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An

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Antarctic^ Circle^

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Jason Peninsula

South

Shetland

Islands

Smyley Island

Alexander

Island

Peter I Island

(Norway)

Thurston

Island

Edward VII

Peninsula

Roosevelt

Island

Coulman Island

Cape Adare

Cape Norvegia

Carney Island

Bear Peninsula

Coats

Land

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Berkner

Island

Ellsworth

Land

Lyddan

Island

South Orkney

Islands

Whitmore

Mountains

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Dronning Maud
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Vinson Massif
4,897 m (16,066 ft)
Mount Jackson
4,190 m
(13,746 ft)
Mount Seelig
3,022 m (9,915 ft)
Mount Sidley
4,181 m (13,717 ft)
Mount Siple
3,100 m (10,170 ft)
Mount Kirkpatrick
4,528 m
(14,855 ft)
Mount Markham
4,351 m (14,275 ft)
Mount Lister
4,026 m (13,208 ft)
Mount Erebus
3,794 m (12,447 ft)
Mount Minto 4,163 m
(13,658 ft)
Novolazarevskaya
(Russian Federation)
Sanae
(South Africa)
Maitri (India)
Georg von Neumayer
(Germany)
Faraday
(U.K.)
San Martín
(Argentina)
Palmer
(U.S.)
Marambio (Argentina)
Esperanza (Argentina)
Arturo PratCapitánGeneral Bernardo O’Higgins (Chile)
(Chile)
Belgrano II (Argentina)
Halley
(U.K.)
Rothera
(U.K.)
Amundsen-Scott
(U.S.)
Orcadas (Argentina)
Signy (U.K.)
Russkaya
(Russian Federation)
South
Pole
Scott Base
(New Zealand)
McMurdo Base (U.S.)
Dr
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Pa
ss
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Bellingshausen
Sea
Ross Sea
S
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ia
S
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Amundsen
Sea
Weddell Sea^
S
O
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RN^ OC
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S O U T H E R N
(^) O
C E
A N
Stancomb-Wills
Glacier
Beardmore
Glacier
Nimrod
Glacier
Su
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Recovery Glacier^
Lim
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(^) su
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Lim
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Pi
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Is
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Gl
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Gl
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Larsen
Ice Shelf
Wilkins
Ice Shelf
Ross Ice Shelf
Ronne Ice
Shelf
Filchner
Ice Shelf
Ic
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Sh
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Br
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ANTARCT
276 People and Places
The freezing, inhospitable continent of Antarctica was the
last place on Earth to be explored. It is a vast, mountainous
land mass at the South Pole, buried under an ice sheet up
to 4 km (2.5 miles) thick, and surrounded by frozen seas.
Antarctica has no countries and
no permanent population. With
winter temperatures falling to
-80 ̊C (-112 ̊F), its sole
inhabitants are visiting
research scientists.
WHAT DO SCIENTISTS STUDY
IN ANTARCTICA?
Scientists from all over the world visit
Antarctica to study the climate, weather,
geology, and wildlife of this unique region.
Their research has helped to highlight global
problems, such as climate change. During the
summer, about 3,700 scientists work in the 46
or more scientific research stations scattered
across the continent. Only about 1,200 scientists
remain in winter because of the intense cold.
WHO OWNS ANTARCTICA?
Antarctica does not belong to any
nation, but is governed under an
international treaty that bans
countries from owning or exploiting
its land. The 1959 Antarctic Treaty,
signed by 45 nations, suspended the
claims of seven countries for territory
in the region. Today, Antarctica is
designated as “a continent for science”,
and only used for peaceful purposes.

Antarctica

4 PENGUIN COLONY, ANTARCTICA

Emperor penguins feed on fish and

spend most of the year at sea. They

come onto the ice to breed in huge

colonies called rookeries.

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