homework encyclopedia

Anta

rctic

Circ

le

m

m

m

Wilkes

Land

Terre

Adélie

George V

Land

Ba

nz

ar

e^ C

oa

st

Wilhelm II

Land

Mikhaylov Island

Masson Island

Cape Poinsett

Cape Keltie

Cape Gray

Cape Hudson

Cape Darnley

Th

ors

havn

heiane

Sa

br

in

a^

Co

as

t^

V

ic

to

ri

a

(^) L
a
n
d
Princess
Elizabeth
Land
Mac. Robertson
Land
Enderby
Land
Kemp
Land
Lars
ChristensenCoast
a
i
n
s
Greater
Antarctica
Mount Victor
2,588 m
(8,491 ft)
South
Geomagnetic
Pole
Mount Menzies
3,355 m
(11,007 ft)
Mount Elkins
2,300 m
(7,546 ft)
Asuka (Japan) Syowa
(Japan)
Vostok
(Russian Federation)
Zhongshan
(China) Davis
(Australia)
Mirny
(Russian
Federation)
Casey
(Australia)
Molodezhnaya
(Russian
Federation)
Mawson
(Australia)
Leningradskaya
(Russian Federation)
Dumont d’Urville
(France)
Vincennes Bay
Mackenzie
Bay
Davis
Sea
Dumont
d'U
rv
ill
e^
Se
a^
S O U T H E R N O C E A N
Thyer
Glacier
Philippi Glacier
Lamb
ert^
Limit of
(^) sum
mer (^) p
ack (^) ice
Lim
it^ o
f^ s
um
me
r^ p
ac
k^ i
ce
Glac
ier^
West Ice
Shelf
Amery
Ice Shelf
S
ha
ck
le
to
(^) n
Ic
e^
Sh
el
f^
ICA
People and Places^277
The Arctic region lies around the North Pole. It is a
small, frozen ocean surrounded by the northern edges
of Europe, Asia, and North America, whose flat, bleak
landscape is known as the tundra. The region is a
cold and hostile environment and few people live
there. The Arctic Ocean, however, teems with wildlife.
WHICH ANIMALS CAN SURVIVE IN THE ARCTIC?
The Arctic Ocean is home to seals, walruses, and
many species of whale, which thrive in the icy waters
protected by thick layers of blubber. In the warmer
summer months, animals such as reindeer, musk oxen,
hares, and Arctic foxes hunt for food on land, but
migrate south during the harsh winter.
Total land area: 14 million sq km
(5.4 million sq miles)
Total population: no indigenous
inhabitants, but there
are seasonally staffed
research stations
Number of countries: 0
Highest point: Vinson Massif
4,897 m (16,066 ft)
Major deserts: the continent is
technically a desert
Largest island: Alexander Island
Lowest temperature on Earth:
-89.2 ̊C (-128.6 ̊F) recorded
at Vostok Station
FIND OUT MORE. Canada, Alaska, and Greenland 224–225 • Habitats 82–84 • Human Impact 64–65 • Ice 58
4 AMUNDSEN-SCOTT BASE
The American-owned
Amundsen-Scott research
station, named after two
Antarctic explorers, is
situated at the South Pole.
It is insulated against the
intense cold and parts are
built below the surface in
order to conserve heat.
4 POLAR BEAR ON ARCTIC ICE
A polar bear’s thick white fur protects
it from the cold and provides
camouflage as it hunts for seals
and other animals.

Arctic

ANTARCTICA

Limit

of^ winter pack^ ice^

Lim

it (^) o
f su
mm
re
pa
ck
ice
Permanent
pack ice
Arc
tic
Cir
cle^
Arc
tic^
Cir
cle
Baffin
Island
North
Pole
Be
rin
g^
St
ra
it^
Greenland
(Denmark)
Svalbard
(Norway)
AL
AS
KA
(U.S
.)^
RU
S
SI
A N F E D E R A T I O N
C
A
N
A
D
A
ICELAND
EUROPE
A
S
I
A
N
O
R
T
H
A
M
E
R
IC
A
Queen
Elizabeth
Islands
ARCTIC
OCEAN
Baffin
Bay Greenland
Sea
Barents
Sea
Kara
Sea
East
Siberian
Sea
Beaufort
Sea
0 km
0 miles 800
800
Arctic
Antarctica