Antarctica is the southernmost continent on Earth, a place that contains the geographic South Pole. Situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere, it measures 14 million square kilometers, making it the fifth largest continent after Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. This giant icy continent gets its name from the romanized version of the Greek word ‘antarktike’ which quite literally means ‘opposite to the north’.
Today, we’ll find out more about Antarctica and what it means for our world, the climate, and how much of an impact it has on humanity. Long story short, here are ten interesting facts about Antarctica most of you probably didn’t know.
10Nobody owns Antarctica
Even though a few nations including Australia, Argentina, and the UK have tried to lay claim to Antarctica over the years, it remains free of any form of government or ownership. In fact, it was in 1959 that the Antarctic Treaty was drafted, a document which designated the land as a natural reserve, devoted to peace and science, a document that was signed by 48 nations since.
