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The largest island in Antarctica. Where is the Arctic, Antarctica and Antarctica: main differences and interesting facts. Antarctica map - open

Ecology

No place in the world compares to the vast white desert, where there are four main elements: snow, ice, water and rock. The majesty of its ice shelves and mountain ranges further enhances the magnificence of nature.

Anyone who comes to the most isolated continent must undergo a difficult journey or a long flight. Of course, we are talking about Antarctica - a stunning place where all the extremes of our Earth seem to be concentrated. Here are 10 of the most amazing facts about this mysterious continent.

1. There are no polar bears in Antarctica

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Polar bears do not live in Antarctica, but in the Arctic. Penguins inhabit most of Antarctica, but it is unlikely that a penguin will encounter a polar bear in the wild. Polar bears are found in areas such as Canada's Northern Territory, Alaska, Russia, Greenland and Norway. Antarctica is too cold, that's why there are no polar bears. However, in Lately, scientists are starting to think about bringing polar bears to Antarctica as the Arctic gradually melts.

2. There are rivers in Antarctica

One of them is the Onyx River, which carries meltwater to the east. The Onyx River flows to Lake Vanda located in Dry Valley Wright. Due to extreme climate conditions, it flows for only two months during the Antarctic summer. Its length is 40 km, and although there are no fish, microorganisms and algae live in this river.

One of the most interesting facts about Antarctica is the contrast between the dry climate and the amount of water (70 percent fresh water). This continent is the driest place on our planet. Even the hottest desert in the world receives more rain than the Dry Valleys of Antarctica. In fact, the entire South Pole receives about 10cm of rain per year.

There are no permanent residents in Antarctica. The only people who live there for any period of time are those who are part of temporary scientific communities. In summer, the number of scientists and support staff is about 5,000 people, while in winter no more than 1,000 people remain working here.

There is no government in Antarctica, and no country in the world owns this continent. Although many countries have tried to gain ownership of these lands, an agreement has been reached that grants Antarctica the privilege of remaining the only region on Earth that is not governed by any country.

6. Searching for meteorites

One of the interesting facts about this continent is the fact that Antarctica is the best place where you can find meteorites. Apparently, meteorites that land on the Antarctic ice sheet are better preserved than any other place on Earth. Fragments of meteorites from Mars are the most valuable and unexpected discoveries. Probably, the speed of release from this planet should have been about 18,000 km/h in order for the meteorite to reach Earth.

7. No time zones

It is the only continent without time zones. Scientific communities in Antarctica tend to stick to the time that is associated with their home land, or align the time with the supply line that supplies them with food and important items. Here you can travel through all 24 time zones in a few seconds.

8. Animals of Antarctica

This is the only place on Earth where you can find Emperor penguins. These are the tallest and largest of all penguin species. Also, emperor penguins are the only species that breed during the Antarctic winter, while the penguin Adele Compared to other species, it breeds in the southernmost part of the continent. Of the 17 species of penguins, 6 varieties are found in Antarctica.

Despite the fact that for blue whales, killer whales and fur seals This continent is also hospitable; Antarctica is not rich in land animals. One of the largest life forms here is an insect, the wingless midge. Belgica antarctica, about 1.3 cm long. There are no flying insects here due to the extreme windy conditions. However, among penguin colonies you can find black springtails that hop around like fleas. In addition, Antarctica is the only continent that does not have native ant species.

The largest landmass covered with ice is Antarctica, where 90 percent of the world's ice is concentrated. The average thickness of ice on Antarctica is about 2133 m. If all the ice on Antarctica melted, the world's sea level would rise by 61 m. But average temperature on the continent is -37 degrees Celsius, so there is no danger of melting yet. In fact, most of the continent will never experience temperatures above freezing.

10. The largest iceberg

Iceberg B-15 is one of the largest icebergs recorded. It is approximately 295 km long, approximately 37 km wide and has a surface area of 11,000 sq. km, which is larger than the island of Jamaica. Its approximate mass was approximately 3 billion tons. And after almost a decade, parts of this iceberg have still not melted.

In January 1820, a Russian expedition led by Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev discovered Antarctica, the existence of which had previously only been speculated. Today we have collected for you interesting and little-known facts about the most remote southern continent - the highest, driest, windiest, sparsely populated and coldest place on earth.

1. At one time, it was impossible to work in Antarctica for those who had not had their wisdom teeth and appendix removed. Due to the fact that surgical operations were not performed at Antarctic stations, to work here it was necessary to first part with these parts of the body, even if they were completely healthy.

