The Antarctica Prepared By: Arishna V. Gandhi Std. 7-A

Antarctica

Antarctica Antarctica is a land of extremes. Located at the most southerly point of the Earth’s surface, it is the highest, coldest, driest, windiest and most isolated continent. While humans find Antarctica largely inhospitable, an incredible array of birds and other animals live in Antarctica and its surrounding islands and seas. These animals are adapted to life on the great southern land.

Discovery 1773 - Captain Cook - his wooden ship could not penetrate the ice ring. 1822 - James Weddell (Sealing) 1830 - Whalers came 1911 - Roald Amundsen reaches South Pole 1915 - Shackleton stuck in ice 1959 – Antarctic Treaty

Points of reference Vostok - 78.45°S - Continental High Plateau - Russian base at the Southern Geomagnetic Pole. It is close to the Pole of Inaccessibility, the point on the Antarctic continent that is the furthest from any other and so the most difficult or inaccessible place to get to. Consistently the coldest place on earth. Holder of the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded on the planet  -89.2°C (-128.6°F) on July 21st 1983. Amundsen-Scott - 90°S - Continental High Plateau - American base at the South Pole. McMurdo - 78.88°S - Continental High Latitude Coast - American base Rothera point - 67.56°S - Antarctic Peninsula - British base

Iceberg

Crevasses

Facts & Figures Antarctica is the 5th biggest continent and 10% of the earth's land area Antarctica's total area is 14 million km2 in summer, in winter it increases to 19 million km2 Only 2% of the land is not covered in ice. Antarctic ice at its thickest reaches 5 km in depth Comprises almost 70% of the earth's fresh water. If it all melted, sea levels would rise between 50 and 60 m. Antarctica has the lowest recorded temperature; -89.2°C at Vostock in 1983.

Facts & Figures Inland, temperatures range from -70°C in winter to -35°C in summer. Corresponding figures for coastal regions are -30°C and 0°C. Antarctica is so cold because up to 80% of incoming solar radiation is reflected back into space by ice and snow Antarctica is the windiest place on earth Antarctica is the driest place on earth

Animals Whales and seals are the two groups of marine mammals to be found in the Southern Ocean where they are an important part of the marine ecosystem. Whales are the largest animals in world, specially blue whale with his length up to 30m and a weight up to 180 tons.

Conti… Seals can leave the water and move on terrain to breed, rest and molt. named because of the colour patterns on its fur and its fierce nature, the Leopard seal is a fierce predator of it's favorite food - Adelie penguins. 

Volcanoes

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