Antarctica (/ ænˈtɑːrktɪkə / ⓘ) [note 1] is Earth 's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean …

Jan 5, 2026 · Antarctica, the world’s southernmost continent, is almost wholly covered by an ice sheet and is about 5.5 million square miles (14.2 million square km) in size.

Without any ice, Antarctica would emerge as a giant peninsula and archipelago of mountainous islands, known as Lesser Antarctica, and a single large landmass about the size of Australia, …

Jan 5, 2026 · Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Aug 9, 2023 · Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent on Earth. It is almost completely covered in ice. Antarctica covers the Earth’s South Pole. What Is Antarctica Like? Antarctica is the …

General facts about Antarctica, including geography, temperatures, and wildlife.

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 …

Antarctic factsheet Antarctica is a continent capped by an inland ice sheet up to 4.8km thick, containing approximately 90% of the world’s total surface fresh water (and 60% of the world’s …

Antarctica is Earth’s southernmost continent, covering an area of 13.72 million square kilometers, making it the fifth-largest continent by land area. Despite its massive size, Antarctica has no …

Dec 27, 2025 · The continent’s ice is melting and raising sea levels worldwide. Our journalists will be sending regular dispatches as they head there with scientists trying to gauge the dangers.