3. Like many countries, Antarctica has its own Internet domain - .aq

4. 53 million years ago, it was so warm in Antarctica that palm trees grew on its shores, and the air temperature rose above 20 degrees Celsius.

5. In December 2013, Metallica gave a concert in Antarctica, thus becoming the first band in the world to perform on all continents. In order not to disturb the local fauna, the concert was held under a special protective dome, and the audience listened to the music through headphones.

6. From 1960 to 1972, the first nuclear power plant in Antarctica operated at McMurdo Station, the largest settlement and research center owned by the United States.

7. Antarctica has its own fire station. It belongs to the McMurdo station, and it employs real professional firefighters.

8. Despite extreme conditions, 1,150 species of fungi have been discovered in Antarctica. They adapt well to extremely low temperatures and extended periods of freezing and thawing.

9. Technically, all 24 time zones are present in Antarctica, since their boundaries converge at one point at both poles.

10. There are no polar bears in Antarctica. To look at them, you will have to go to the North Pole or, for example, to Canada.

11. There is a bar in Antarctica - the southernmost bar on the planet. And it is located at the Akademik Vernadsky station, which belongs to Ukraine.

12. The lowest temperature ever recorded on earth - minus 89.2 degrees Celsius - was recorded in Antarctica at the Russian Vostok station on July 21, 1983.

15. The average ice thickness of Antarctica is 1.6 km. Antarctica contains approximately 70% of all fresh water on earth.

16. The Transantarctic Mountains run across the entire continent and divide it into western and eastern parts. This ridge is one of the longest in the world - its length is 3500 km.

17. The existence of the continent of Antarctica was unknown until its discovery in 1820. Before this it was assumed that it was just a group of islands.

18. On December 14, 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first person to reach the South Pole and plant his nation's flag there. He also became the first person to visit both geographic poles of the planet.

19. As a result of secret negotiations, on December 1, 1959, 12 countries concluded the Antarctic Treaty, providing for the demilitarization of the Antarctic area and its use for exclusively peaceful purposes. Today, more than 50 countries are parties to the Treaty.

20. On January 7, 1978, Argentinean Emilio Marcos Palma was born - the first person in history to be born in Antarctica. It is believed that this event was a planned action by the Argentine government, which specifically sent a pregnant woman to the Esperanza station in order to subsequently claim rights to part of the territory of Antarctica.

General information about Antarctica (Antarctica).

(or Antarctica - from the Greek ἀνταρκτικός - the area opposite the Arctic) is a continent located in the very south of the Earth, the center of which practically coincides with the South Pole of our planet. Antarctica is washed by the waters of the Southern Ocean and has an area of 14.4 million km2, 1.6 million km2 of which are ice shelves that are sources of icebergs huge size. The Antarctic ice sheet is the largest on the planet, containing about 80% of all fresh water on Earth. Geographically, the territory of Antarctica is divided into regions (lands) named after the travelers or famous personalities who discovered them: Queen Maud Land, Wilkes Land, Victoria Land, Mary Byrd Land, Ellsworth Land. Some adjacent islands belong to Antarctica. Existence Southern mainland(from the Latin Terra Australis) was assumed a very long time ago; on ancient maps it was often combined with South America or with Australia, which was named after this hypothetical part of the land. However, only the expedition of Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev in the south polar seas on the sloops “Vostok” and “Mirny” confirmed the existence of the sixth continent of the Earth. This happened on January 16 (28), 1820 (the official opening date Antarctica ) in the area of the modern Bellingshausen ice shelf. Antarctica does not belong to any state in accordance with the convention of December 1, 1959 (entered into force June 23, 1961), signed by 28 states and dozens of observer countries.

IN Antarctica Any type of activity other than scientific activity is prohibited. This includes the prohibition of the deployment of military facilities and the entry of warships and armed vessels into its waters (south of 60 degrees south latitude). In addition, Antarctica is a nuclear-free zone, so nuclear-powered ships are also prohibited, and there are no nuclear power units on the mainland. Total in Antarctica there are about 45 research stations belonging to different countries and working all year round. Today there are five Russian ones: Bellingshausen, Mirny, Novolazarevskaya, Vostok, Progress.
You can read more about Russian stations in Antarctica on the website of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute of the Russian Federation (AARI).

Antarctica has been assigned the top-level Internet domain .aq and the telephone prefix +672.

Climate and weather.

