Antarctica Facts
1- Antarctica is one and a half times the size of the United States.2- The temperature in Antarctica almost always remains below freezing.
3- Antarctica holds roughly one third of all the fresh water on Earth.
4- No trees grow on Antarctica.
5- Antarctica was warm for much of the history of Earth.
6- The continent of Antarctica is buried under 1 mile of snow and ice.
7- At its deepest point, the ice is over 3 miles thick.
8- The largest animal living on Antarctica is a midge, which is less than a half inch long.
9- The sea around Antarctica, however, is full of living creatures.
10- Antarctica is so cold, nothing can rot.
11- In 1983, the lowest temperature ever recorded was on Antarctica: -129 degrees Fahrenheit.
12- Antarctica is the driest continent on Earth. It receives less than 2 inches of rain a year. It rarely snows in Antarctica. Instead, wind storms blow snow off the surface of the ice which creates the impression of snow
storms.
13- On average, Antarctica is 17 degrees colder than the Arctic in the north.
14- Antarctica waters are so cold, codfish have antifreeze in their blood to keep from freezing.
15- There are no native people living on Antarctica.
16- Antarctica does not belong to any country.
17- The countries of the world have agreed to waive ownership claims on the area, instead agreeing to jointly pursue scientific research.