Home > Geography of Antarctica

Western Antarctica is covered by the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. There has been some concern about this Ice sheet, because there is a small chance that it will collapse. If it would do so, ocean levels would rise by a few metres in a very short period of time.

Statistics

Area:

• Total: 14 million sq km
• Land: 14 million km² ( 280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million km² ice-covered) (est.)
• Note: Fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the subcontinent of EuropeFor the band of the same name, see Europe (band . Europe is a continent forming the westermost part of the Eurasian supercontinent. Europe is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Se

Land boundaries:

None

Coastline:

17,968 kmTo help compare different orders of magnitude, this page lists lengths starting at 107 m (10,000 km). See also lengths of other orders of magnitude. Distances shorter than 107 m 10,000 km 6,215 miles. side of a square of area 100,000,000 km2 radius of a c

Maritime claims:

None

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 metersTo help compare different orders of magnitude this page lists lengths between 1 km and 10 km (103 to 104 m). See also lengths of other orders of magnitude. Distances shorter than 1 km 1,000 metres is equal to: 1 kilometre 0. 62 miles 3,280 feet wavelength; mountain ranges up to 5,140 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria LandVictoria Land is a region of Antarctica lying south of New Zealand, named after the UK's Queen Victoria. It is bounded on the east by the Ross Sea and on the west by Wilkes Land. It includes ranges of the Transantarctic Mountains and the McMurdo Dry Valle, Wilkes LandWilkes Land is a region in southeastern Antarctica fronting on the southern lndian Ocean between Queen Mary Coast and George V Coast, extending from Cape Hordern in 100°31'E to Point Alden in 142°02'E. Named for Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes, American explo, the Antarctic PeninsulaAntarctic Peninsula (69º30´S 065º00´W) is the northernmost part of the mainland of Antarctica, and the only part of that continent that extends outside the Antarctic Circle. It lies in the Western Hemisphere, facing South America. The first sighting of An area, and parts of Ross IslandRoss Island is a volcanic island in the Ross Sea by Antarctica, on the coast of Victoria Land. Sir James Clark Ross discovered it in 1841, and the island was later named in honor of him by Robert F. The volcanoes Terror (3230 m) and Erebus (4023 m) are si on McMurdo SoundMcMurdo Sound is a sound about 55 km (35 mi) long and wide, lying at the junction of the Ross Sea and Ross Ice Shelf between Ross Island and Victoria Land. Discovered by Captain James Clark Ross in February 1841 and named for Lt. Archibald McMurdo of the; 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, although in some areas the bedrock under the ice sheet is below sea level.
• Highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m ( Ellsworth Mountains)

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:

• Other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%)

Irrigated land:

0 km² (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:

Ozone hole

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.