Antarctica

The last unspoilt continent and final frontier

Since its discovery in 1820 by the Russian expedition of Fabian von Bellingshausen, Antarctica has long been regarded as the final frontier. Covering more than 14 million square kilometres, the fifth largest continent is also the largest frozen desert in the world. With 98% of it's surface covered in ice, only cold-adapted plants and animals survive there, including seals, penguins and many types of mosses, lichen and algae. The coldest natural temperature ever recorded on Earth was −89 °C at the Russian Vostok Station on 21 July 1983.

With a world fast running out of natural resources and feeling the effects of overpopulation, Antarctica is an attractive prospect for future colonisation and mineral exploitation. Fortunately all claims have been put on hold by the Antarctic Treaty, signed by forty-six countries, which prohibits mining but supports scientific research. Currently, there are no permanent residents in Antarctica. Experiments are conducted at several Antarctic bases by scientists of many nationalities.

Antarctica is the world's most elevated continent with average elevations between 2000 and 4000 meters. Antarctica's Vinson Massif at 4897 metres is one of the seven world peaks to climb and conquer. It consists of 98% continental ice sheet and 2% bare rock. Ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound, where the US base is located.

Fishing and tourism account for Antarctica's limited economic activity. Several companies operate limited tours to the Antarctic. Around 36,500 tourists visited Antarctica during the 2006-07 Austral summer. They travel on commercial ships and yachts, and most tours last about two weeks. Unregulated fishing and whaling is a serious problem. The International Whaling Commission created a sancturary around the entire continent to deter catches by countries claiming to conduct scientific whaling. The possible mass exploitation of krill as a food source threatens to deplete this bountiful Antarctic marine species, the primary food source of whales. This would cause a drop in whale populations with possible extinctions of certains species.

The history of the exploration of the South Pole and Antarctica is covered here.