Concept in Definition ABC

The term Antarctica is used to designate a portion of territory located in the extreme south of the planet, in the south pole to be more exact, and which is also known as "the continent frozen "by being covered with ice its land surface. Antarctica has an area of ​​fourteen million square kilometers, of which only almost 300 thousand are not covered by ice. The continent is not inhabited on a regular basis due to the extreme and harshness of its weather, although there are temporary and non-constant populations of scientists who rotate in field positions to carry out research of different kinds. Other forms of life such as flora and the fauna it is also very limited and closes only on certain types of animals (such as polar bears, marine mammals) and some very small forms of vegetation.

Due to the fact that in Antarctica there are no permanent and normal populations, the territory of this continent has been divided between several countries and regions that have established their

sovereignty or power. Some of the broadest regions in terms of their surface area are those belonging to France, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile and Norway, although in terms In particular, there are many more countries that have bases on the territory (also Germany, Brazil, China, the United States, India, Italy, Poland, Great Britain, South Africa and Uruguay, among others).

Antarctica is a continent in which the harsh climate and the environment are essential characteristics. Thus, we must speak of a region in which the polar climate is main, with temperatures that do not exceed 0 ° in hot seasons and that have almost reached -90 ° in winter seasons. As mentioned before, the portion of territory that is not covered by ice is very small, less than 3 percent. This ice becomes very deep and hard in most of the territory, although the changes generated in the climate have allowed the different layers of ice to begin to melt. As if that were not enough, Antarctica has one of the lowest averages in terms of rainfall in the world, so the climate is dry and desert although polar.

Themes in Antarctica