Climate of Antarctica- extremely stern and cold. In its eastern part, at the Vostok station, on July 21, 1983, the lowest air temperature on Earth in the entire history of meteorological measurements was recorded: 89.2degrees Celsius below zero. This area is the Earth's pole of cold. However, seasonal temperature changes are still observed in Antarctica. Spring in Antarctica comes gradually. First, it warms up on the Antarctic islands: the Falkland, South Shetland and South Georgia. The warm air then moves further south. Therefore, most cruises and flights to Antarctica are organized between November and May: navigation becomes possible, and the temperature, although low, allows landing on land.

Flora and fauna.

Flora of Antarctica most common in the coastal zone. Terrestrial vegetation in areas deprived of ice is represented by various types of mosses and lichens, and does not form a continuous cover. On the Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent islands, two species of flowering plants grow - Antarctic meadowsweet and Colobanthus Quito.

Fauna of Antarctica comprises various types seals (Weddell seals, crabeater seals, leopard seals, Ross seals, elephant seals) and many species of birds, including a couple of species of petrels (chinstrap and snowy), two species of skuas, Arctic terns, Adélie penguins and emperor penguins. South Georgia is considered the habitat of emperor penguins. Birds lay eggs in December, so in February tourists can already see fluffy chicks in pebble nests, which were incubated (more precisely, “rested”) by male penguins for 63 days.

Official language

Does not exist

Religion

The first Orthodox church in Antarctica was built on Waterloo Island (South Shetland Islands) near the Russian Bellingshausen station with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II. They collected it in Altai, and then transported it to the icy continent on the scientific vessel Akademik Vavilov. The fifteen-meter high temple was built from cedar and larch. It can accommodate up to 30 people.

The temple was consecrated in the name of the Holy Trinity on February 15, 2004 by the abbot of the Holy Trinity Lavra of Sergius, Bishop Feognost of Sergiev Posad, in the presence of numerous clergy, pilgrims and sponsors, who arrived on a special flight from the nearest city, Chilean Punta Arenas. Now the temple is the Patriarchal Metochion of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

The Church of the Holy Trinity is considered the southernmost Orthodox church in the world. To the south there is only the chapel of St. John of Rila at the Bulgarian station St. Kliment Ohridski and the chapel of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir at the Ukrainian station Academician Vernadski.

On January 29, 2007, the first wedding in Antarctica took place in this temple (the daughter of a polar explorer, Russian Angelina Zhuldybina and Chilean Eduardo Aliaga Ilabac, working at the Chilean Antarctic base).

Time

In Antarctica, in terms of time zones not defined

Visa

Formally, a visa is not required. But when traveling by ship, when entering a port belonging to any country, you may be asked to present the right to enter. Therefore, it is worth clarifying this in advance and taking care of all the formalities

Currency

There is a currency in Antarctica, but it has no purchasing power and serves solely for souvenir purposes.

The money is issued by the so-called “non-official bank of Antarctica” for commercial purposes; they are sold to collectors and tourists.

If necessary, purchase and sale procedures with tourists are widely used in US dollars; any other currency in Antarctica is also in circulation.

The import of money into Antarctica is not limited.

Import to Antarctica

The import of weapons, narcotic substances, chemical and radioactive substances, scientific instruments and equipment, and research instruments that do not meet UNESCO standards is strictly prohibited.

Export from Antarctica

The export of stuffed animals and birds, eggs, skins and other natural treasures of the continent is prohibited.

Dangers in Antarctica

Life on a ship

Always be extremely careful when climbing on or off a ship; falling into icy water can end tragically.

Wide-open decks can be slippery from rain or snow.

The ship may rock unexpectedly, so try to hold on to the railings and avoid reaching for door frames.

Be sure to have good windproof and waterproof clothing.

Medical insurance in Antarctica

BE SURE to find out in detail about the conditions of health insurance. To travel to Antarctica you need special “Arctic” insurance. Insurance must cover all possible incidents.

An emergency may require evacuation, which costs tens of dollars.

Frostbite and hypothermia

If you have the slightest suspicion of frostbite or gangrene, contact your guide IMMEDIATELY and return on board. Take emergency measures.

Frostbite. Usually affects the face, fingers and toes, the first signs are numbness and redness. Secondary signs are white and yellow plaque.

Frostbite can lead to the development of gangrene.

Hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it. This can happen even if the temperature is above 0°C.

Symptoms of hypothermia: fatigue, numb skin, chills, dizziness, convulsions. Sometimes hypothermia sufferers feel hot and want to take off their clothes.

Keep an eye on your companions; if anyone begins to stumble, mumble or get confused, contact your guide immediately.

Drink plenty of fluids (4L per day) and eat balanced meals on the ship.

Solar radiation in Antarctica

Antarctica has the most powerful solar radiation in the world, and increased levels of solar radiation are especially summer time when the mainland is most friendly to tourists. In addition, the sun reflects off the snow and many people get sunburned.

