Antarctica is Earth’s southernmost continent, and is where the South Pole is located. It is an island in the southern hemisphere, lying almost completely within the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 5.4 million sq mi (14.4 million km²), it is the fifth-largest continent in area after Asia , Africa, North America, and south America. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice, which averages at least 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) thick.
On average, Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents. Since there is little rain or snow, except at the coasts, the center of Antarctica is the largest desert in the world. There are no permanent human residents, and the only buildings are research stations populated by small groups of scientists sent there by different countries. In 2003, over 13,000 tourists visited the continent. Only plants and animals adapted to the cold survive there, including penguins, fur seals, mosses, lichen, and many types of algae.
The name Antarctica is a Roman version of the Greek word Αntarktikí which means "opposite to the north". The first written sighting of the continent was made in 1820 by two Russian explorers. The continent remained unmapped for the rest of the 19th century because of its harsh environment, lack of resources, and isolation. The first use of the name "Antarctica" as a continent was made in the 1890s by Scottish map maker John George Bartholomew.
The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 by twelve countries and today forty-six countries have signed it. The treaty forbids military and mining activities, supports scientific research, and protects the continent's eco-system. There are more than 4,000 scientists from many countries doing research there. The length of continuous day or night increases southward from the Antarctic Circle, mounting to six months at the South Pole. Scientists study the effort of living in complete day or night as they study the coldest and windiest spot on the planet. In fact, the lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth was recorded in Antarctica (-129.3ºF). Average winter temperatures can range from -40º to -94ºF. Winds are commonly measured at up to 200 miles per hour. Antarctica has no official language and no official currency. Find out more about this continent at: http://www.coolantarctica.com/
Research info gathered at: http://www.wikipedia.org/
Now here's one on my "chillin" poems:
Lip-Syncing A Vague Terrain.
By the time she returns from the restroom
I've been ayatollah-ed twice.Or any grave
digger for that matter, entwined with sawdust
on the floor and the faint smell of turpentine
around the magician's wand or best drank at
room temperature. The stowaway hides
between the turkey stuffing or low-life is a
voice-over using French sub-titles. The bar
seats are all occupied by ghosts. An ocean
parks in the driveway of Italy ata beach that
was once merely stunted pebbles or could
successfully manage to evade capture. Either
way, all the money that was origin all
ear-marked for more exhaust fumes now
resolves to live in a play or becomes a scene
already revised in the script. Or just to curse
the seashe captained, I later admit, once I'm safe
on dry land...
deliberately allowing my speech to accept the award.
Poem 1st published: http://laikapoetryreview.blogspot.com/
Visit my ezine: http://www.conshoereview.blogspot.com/
music blog: http://www.mmant.blogspot.com/
and tutoring blog: http://www.miceroom.blogspot.com/
Poem Copyright 2008 by Maurice Oliver. All Rights Reserved.
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