antarctica: an overview
Lying in the Antarctic Circle that rings the southern part of the globe, we introduce you to the coldest, windiest and driest continent: Antarctica. It is Earth's southernmost continent, covering approximately 20 percent of the Southern Hemisphere (making it the fifth-largest continent in terms of total area).
The continent is divided into two regions, known as East Antarctica and West Antarctica, which are separated by the Transantarctic Mountains. East Antarctica makes up two-thirds of the continent, and is about the same size as Australia, while West Antarctica is made up of a series of frozen islands stretching toward the southern tip of South America. The frozen continent is home to numerous animals (e.g. penguins, whales, numerous fish) and even some plant life, like mosses, lichen and algae.
Although Antarctica has one of the harshest climates, it also is home to the most vulnerable habitats. Today, scientific research stations call this harsh place home. Managed by numerous countries, like the United States, Argentina, China, Russia, and Japan, researchers travel here to unlock her secrets.
The continent is divided into two regions, known as East Antarctica and West Antarctica, which are separated by the Transantarctic Mountains. East Antarctica makes up two-thirds of the continent, and is about the same size as Australia, while West Antarctica is made up of a series of frozen islands stretching toward the southern tip of South America. The frozen continent is home to numerous animals (e.g. penguins, whales, numerous fish) and even some plant life, like mosses, lichen and algae.
Although Antarctica has one of the harshest climates, it also is home to the most vulnerable habitats. Today, scientific research stations call this harsh place home. Managed by numerous countries, like the United States, Argentina, China, Russia, and Japan, researchers travel here to unlock her secrets.