Be sure to take a high protection sun cream.

Ice cover

Especially in the summer, when glaciers are melting, step carefully on the ground, as the ice under you may break. Do not go far from the tourist group, follow the instructions of the guide.

Travel warnings

Antarctica is an exclusive protected area; a carelessly touched plant, abandoned garbage or an injured animal can become a serious problem for the few flora and fauna.

Do not feed wild animals unless instructed by a guide; this may be dangerous for you.

Try to plan your trip to Antarctica in advance because almost all cruise lines offer significant discounts for early bookings.

Clothes Try to take clothes for several seasons at once, since it may be high summer in the country of your departure to Antarctica (Chile, Argentina). Your clothing should also be layered, as temperatures in southern latitudes vary significantly throughout the day. Don't pack heavy parkas without checking your cruise details first—many cruise lines give these jackets to their passengers. A wool sweater is worn under these jackets. You will also need windproof, waterproof, insulated pants. In addition, do not forget to take gloves, a scarf, a warm hat, and thermal underwear. IAATO requirements, designed to avoid harm to Antarctica's fragile ecosystem, require all tourists to bring a set of clean clothing to wear on shore. Don't forget about the little things: sunglasses, sun cream, swimsuit (if the boat has a jacuzzi).

Gear For your photography and video equipment, you should use a UV filter or light filter and a lens cap. It is also recommended to bring extra batteries and batteries, as they discharge much faster in the cold.

Transport in Antarctica

Airports in Antarctica

There are 20 airports in Antarctica, but public access to them is difficult. To ensure safe takeoff and landing, the runways must be completely clear of snow. And due to constant winds and snowfalls, it is impossible to ensure the cleanliness of the runway.

Due to unfavorable seasonal conditions, no airport meets international standards, so they are used mainly in emergency situations, for domestic flights and the delivery of necessary supplies.

Helicopters in Antarctica

There are dedicated helicopter pads at 27 research stations. It is also possible to land a helicopter in some areas with suitable soil structure.

Tracked vehicles in Antarctica

Tracked vehicles are widespread on the cold continent. Such machines are used for scientific and transport purposes.

In such harsh conditions, a machine breakdown can become a very serious problem and even lead to a tragic outcome, so the most modern technologies and systems.

When there is a snowy desert around and there are no landmarks, the car has to be driven like a ship; the navigator, who has various navigation equipment at his disposal, is responsible for the course in the car.

Due to the unevenness of the ground, the car constantly rocks, making it difficult for people suffering from seasickness to travel long distances.

There are designated routes in Antarctica, for example Mirny - Vostok, along which there is regular communication.

Dog sled

Dog sleds have been used for decades in Antarctica, the dogs can withstand harsh conditions well and there are many stories of them saving the lives of their owners.

Dogs can run about 30 km. per day! More than once attempts have been made to use other animals as transport, but the results have always been unsuccessful.

Both poles of the Earth were conquered by dog sleds: in 1909, Peary reached the North Pole with their help, Amundsen in 1911 hoisted the flag of Norway at the South Pole, having covered 2,980 km in the most difficult conditions of Antarctica in 99 days.

Sights of Antarctica

The iceberg cannot help but amaze. A huge piece of ice with an uneven surface refracts light and gives rise to incredible emotions in everyone who is nearby. Icebergs amaze with their power, because 80% of it is under water!

Ice streams and ice shelves of Antarctica - at least 2 thousand km3. The world's largest Antarctic glaciers. There are approximately 30 million cubic kilometers of ice in the Earth's southern ice cap. The level of the World Ocean will rise by one hundred meters if this ice is melted. Many glaciers do not have clear boundaries. When a glacier reaches the shore and flows into a bay, and the ice floats, an ice shelf is formed. The Ross Glacier is the largest ice shelf. But the thickest shelf glacier must be called the Ratford glacier. Its thickness is more than 1.6 km. Huge floating ice forms here.

Deception Island (Deception Island)

A stunning natural harbor where volcanic eruptions occur periodically. This is one of the most popular attractions in Antarctica. Vessels enter the relatively calm waters of the port of Forster (12 km wide) through a destroyed section of the caldera wall, which is surrounded by snow-capped hills up to 580 m high. The island has interesting story- it was the base camp for several early exploration expeditions and is still the subject of dispute between Argentina and Britain. The volcano is still very active, and its eruptions have caused significant damage to scientific stations and whaling bases (during 1920-21, the water in the harbor became so hot and saturated with volcanic products that it corroded the paint on the hulls of ships specially built to sail in these harsh waters). The most recent eruption was in 1991-92. Tourist boats often come here specifically to organize a swim in the thermal and highly mineralized waters of Pendulum Bay (so named because of the British gravity pendulum built here specifically for experiments on Earth magnetism conducted in the last century).

