Antarctica Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Antarctica?
Antarctica is the most remote and mysterious continent on Earth. It is the fifth largest continent, covering a staggering 5.4 million square miles of ice-covered land and surrounding waters. Antarctica is also the driest place on Earth, with no permanent human settlements, yet it remains one of the most fascinating places in the world due to its extreme conditions and unique wildlife.The name Antarctica comes from Greek words meaning opposite to Arctic because it lies at the opposite end of the planet to its northern counterpart. The region is dominated by an icy desert climate that includes freezing temperatures, dry air, strong winds, little precipitation and limited daylight during winter months when temperatures can drop below -90°F (-68°C). Despite these harsh conditions, Antarctica has a variety of unique wildlife living in its frozen tundra including emperor penguins, Weddell seals, killer whales and seabirds such as skuas.Antarctica’s landscape also features remarkable geological features such as volcanoes that are visible above sea level despite being covered in snow and ice which offer fascinating insights into this mysterious continent’s geology and natural history. Additionally, about 98% of Antarctica’s landmass is covered by ice sheets up to three kilometers thick which contain some 90% of Earth’s total fresh water supply making it an essential global resource for our planet’s future health. Despite there still being much mystery around this remote region of our planet due to its extreme weather conditions and limited human presence over time many nations have come together in support of preserving this incredible part of our world through international agreements such as The Antarctic Treaty System (ATS). This agreement was established in 1961 to protect Antarctica’s environment by prohibiting military activity; regulating commercial activities such as tourism; promoting scientific research; protecting wildlife conservation efforts; among other initiatives. Through these efforts we are able to strive towards preserving this incredible part of our planet for generations to come so that we may continue exploring it’s vast wonders.