Antarctica is the southernmost continent on earth, which is located within

Antarctic circle.
Antarctica political map highlights the major political divisions and sub-divisions in
Antarctica continent. The continent is surrounded by the Southern Ocean.
Antarctica is expanded on a total area of 14.4 million kilometers. It is also the fifth
largest continent in the world.

Antarctica has extreme climatic conditions. The continent is categorized into three
major climatic regions. They are the Antarctic Peninsula, interior and the coastal
areas. The map on Antarctica indicates all the ice-shelves of the continent. The ice
shelves of Antarctica are Ronne Ice Shelf, Ross Ice Shelf, Larsen Ice Shelf, Ruser-
Larsen ice Shelf, Fimbul Ice Shelf, Amery Ice Shelf, West Ice Shelf, Shacletor Ice
Shelf and Getz Ice Shelf.

The map of Antarctica also marks the surrounding seas, rivers, oceans, bays and
canals. These are:
 Weddell Sea  Scotia Sea  Atlantic Ocean  Pacific Ocean
 Southern Ocean

Islands Surrounded Antarctica are also pointed out in the map. The islands include:
 Anvers Island  Joinville Island  Thurston Island  Balleny Islands
 Adelaide Island  Alexander Island

Claimant nations on the territories of Antarctica

Many nations claim their right on different territories in Antarctica. The nations,
which claim on different territories of Antarctica, are France, Norway, New Zealand,
Australia, Chile, Argentina and United Kingdom.

It is the southernmost continent in the world. Located in the Antarctic region in the
southern hemisphere, underlying the South Pole, Antarctica is surrounded by the
Southern Ocean. Almost 98 percent of the continent is covered by ice with an
average thickness of at least 1.6 km. It is also the coldest, windiest, and the driest
continent in the Earth. On the world continent map, this continent is mostly shown
in a distorted form as it is difficult to project its shape when we are plotting other
continents in the same map. You can see the correct shape of this continent in
Antarctica Map.

Antarctica is the only continent in the world where no permanent human residents
can be found. Only cold-adapted floras and faunas can survive there. Penguins,
Seals, Tundra Vegetation and several types of Algae can be found.

Following are some useful information on Antarctica:

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Area (Overall) 14,000,000 km2 (5,405,428 sq mi)
(ice-free) 280,000 km2 (100,000 sq mi)
(ice-covered) 13,720,000 km2 (5,300,000 sq mi)

Antarctica is a freezing remote continent unclaimed by any country. Antarctica

tourism represents the ultimate adventure holiday destination on earth.

Antarctica tourism is much in demand among the well heeled tourist populace.
The freezing continent is symbolic of the sense of adventure and apparent risk
taking that is absent in the technologically advanced human society of the present
era. The attractions of Antarctica are manifold. The continent is largely empty of
human life. The only living animals breaking the cold and bleak monotony of the ice
covered continent are the penguins and the fur seals. Plant growth is restricted to
lichens and moss species of plants. The tourism in Antarctica is enhanced by the
presence of glaciers, icebergs, unique wildlife and towering mountains.

Tourism at Antarctica is not a new phenomenon. The first tourist activity to the
freezing remote continent started in the 1950's. At that time the first airplanes
landed on the Antarctic Peninsula. Commercial regular tourist activity started in the
1960's. The commercial tourist laden airplanes began to land on the McMurdo
Sound and the South Pole. Regular tourist visits are also facilitated by the use of
passenger ships. The passenger ships start from South American countries.
Argentina is a favorite starting point of Antarctic going passenger vessels.

Antarctica people mainly consist of the scientists, researchers and some tourists.
Antarctica people are mainly concerned in carrying out various experiments and
research works to make this continent a better and safer place to live in. The
scientists and the researchers mainly belong to those countries who are the
members of the Antarctic Treaty System. Apart from this, Antarctica does not have
any indigenous population. People of Antarctica live in special type of houses
called Igloo. These houses provide protection from the chilling cold.

Every year the United States of America sends 650 people to carry out scientific
experiments. Apart from this 2,500 people are also provided for proper
maintenance of the research stations. These people in addition offer support and
guidelines for conducting these experiments successfully. The support function
includes huge number of work force like lab assistants, technicians, helicopter
crews, general assistants and few others.

In addition to this, the population of Antarctica also comprises of many research

teams coming from military personnel, employees of various contractors,
universities, industry, and government organization. Maximum work is being done
in the summer season, which lasts from October to March by these support officials
and the scientists. During the winter, however, this population drops to less than a
quarter of the summer time.

Antarctica is the least populated continent but it is the cause of some very
interesting geopolitics.

The continent was circumnavigated by Captain James Cook in the 18th century
though he never saw it. In the early 20th century explorers were obsessed with
reaching the South Pole and eventually the Norwegian Roald Amundsen attained
that goal in 1911.

The Division of Antarctica

As Antarctica was an unclaimed territory and a possible source of valuable

resources, several nations decided to claim portions of the continent. What is very
unusual about borders in Antarctica is the fact that they all follow lines of longitude
and are completely straight.

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The United Kingdom claimed a pie piece portion in 1908, New Zealand made their
claim in 1923, France in 1924, Australia in 1933, Norway in 1939, Chile in 1940, and
finally Argentina in 1943. Many of these claims overlapped (an excellent map) and
oddly enough, the area between 90° and 150° west went unclaimed by any nation.

The Antarctica Language is originally known as ‘bus’, which rhymes with

‘goose’. This Antarctica Language is still the one hugely spoken by its natives. Bus
involves a kind of intimacy in the conversation. Here the intimacy however is
associated with closeness. Antarctica Language or bus is spoken mostly among
two people, or at the most three. This language is inadequate for addressing a
crowd or a gathering.

The decision of addressing someone in bus is like switching to an informal kind of

conversation from a formal one. This language in Antarctica is used while
speaking to a very close friend of to a child or husband or lover.

Bus is supposed to have been come into existence at around 5000B.C. It is

considered to be one of the oldest languages of Antarctica and on the planet.
According to some linguists, this Antarctic language is the origin of all languages
of the world.

Bus is usually made up of repetitive syllables. As a result, there are words, which
mean more than one thing or convey more than one feeling. It is because of this
inaccessibility of ‘bus” that the jungles, cities and the snowy mountains of
Antarctica mostly bear English names.

Antarctic territories

United
Argentina Australia Chile France New Zealand Norway
Kingdom
Main article: Antarctic territorial claims
Date Country Territory Claim limits
United
1908 British Antarctic Territory 20°W to 80°W
Kingdom
1923 New Zealand Ross Dependency 150°W to 160°E
1924 France Adélie Land 142°2'E to 136°11'E
68°50′S 90°35′W / 68.833°S
1929 Norway Peter I Island
90.583°W
Australian Antarctic 160°E to 142°2'E and
1933 Australia
Territory 136°11'E to 44°38'E
1939 Norway Queen Maud Land 44°38'E to 20°W
1940 Chile Antártica 53°W to 90°W
1943 Argentina Argentine Antarctica 25°W to 74°W
Unclaimed territory 90°W to 150°W
— None
(Marie Byrd Land) (except the Peter I Island)

The Argentine, British, and Chilean claims all overlap, and have caused friction. The areas
shown as Australia's and New Zealand's claims were British territory until they were handed
over following the countries' independence. Australia currently claims the largest area. Australia
and New Zealand both recognise the British claim, and vice-versa.