10 Things You Might Not Know About Antarctica
Even before the first humans set foot on the 7th continent , Antarctica had the power to intrigue and captivate aur interest . the Antarctic
circle is a wild and frozen place at the bottom of the world – and one of the most fascinating to explore if you , re accompanied by seasoned expedition guides
who know the landscape very intimately .
See if you know these 10 fun and fascinating facts about Antarctica, then join us an authentic Antarctic expedition in virtual reality with our
inspiring 360 VR Antarctic experience series of immersive videos.
Facts About Antarctica
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You probably know it , s the coldest continent on the planet , but did you know Antarctica is also the driest? on average, the 7th
continent sees just 200 mm (8in) of precipitation a year the majority of it along the coast .
The Dry Valleys region, where it hasn,t rained in thousands of years, is so frigid and the conditions are about what you,d expect
to experience on a visit to mars.
2. very few people live in Antarctica
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There are fewer than 140 permanent resident – mostly scientists and researchers – on the entire continent , but in 2016 thousands of people will temporarily work at Antarctica
research stations- but no one “lives” in Antarctic , so there isn’t what you what you`d consider a “citizenry”.
10 Things You Might Not Know About Antarctica
3. Antarctica was discovered more recently than you may think
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The southernmost continent is thought to have been discovered relatively late in human history , in 1820 by the Russian expedition of
Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev . there are , however , oral reports that suggest indigenous people from the southern
part of the globe explored the traditional definition of explorer.
4. No Single Country Owns Antarctica
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Antarctica is governed by the Antarctic Treaty system, which suspends all territorial claims. first signed by 12 nations in 1959,
The treaty now has 53 supporting nations, 29 of which are considered “consultative parties” and are actively involved
in decision -making.
5. Antarctica wasn`t Offcially named until the 1890s
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It was Scottish cartographer john George Bartholomew who first used “Antarctica” as the continent`s name in modern
society, in the 1890s. however, the term meaning “opposite the poles” appeared as early as 350 B.C in
Aristotle`s meteorology.
Despite the lack of solid evidence of its existence until the 19th century , humans have long believed there
was a large land mass at the bottom of the world to balance out the other continents.
6. Antarctica is mostly ice
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The Antarctica is mostly ice sheet covers approximately 98% of the continent . Experts estimate that 90% of the
world`s ice and 70% of the fresh water on the Earth ,s surface is frozen in Antarctica !
scientists discovered that if the west Antarctic ice sheet were to melt , it would raise the global sea levels
by more than 15 feet.
7. there were many attempts to reach the Antarctic peninsula before anyone landed there
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captain James cook and his crew are believed to have been the first to cross into the Antarctic circle. His ships , HMS Resolution
and adventure , entered the circle on January 1773 , in December 1773 , and again in Januray 1774.
Before he reached the Antarctic peninsula on his first attempt , thick ice forced him to turn back.
8. Antarctica has an abundant wildlife population
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Penguins , blue whales , killer whales, leopard seals, and fur seals are among Antarctic marine life inhabiting
the Antarctic ice sheet and southern ocean. Most sea life in the region depend either directly or indirectly on krill
for their survival . A fully grow blue whale can eat up to 4 million kill a day !
If you`re interested in photographic the Antarctic wildlife, check our our Antarctic photography tips and photography gear packing list.
9. no one is sure who was the first explorer to reach Antarctica
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One of the more controversial Antarctic facts among historians is who first set foot on the continent . many believe it was sealer john Davis in February ,1821.
However, the first documented and confirmed landing was by a whaling and sealing Antarctic expedition in January, 1895.
A crew led by Norwegian Leonard Kristensen landed a small boat with six men aboard from their ship – aptly
named Antarctic – at cape Adare.
10. Shackleton and Amundsen were the first to reach the south pole
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Shackleton`s Nimbus Antarctic exploration in 1907 were the first to reach the magnetic south pole . led by Edgeworth David ,they
were also the first to the ross Ice shelf in east Antarctica.
