antarctica · antarctica •antarctica is the southernmost continent on earth. •the name...

Antarctica

Antarctica• Antarctica is the southernmost continent on

Earth.

• The name ‘Antarctica’ comes from a Greek word meaning ‘opposite to the north’.

• The South Pole is found in Antarctica.

• Antarctica is bigger than Europe and almost double the size of Australia.

Antarctica

• The oceans that surround Antarctica are

– Pacific Ocean

– Atlantic Ocean

– Indian Ocean

– Southern Ocean

Antarctica

• The North Pole is located in the ocean; however, the South Pole is located on land.

Antarctica• The South Pole is located in East

Antarctica.

Antarctica

• The mountain range that divides the continent into West Antarctica and East Antarctica are the Transantarctic Mountains.

• Large flat sheets of ice called ice shelves float in Antarctica’s coastal waters. The largest one is located by the Ross Sea. It is the Ross Ice Shelf.

The Ross Ice Shelf

Antarctica

• The Ronne Ice Shelf is located near the Weddell Sea.

• An active volcano named Mount Erebus is on Ross Island. It is located in West Antarctica.

Mount Erebus

• Vinson Massif is Antarctica’s highest mountain range.

• It is part of the Ellsworth Mountains.

Antarctica

• Three islands that are found in Antarctica’s coastal waters are:

– Berkner Island

– Alexander Island

– Roosevelt Island

Alexander Island

Interesting Facts• Because it experiences such little rain,

Antarctica is considered a desert.

• While humans don’t permanently reside in Antarctica, several thousand people live and work at various research facilities found on the continent.

• Around 90% of the ice on Earth is found in Antarctica.

• Sea levels would rise about 200 feet if all the ice in Antarctica were to melt! That’s as tall as 10 cars bumper to bumper!

Animal Life

• Antarctica features harsh living conditions, a number of plants and animals have adapted to survive and call the icy continent home.

• Animals that live in Antarctica include penguins, seals, Orca (killer) Whales, Albatross’, Blue Whales, and many types of fish.

• Polar Bears do NOT live in Antarctica! They live in the Northern Arctic region.

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