Investigatory Project
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Geography of Antarctica
The geography of Antarctica is dominated by its south polar location and, thus, by ice. The Antarctic continent, located in the Earth'ssouthern hemisphere, is centered asymmetrically around the South Pole and largely south of the Antarctic Circle. It is surrounded by the southern waters of the World Ocean – alternatively (depending on source), it is washed by the Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean or the southernPacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. It has an area of more than 14 million km².
Some 98% of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, the world's largest ice sheet and also its largest reservoir of fresh water. Averaging at least 1.6 km thick, the ice is so massive that it has depressed the continental bedrock in some areas more than 2.5 km below sea level; subglacial lakes of liquid water also occur (e.g., Lake Vostok). Ice shelves and rises populate the ice sheet on the periphery. Only about 2% of the continent is not covered by ice.
Geography of Antarctica | | Continent | Antarctica | Coordinates | 80°S 90°E | Area | Ranked 2nd (unofficially)
14,000,000 km2(5,400,000 sq mi)
100% land
0 % water | Borders | No land boundaries | Highest point | Vinson Massif, 4,897 m (16,066 ft) | Lowest point | Bentley Subglacial Trench, −2,555 m (−8,382.5 ft) | Longest river | Onyx River, 25 km | Largest lake | Lake Vostok, 26,000 sq m (est.) | Climate | subarctic to arctic | Terrain | ice and barren rock | Natural Resources | krill, fin fish, crab | Natural Hazards | high winds, blizzards, cyclonic storms, volcanism | Environmental Issues | depleting ozone layer, rising sea level |
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Regions[edit]
The Princesses Astrid and Ragnhild Coasts
The Banzare, Sabrina, and Budd Law Dome Coasts
Geography of Antarctica
The geography of Antarctica is dominated by its south polar location and, thus, by ice. The Antarctic continent, located in the Earth'ssouthern hemisphere, is centered asymmetrically around the South Pole and largely south of the Antarctic Circle. It is surrounded by the southern waters of the World Ocean – alternatively (depending on source), it is washed by the Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean or the southernPacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. It has an area of more than 14 million km².
Some 98% of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, the world's largest ice sheet and also its largest reservoir of fresh water. Averaging at least 1.6 km thick, the ice is so massive that it has depressed the continental bedrock in some areas more than 2.5 km below sea level; subglacial lakes of liquid water also occur (e.g., Lake Vostok). Ice shelves and rises populate the ice sheet on the periphery. Only about 2% of the continent is not covered by ice.
Geography of Antarctica | | Continent | Antarctica | Coordinates | 80°S 90°E | Area | Ranked 2nd (unofficially)
14,000,000 km2(5,400,000 sq mi)
100% land
0 % water | Borders | No land boundaries | Highest point | Vinson Massif, 4,897 m (16,066 ft) | Lowest point | Bentley Subglacial Trench, −2,555 m (−8,382.5 ft) | Longest river | Onyx River, 25 km | Largest lake | Lake Vostok, 26,000 sq m (est.) | Climate | subarctic to arctic | Terrain | ice and barren rock | Natural Resources | krill, fin fish, crab | Natural Hazards | high winds, blizzards, cyclonic storms, volcanism | Environmental Issues | depleting ozone layer, rising sea level |
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Regions[edit]
The Princesses Astrid and Ragnhild Coasts
The Banzare, Sabrina, and Budd Law Dome Coasts