Geography of Antarctica: Difference between revisions
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<b>Location:</b> |
<b>Location:</b> |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
<p><b>Geographic coordinates:</b> |
<p><b>Geographic coordinates:</b> |
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90 00 S, 0 00 E |
90 00 S, 0 00 E |
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<p><b>Map references:</b> |
<p><b>Map references:</b> |
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Antarctic Region |
Antarctic Region |
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<p><b>Area:</b> |
<p><b>Area:</b> |
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<br><i>total:</i> |
<br><i>total:</i> |
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14 million sq km |
14 million sq km |
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<br><i>land:</i> |
<br><i>land:</i> |
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14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-covered) (est.) |
14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-covered) (est.) |
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<br><i>note:</i> |
<br><i>note:</i> |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
<p><b>Area - comparative:</b> |
<p><b>Area - comparative:</b> |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
<p><b>Land boundaries:</b> |
<p><b>Land boundaries:</b> |
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0 km |
0 km |
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<br><i>note:</i> |
<br><i>note:</i> |
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see entry on International disputes |
see entry on International disputes |
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<p><b>Coastline:</b> |
<p><b>Coastline:</b> |
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17,968 km |
17,968 km |
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<p><b>Maritime claims:</b> |
<p><b>Maritime claims:</b> |
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none, but see the Disputes - international entry |
none, but see the Disputes - international entry |
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<p><b>Climate:</b> |
<p><b>Climate:</b> |
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severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing |
severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing |
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<p><b>Terrain:</b> |
<p><b>Terrain:</b> |
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⚫ | about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 5,140 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern [[Victoria Land]], [[Wilkes Land]], the [[Antarctic Peninsula]] area, and parts of [[Ross Island]] on [[McMurdo Sound]]; [[glacier]]s form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent |
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⚫ | about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 5,140 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; |
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<p><b>Elevation extremes:</b> |
<p><b>Elevation extremes:</b> |
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<br><i>lowest point:</i> |
<br><i>lowest point:</i> |
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Southern Ocean 0 m |
Southern Ocean 0 m |
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<br><i>highest point:</i> |
<br><i>highest point:</i> |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
<p><b>Natural resources:</b> |
<p><b>Natural resources:</b> |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
<p><b>Land use:</b> |
<p><b>Land use:</b> |
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<br><i>arable land:</i> |
<br><i>arable land:</i> |
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0% |
0% |
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<br><i>permanent crops:</i> |
<br><i>permanent crops:</i> |
||
0% |
0% |
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<br><i>permanent pastures:</i> |
<br><i>permanent pastures:</i> |
||
0% |
0% |
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<br><i>forests and woodland:</i> |
<br><i>forests and woodland:</i> |
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0% |
0% |
||
<br><i>other:</i> |
<br><i>other:</i> |
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100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) |
100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) |
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<p><b>Irrigated land:</b> |
<p><b>Irrigated land:</b> |
||
0 sq km (1993) |
0 sq km (1993) |
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<p><b>Natural hazards:</b> |
<p><b>Natural hazards:</b> |
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⚫ | katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on [[Deception Island]] and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak |
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⚫ | katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak |
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<p><b>Environment - current issues:</b> |
<p><b>Environment - current issues:</b> |
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⚫ | in 1998, [[NASA]] satellite data showed that the antarctic [[ozone hole]] was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light coming through the hole damages the [[DNA]] of icefish, an antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants |
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⚫ | in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light coming through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants |
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<p><b>Geography - note:</b> |
<p><b>Geography - note:</b> |
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⚫ | |||
:''See also :'' [[Antarctica]] |
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Revision as of 21:50, 28 January 2002
Location: continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle
Geographic coordinates: 90 00 S, 0 00 E
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area:
total:
14 million sq km
land:
14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-covered) (est.)
note:
fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the subcontinent of Europe
Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US
Land boundaries:
0 km
note:
see entry on International disputes
Coastline: 17,968 km
Maritime claims: none, but see the Disputes - international entry
Climate: severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing
Terrain: about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 5,140 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Southern Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Vinson Massif 5,140 m
Natural resources: none presently exploited; iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small, uncommercial quantities
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak
Environment - current issues: in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light coming through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants
Geography - note: the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable
- See also : Antarctica