Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent. It contains the geographic South Pole and 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 14,200,000 square kilometres, it is the fifth-largest continent and nearly twice the size of Australia. It is by far the least populated continent, with around 5,000 people in the summer and around 1,000 in the winter. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages 1.9 km in thickness, which extends to all but the McMurdo Dry Valleys and the northernmost reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula. Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents.
| Area | 14,200,000 km² 5,500,000 sq mi |
| Population | 1,000 to 5,000 (seasonal) |
| Demonym | Antarctic |
| Internet TLD | aq |
| Largest cities | Research stations, McMurdo Station |
About Antarctica
Feature-length drama recounting the 1958 ill-fated Japanese scientific expedition to the South Pole. A prominent component of the plot is the relationship between the scientists and their Sakhalin huskies. The lead dogs, Taro and Jiro help lead the team through impossible weather conditions on the return journey. The film was directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara.
Achievement of Antarctica
Original music for the film was composed by Vangelis who had previously scored Chariots of Fire. It held the box office sales record until the release of Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke in 1997.
Top Facts You Did Not Know About Antarctica
Antarctica Category.. Demilitarized zones.. Continents.. Polar regions of the Earth.. Antarctic region.. Extreme points of Earth.
Latest information about Antarctica updated on July 28 2021.
