Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth …

6 days ago · Around the Antarctic coast, shelves, glaciers, and ice sheets continually “calve,” or discharge, icebergs into the seas. The continent is a cold dry desert where access to water …

The Antarctic is a cold, remote area in the Southern Hemisphere encompassed by the Antarctic Convergence. The Antarctic Convergence is an uneven line of latitude where cold, northward …

Apr 17, 2025 · Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest continent on Earth. The Antarctic ice sheet contains about 7.2 million cubic miles (30 million cubic kilometers) in an area just under …

USAP.gov is the main repository for information about the United States Antarctic Program. The site is designed for the general public, news agencies, academia, and program participants.

Sep 25, 2025 · Though Antarctica is really, really chilly, it is considered a desert because it receives very little rain or snowfall. The small amount of snow that does fall does not melt but …

Dec 12, 2025 · Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

2 days ago · A picture of what West Antarctica looked like when its ice sheet melted in the past can offer insight into the continent’s future as the climate warms.

Antarctica is the southernmost continent in the world, surrounded by the Southern Ocean. Antarctic terrestrial and marine communities are sensitive to climate and environmental change.

Antarctica is Earth 's southernmost continent, overlying the South Pole. Situated in the southern hemisphere and largely south of the Antarctic Circle, Antarctica is surrounded by the Southern …