We explain what Antarctica is, how is the weather and relief. In addition, what are its political, economic characteristics and the history of this continent.
What is Antarctica?
Antarctica is one of the six continents of the earth and the largest room. With an approximate extension of almost 14 million square kilometers, it represents 9.4 % of the total land surface of the planet.
Due to its geographical position, Antarctica has extremely cold climatic conditions with average temperatures between -10 ° C and -30 ° C. In addition, it is the driest continent in the world, with annual rainfall that rarely exceeds 200 mm. It is also the highest, with an average altitude of 2500 meters above sea level.
Why is it called that? The name “Antarctica” comes from the Greek term “Antarkikos“, Which means” opposite to the Arctic. “Refers to the geographical position of Antarctica, which is located at the southern end of the opposite land to the Arctic, which is located at the north.
See also: continents
Characteristic of Antarctica
- It is the continent that presents the lowest temperatures on the planet that can reach the – 60 ºC
- The flora is scarce, only some varieties of fungi, mosses and lichens manage to develop.
- Fauna is scarce in the continent, but abundant in the water with seals, marine elephants and whales that usually migrate according to the time of the year.
- The highest mountain peak is the 4892 meter Venson massif.
- Rivers and lakes are scarce. The most important river is the ONYX that has an extension of 32 km.
- The territory of Antarctica is divided into sectors administered by countries that work and conduct research throughout the year or only in the summer season.
Extension and population of Antarctica
The Antarctic continent has an area of 13,700,000 square kilometers, which represents a little less than 10 % of the surface emerged on the planet. During winter, when the waters of the Antarctic Glacier Ocean that surrounds the continent freezing, Its extension can increase to 30 million square kilometers.
According to its form and features of relief, Antarctica can be divided into two large sectors:
- Eastern Antarctica. It is the most extensive sector. It represents 70 % of the total area. It has a very cold climate with temperatures that can descend below -60 ° C. It is covered by an ice layer that in some sectors can reach 4000 meters thick.
- Western Antarctica. It is smaller. It is located west of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is a mountainous region with elevations of more than 4000 meters high. When being further north and away from the South Pole, it has a climate less cold than Eastern Antarctica.
Regarding the population, in Antarctica There are no people who live permanently. There are no cities or villages in this continent, and the human population that is there does so temporarily.
People who travel to Antarctica usually do so for limited periods, mainly for research tasks. It is also a continent in which you work hard for environmental preservationso there are strict limitations in the number of people who may be present.
It is estimated that the total population of Antarctica is approximately 4,000 people, although this varies according to the season and research needs. These people live and work on the more than 70 permanent and temporary research bases found in the continent and belong to countries such as Argentina, Chile, the United States and England, among others.
Physical-Natural characteristics of Antarctica
The lowest temperatures on the planet are recorded in Antarctica. Low solar radiation, high altitude, the distance of the moderating action of the sea and the frozen winds that come from the interior of the continent are the factors that explain this particular climatic characteristic.
In coastal areas, temperatures in summer can reach 0 ° C, inside the Antarctic plateau and in the mountainous areas of the continent the minimum temperatures in the winter can reach -70 ° C. As for the rainfall regime, His rainfall is very scarce and they occur in the form of snow.
Antarctica is the highest continent on the planet, with an average altitude of 2000 meters above sea level and a maximum height of 4900 meters in the Vinson massif.
While Eastern Antarctica is flatter, Western Antarctica has a more rugged relief with several mountainous formations. One of them is the set of mountain chains called Antarartes, which is the continuation of the Andes mountain range in Antarctica.
Regarding hydrological characteristics, In Antarctica there are practically no rivers or lakes. The few that appear are frozen for much of the year or are under the large blocks of ice that cover the surface of the continent. The most important river of Antarctica is the Onyx River, which with just 32 kilometers of extension is the longest in the continent.
Flora and Fauna of Antarctica
The Flora and Fauna of Antarctica is not very diverse. Among the main species the following stand out:
- Flora. There is not much plant life in the region. Most of it is reduced to varied types of fungi, mosses and lichens.
- Fauna. It is scarce on the continent, except for some invertebrate microorganisms, but abundant in the waters. Seals, marine elephants and a wide variety of birds can be found. They can also be seen, although less frequently, some specimens of the blue whale.
Economic activities of Antarctica
The economic activities in Antarctica are practically non -existent. Work is limited to scientific researchand there are only a few commercial activities linked to tourism and fishing.
Tourism is very regulated, and tourists usually visit the continent on cruises from different parts of the world. They approach Antarctica to observe wildlife, the beauty of landscapes and research bases.
Fishing is an activity that is strongly regulated by the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Resources (CCRVMA). Fishing is allowed only in specific areas and capture limits are established to guarantee the reproduction and sustainability of fish populations.
Logistics is also an economic activity that develops in the region. Supply and services transport companies, such as the construction and maintenance of research stations, have a presence in Antarctica. There are also companies that offer security and emergency rescue services.
There are also deposits of coal, iron and oil, but its exploitation and economic use are prohibited to preserve the environment.
Finally, it is estimated that 70 % of the planet’s fresh water reserves are found in Antarctica, but it is not allowed to make a commercial or industrial exploitation of that resource.
Political characteristics of Antarctica
One of the most peculiar characteristics of the Antarctic continent is that No country exercises effective sovereignty over its territory. The administration of political, scientific and economic affairs that occur in Antarctica is in charge of the member countries of the Antarctic treaty.
He Antarctic treaty It was signed in 1959 in the city of Washington, in the United States. The twelve signatory countries and, therefore, have a sector of Antarctica under their administration are:
- United States and Russia. They are part of the Antarctic Treaty because they were the two countries promoting the treaty.
- Chili, Argentina, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. They are part of the Antarctic Treaty for being the countries of the world closest to Antarctica.
- Belgium, France, Japan and Norway. They are part of the Antarctic Treaty because they had research bases and stations in Antarctica prior to the signing of the treaty.
- Great Britain. It is part of the Antarctic Treaty because it had colonial territories close to Antarctica.
The members of the Antarctic treaty They meet annually to discuss issues related to the administration of the continent. Decision making is based on a consensus systemwhich means that no decision is made if all the member countries are not agreed.
This treaty establishes and regulates the activities and actions that member countries can carry out on the continent. It determines that only scientific research can be carried out for peaceful purposes, and prohibits any activity that can generate any environmental deterioration in the continent.
History of Antarctica
In 1773, the British captain James Cook was the first explorer who managed to reach the Antarctic Polar Circle and, in 1820, the Russian explorer Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen sighted the coast of the Antarctica. In the following years, English, North American and Russian explorers continued to explore the region and make significant discoveries for the time.
In 1840, British explorer James Clark Ross managed to discover Ross’s ice barrier and Ross Sea, and in 1895, Norwegian explorer Carsten Borchgrevink established the first scientific base in Antarctica.
In the following decades numerous expeditions and important discoveries were carried out in Antarctica. The most significant was the expedition of the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, who was the first human being to reach the South Pole in 1911.
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References
- Blakemore, E. (2020). Who discovered Antarctica? Nationalgeographic
- Marambio Foundation (SF). Flora and Fauna of Antarctica. Marambio
- JUSTE, I. (2022). What animals live in the North and South Pole. Ecologiaverde
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cultu of Argentina (SF). About Antarctica. Chancellery
- Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty (SF). The Antarctic Treaty. ATS
- Valverde, S. and others (2010). A geography of the world to think. Kapelusz.