Drake Passage

The largest strait in the world, its width is about 820 km. It connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Back in the mid-1520s. The Spanish navigator Francisco de Oses ended up here. Due to a strong storm, his ship was thrown to the southern shores of Tierra del Fuego. It is possible that it was then that he entered the strait.

Cartographers from Spain mapped this place as the Strait or Sea of Oses. The official discovery occurred by accident in 1578. The authorship is attributed to the famous pirate and navigator Francis Drake, who, having been caught in a storm in the Strait of Magellan, found himself far in the southern part of the ocean.

Lemaire Strait

A very popular attraction in Antarctica. Cruise ships often sail here. The Lemaire Strait is a “corridor” of giant icebergs of various shapes and shades of blue. Its shimmering icy beauty annually attracts thousands of photographers and simply connoisseurs of Mother Nature, who spend kilometers of film and gigabytes of memory on maps to photograph the strait. Polar explorers jokingly nicknamed the photogenic place “Kodak Gap,” knowing that as soon as the ship approached the strait, the endless noise of camera shutters would begin. But not a single photo, of course, can be compared with the delight of a real journey through the Lemaire Strait.

Dry valleys of Antarctica

According to scientific research, this is the driest place on earth. It hasn't rained here for 2 million years! The dry valleys of Antarctica are one of the most mysterious places on Earth. They are located west of McMurdo Sound and occupy an area of 8,000 square kilometers. The three valleys - Wright, Victoria and Taylor - will be a real shock for those who all their lives considered Antarctica a lifeless snowy desert. Firstly, because there is no snow here. As well as ice, rain, fog and any precipitation in general. For the last few thousand years, not a single drop of moisture has fallen on the surface of the Dry Valleys, so these places have rightfully earned the title of the driest on the planet. This is due to the phenomenal wind speed, reaching 320 km/h here. But even here microorganisms manage to live, giving the rocky plains a blood-red hue. The valleys even have their own waterfall, called Bloody, but, as you may have guessed, it was not formed by a stream of water. Due to the unique climate and purple color of the soil, scientists equate the living conditions in the Dry Valleys to those on Mars.

Falkland Islands

The archipelago in southwestern Australia consists of 2 large islands and 766 small ones. Usually tourists are brought here to show icebergs or unique nature.

The climate on the islands is oceanic and quite cold. Water temperature varies from +4 °C to +15°C.

Depending on the weather and climatic conditions, there are various excursions, such as climbing mountains or studying animals (bar-headed geese, penguins and their babies).

Entertainment in Antarctica

Midwinter Day in Antarctica

The most famous holiday in Antarctica, when the polar night ends and nature begins to come to life. The middle of the southern polar winter begins on June 22 - the night finally begins to lose ground, which makes polar explorers incredibly happy, who say that there is nothing more exhausting than living without daylight.

This holiday in Antarctica is celebrated at research bases, scientists play sports games and even stage theatrical performances.

In the warm season, hundreds of penguins begin to walk around the station and birds fly. They are not afraid of humans, and can easily come up to warm themselves, and watching them is fun and interesting. Of course, these are surprisingly pleasant emotions, and the most important thing is that after almost 6 months of night, you can finally see daylight.

Antarctic Exploration Cruise from Astravel

An interesting 12-day cruise is perfect for those who have never been to Antarctica.

Polar stations of Antarctica

Scientific observation points where tourists are sometimes brought. Usually scientists warmly welcome guests, show videos, and talk about life on a frozen continent.

Polar stations in Antarctica

On islands:

Bellingshausen (Russia)
Saint Clement of Ohrid (Bulgaria)
Academician Vernadsky (Ukraine)

On the continent:

Amundsen-Scott (USA)
Vostok (Russia)
Davis (Australia)
Leningradskaya (Russia)
Mirny (Russia) - the first Soviet station in Antarctica
Youth (Russia)
Novolazarevskaya (Russia)
Progress (Russia)
Russian (Russia)

The design of modern stations is designed so that snow does not accumulate on the roofs, but passes next to or even under the building with the help of the wind.

However, in such harsh conditions, even when using latest technologies, the service life of the stations is short and amounts to about 30 years. The population of the station, as a rule, leaves in the winter, and the main work is carried out in the summer.

There are often observatories at stations.