Most of antarctica is covered by the antarctic ice sheet, with an average thickness of 1.9 km (1.2 mi). The antarctic ice sheet contains about 7.2 million cubic miles (30 million cubic kilometers) in an area just under 1.5 times. Antarctica, the world’s southernmost continent, is almost wholly covered by an ice sheet and is about 5.5 million square miles (14.2 million square km) in size.
Without any ice, antarctica would emerge as a giant peninsula and archipelago of mountainous islands, known as lesser antarctica, and a single large landmass about the size of australia, known as greater antarctica. Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest continent on earth Antarctica, a continent of unparalleled ice and stark beauty, is earth’s southernmost landmass, representing a vital frontier for scientific research and a testament to nature’s formidable power.
During summer, antarctica is on the side of earth tilted toward the sun and is in constant sunlight In the winter, antarctica is on the side of earth tilted away from the sun, causing the continent to be dark Antarctica is considered a desert because it receives very little rain or snowfall. Despite its massive size, antarctica has no permanent population due to its harsh climate, icy terrain, and remote location.
Explore all countries antarctica antarctica page last updated General facts about antarctica, including geography, temperatures, and wildlife.
