Antarctica

Table of Contents

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Antarctica: Paradise Bay

Emperor penguins

Transantarctic Mountains

Larsen Ice Shelf

Larsen C Ice Shelf

For Students

Antarctica summary

Read Next

In late August 2016, sunlight returned to the Antarctic Peninsula and unveiled a rift across the Larsen C Ice Shelf that had grown longer and deeper over the austral winter

A Trillion Tonnes of Antarctica Fell into the Sea

38th Parallel. Korean War. demilitarized zone (DMZ). Crossing the 38th parallel. United Nations forces withdraw from Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. They recrossed the 38th parallel, 1950. The DMZ was created July 27, 1953 at P'anmunjom.

8 Hotly Disputed Borders of the World

Denali (Mount Mckinley), Denali National Park, Alaska.

7 (or 8) Summits: The World’s Highest Mountains by Continent

Earth from space. Full-hemisphere views of the Earth showing Hurricane Linda at its peak approaching Baja California on 1997 September 11.

What Is Earth’s Velocity?

Solar system illustration. (planets; sun)

Why Are Planets Round?

Discover

Shadow of a man holding large knife in his hand inside of some dark, spooky buiding

7 of History's Most Notorious Serial Killers

Aspirin pills.

7 Drugs that Changed the World

Periodical Cicada, Adult, Magicicada spp. Requires 17 years to complete development. Nymph splits its skin, and transforms into an adult. Feeds on sap of tree roots. Northern Illinois Brood. This brood is the largest emergence of cicadas anywhere

Why Do Some Cicadas Appear Only Every 17 Years?

Happy, smiling, flying pig

7 Everyday English Idioms and Where They Come From

Gutzon Borglum. Presidents. Sculpture. National park. George Washington. Thomas Jefferson. Theodore Roosevelt. Abraham Lincoln. Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota.

9 Memorials and Monuments in the United States

US Marines firing at Fallujah, Iraq, during the Second Battle of Fallujah in November 2004. Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq War.

Timeline of the 2000s

Drinking water is poured into a glass.

Water Fluoridation: Just the Facts

Antarctica: Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

The deadly H5N1 bird flu has jumped species in Antarctica. It's getting closer to 'pandemic potential' • May 18, 2025, 9:48 AM ET (ABC News (Australia))

7.4 magnitude quake off Chile's far south briefly triggers tsunami alert but causes no damage • May 2, 2025, 6:14 PM ET (AP)

Photos and Videos

Antarctica: Paradise Bay

Emperor penguins

Transantarctic Mountains

Larsen Ice Shelf

Larsen C Ice Shelf

The secrets of Antarctic deep-sea life

Know about a marine reserve area created in the Ross Sea by a commission representing 24 countries

How greenhouse gases affect Earth's climate

Learn how the world is divided into continents

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

Europe Africa North America Asia South America Eurasia

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Quiz

Garden in front of Mao Zedong Memorial Hall where Mao's body rests in state at Tiananmen Square, one of the largest public squares in the world, Beijing, China. Near the Forbidden City. Mausoleum.

Largest, Tallest, and Smallest Around the Globe Quiz

List

38th Parallel. Korean War. demilitarized zone (DMZ). Crossing the 38th parallel. United Nations forces withdraw from Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. They recrossed the 38th parallel, 1950. The DMZ was created July 27, 1953 at P'anmunjom.

8 Hotly Disputed Borders of the World