert itself has been protected by the UNESCO community since 2004; "Bloody Falls" Found in the Dry Valleys, East Antarctica; Ice active volcano Erebus. This is one of the highest volcanoes on Earth (3794 m), it is notable for its unusual origin, and the composition of the erupted lava differs significantly from the composition of the eruptions of other terrestrial volcanoes; South Pole. Tours to the South Pole of the Earth are in demand among tourists; the average annual temperature here is -49 degrees. Harsh weather conditions do not deter people who want to reach the southernmost point of the Earth. Tour costs from 43,000 USD; Vinson Massif. Vinson Peak is the highest peak in Antarctica, its height is 4892 m; Lake Vanda. One of the saltiest lakes on the planet, its depth is 69 meters. In winter, this lake is covered with a crust of ice, and in summer you can swim here. Particular attention is paid to flora and fauna in Antarctica. Its representatives live mainly in the coastal zone. Vegetation on the mainland is sparse, with some species of mosses and lichens and several flowering plant species found here. But here live unique birds (arctic skuas, skuas, petrels), seals (elephant seals, Ross seals, leopard seals, Weddell seals, etc.), emperor penguins, Adélie penguins, and whales.

Transport

Antarctica can be reached by water or air transport. Tourists travel to Antarctica by plane from Chile and South Africa. Australian airlines organize tourist air excursions to Antarctica, but do not make landing stops. Expedition and cruise ships to Antarctica depart from the shores of Argentina, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

Health

To visit Antarctica as part of a cruise tour, a tourist will need to fill out a special medical questionnaire and submit it to the cruise ship doctor. Each passenger must have his own first aid kit, which will contain his personal medications, as well as medications for seasickness. A cruise ship doctor will be able to provide emergency medical assistance to a tourist.

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The words Antarctica, Arctic and Antarctic are very similar, and to a person who is not well versed in geography, they may seem like the same thing. However, these areas are located in completely different parts of the globe. So what is the difference between the Arctic Antarctic and Antarctica?

Arctic and Antarctica

It would seem that what can distinguish the Arctic and Antarctica? Both of these territories have a fairly harsh climate, are always or almost always covered with ice and snow, and have poorly defined flora and fauna. In fact, the Arctic and Antarctica are on opposite sides of the world. If you look at these territories on a map or globe, the Arctic will be at the top (in the north), and Antarctica will be at the bottom (in the south).

Antarctica is a continent, and the Arctic is a geographical area, most of which is located at the North Pole.

Rice. 1. Arctic and Antarctica on the map.

The Arctic covers the extreme parts of North America and Eurasia. The Arctic territory includes the island of Greenland and many archipelagos that are located in the Arctic Ocean, for example, Severnaya Zemlya or Franz Josef Land.

Rice. 2. Franz Josef Land.

Translated from ancient Greek, the word “Arctic” is translated as “bear”. In Greek it sounds like "arktos".

Antarctica is a continent with an area of ​​14.1 million sq. km. It is on this continent that the lowest temperature on earth is recorded - 89.2 degrees. The average temperature in summer is -35 degrees, and in winter - -65 degrees.

One of the main differences between Antarctica and the Arctic is that Antarctica is completely unsuitable for human habitation. This territory does not belong to any state. The population ranges from 1,500 to 4,000 people, but these are not permanent residents, but scientists and researchers who live on the mainland for no more than a year and a half. About 4 million people live in the Arctic, with 2.3 million people living in the Arctic part of Russia.

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Differences between Antarctica and Antarctica

The word "Antarctica" appeared only in the last century. It means “opposite to the Arctic.” Indeed, the Arctic and Antarctic are located at different poles of the Earth - North and South.

What about Antarctica and Antarctica? Is this the same thing? So how are Antarctica and the Arctic different?

Antarctica, as mentioned above, is only a continent. Antarctica is a territory that, in addition to Antarctica, includes the waters of three oceans (Indian, Pacific, Atlantic), limited by the flow of the Western winds, as well as various islands that are located in the waters of these oceans. The center of Antarctica is the South Pole.

Antarctica is the heart of Antarctica. Due to the glaciers covering the continent, it is the highest continent in existence. The average height of the glaciers is 2040 meters.

Rice. 3. Glaciers of Antarctica.

The pole of cold of our planet is located precisely in Antarctica. At the Vostok polar station 35 years ago, in 1983, a record low temperature was recorded - 89.2 degrees.

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