Antarctic
Polar region surrounding the South Pole, governed by international treaty.
The Antarctic is the polar region of Earth that surrounds the South Pole, lying within the Antarctic Circle and situated diametrically opposite the Arctic. This region comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau, and various island territories located on the Antarctic Plate or south of the Antarctic Convergence. The Antarctic Convergence is a transitional zone, approximately 20 to 30 miles wide, where the cold waters of the Southern Ocean meet warmer northern waters, forming a natural boundary that shifts seasonally in latitude. The entire region covers roughly 20 percent of the Southern Hemisphere, with the continent of Antarctica itself accounting for about 5.5 percent of that area, or 14 million square kilometers. All land and ice shelves south of the 60°S latitude are administered under the Antarctic Treaty System, which also includes specific archipelagos such as the Balleny Islands, Peter I Island, Scott Island, the South Orkney Islands, and the South Shetland Islands. However, the Treaty area does not include the Antarctic Convergence itself. Islands lying between 60°S and the Convergence, such as South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Bouvet Island, and Heard and McDonald Islands, fall under the national jurisdiction of their respective countries. The Kerguelen Islands are situated within the Convergence area, while locations like the Falkland Islands, Tierra del Fuego, and Macquarie Island remain north of it. Biogeographically, the Antarctic is recognized as one of Earth’s eight major biogeographic realms. The region has no permanent country or indigenous population. Climate change poses a significant threat, as melting of the Antarctic ice sheet has a high potential to contribute to global sea level rise and also disrupts the Southern Ocean overturning circulation, with major consequences for local climate and marine ecosystems.
- area
- 14 million km² (Antarctica continent surface)
- region_coverage
- 20% of Southern Hemisphere
- largest_protected_area
- 1.07 million km² (South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Marine Protection Area)
- governance
- Antarctic Treaty System (south of 60°S)
Lore & Background
The Antarctic is the polar region surrounding the South Pole, diametrically opposite the Arctic. Its defining boundary is the Antarctic Convergence, a dynamic zone where cold Southern Ocean waters meet warmer northern waters, varying in latitude seasonally. The region encompasses the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau, and all island territories on the Antarctic Plate or south of this convergence. Under the Antarctic Treaty System, all land and ice shelves south of the 60th parallel south are administered collectively, with no permanent country. The Antarctic covers about 20 percent of the Southern Hemisphere; the continent itself spans 14 million square kilometers, though less than 1 percent of its land is exposed, the rest permanently buried under ice and snow. Biogeographically, it constitutes one of Earth’s eight terrestrial realms. The region’s ecology includes seals, penguins, albatrosses, whales, Antarctic krill, colossal squid, and fish like Antarctic icefish and toothfish. Only two flowering plants—Antarctic hair grass and pearlwort—grow on the continent, alongside mosses, liverworts, lichens, and macrofungi. The Antarctic hosts the world’s largest protected area, the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Marine Protection Area. Climate change here is critical: melting of the Antarctic ice sheet threatens global sea level rise and disrupts the Southern Ocean’s overturning circulation, impacting local climate and marine ecosystems.
Reader's Guide
The Antarctic region is significant as a unique biogeographic realm and a critical area for climate change research. Melting of the Antarctic ice sheet has high potential to contribute to global sea level rise and disrupt Southern Ocean overturning circulation, affecting local climate and marine ecosystems. The Antarctic Treaty System governs all land and ice shelves south of 60°S, while islands north of that latitude but south of the Antarctic Convergence fall under national jurisdictions. The region has no permanent population, only transient scientific and support personnel at research stations.
Did You Know?
- The Antarctic region covers about 20 percent of the Southern Hemisphere, with the continent itself comprising 5.5 percent (14 million km²).
- The Antarctic Convergence is a transition zone approximately 32 to 48 km wide where cold Southern Ocean waters meet warmer northern waters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Antarctic?
The Antarctic is the polar region encircling the South Pole, bounded by the Antarctic Circle and sitting directly opposite the Arctic. It encompasses the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau, and various island territories on the Antarctic Plate or south of the Antarctic Convergence.
How large is the Antarctic region?
The Antarctic continent's surface spans roughly 14 million square kilometers, and the broader region accounts for about one-fifth of the entire Southern Hemisphere. Its largest single protected zone is the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Marine Protection Area at 1.07 million square kilometers.
How is the Antarctic governed?
All land and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude fall under the Antarctic Treaty System, an international framework that manages the region collectively. No single nation claims sovereignty, and there is no permanent resident or indigenous population.
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