Scotland and the Antarctic

Section 1: Background - Arctic and Antarctic

The Nature of Antarctica

Antarctica is the fifth largest of the seven continents. In area it is larger than Europe.

The Antarctic continent is covered by a huge thickness of ice which covers over 90% of its area. This ice cap holds over 90% of the world's fresh water in a frozen state.

In winter the continent appears to double in size as the ice spreads northwards - sometimes as far as South Georgia. Icebergs have been seen north of the Falkland Islands.

The Antarctic contains the largest amount of ice in the world. The ice is very different from the Arctic where the ice is floating and very much thinner. Greenland has the only comparable large ice cap in the northern hemisphere on land.

Where does the Antarctic begin?

The continent of Antarctica is easy to see on an atlas map, but when are you actually in the Antarctic?

• The Antarctic Treaty Area. This includes all the land south of 60°S where only scientific study is now allowed.
  
  
• Area within the Antarctic Circle 66°30'S. This is the area where for part of the year there is continuous daylight and for part continuous darkness. (At the South Pole the sun sets and rises once a year.)
  
  
• The maximum extent of the pack ice.
  
  
• The Antarctic Convergence. This is where the cold Antarctic water meets and passes underneath warmer water from the north.