.svg) | |
| Area | 14,000,000 km2(5,400,000 sq mi)[1] |
|---|---|
| Population | 0 permanent residents (2014)[2] ~ 5,000 temporary residents |
| Demonym | Antarctican, Antarctic |
Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent, containing the geographic South Pole. It is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 14.0 million km2 (5.4 million sq mi), it is the fifth-largest continent in area after Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. For comparison, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages at least 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) in thickness, which extends to all but the northernmost reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents. Antarctica is considered a desert, with annual precipitation of only 200 mm (8 inches) along the coast and far less inland. The temperature in Antarctica has reached −89 °C (−129 °F). There are no permanent human residents, but anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 people reside throughout the year at the research stations scattered across the continent.
This list of all countries in Antarctica is actually a list of the countries that have claimed territory in Antarctica with the names of the Antarctic territories:
Country Territory
United Kingdom British Antarctic Territory
New Zealand Ross Dependency
France Adélie Land
Norway Peter I Island
Australia Australian Antarctic Territories
Norway Queen Maud Land
Chilli Antarctica
Argentina Argentine Antarctica
