Glaciers and icebergs are part of the common landscape of Antarctica.
Antarctica is the least populated continent on planet Earth . It is a frozen desert whose number of inhabitants varies according to the season: during the summer, the time of greatest population, it is estimated that it has about 5,000 residents .
The administration of Antarctica is governed by the Antarctic Treaty , signed in 1959 by twelve countries. Currently, 56 nations have already adhered to the agreement, although only 29 have voting power and are authorized to participate in the management of this territory that functions as an international scientific reserve .
What is Antarctica
Antarctica is the set of lands that emerge south of 60ºS . In this area is the geographical south pole .
Its surface reaches 14,000,000 square kilometers and includes a large number of islands. When maritime regions are considered in addition to landmasses, we speak of the Antarctic : in this case, the territorial limit is not fixed since it changes according to the season.
This limit is known as the Polar Front Zone or Antarctic Convergence and is defined by the meeting of the waters of the Southern Ocean with the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans . It is usually located near 58ºS , when a notable change occurs in terms of the presence of seabirds and the composition evidenced by plankton.
This frozen continent is the coldest on Earth. The lowest temperature in history was recorded there: -98.6 ºC , an event that took place on July 5, 2018 . Antarctica, likewise, is the windiest and driest continent.
The exploration
Antarctic exploration began in the 19th century , when the first sightings and then the initial landings took place. However, the relationship between humans and Antarctica is much older, especially through hypotheses and assumptions.
In Ancient Greece , with the theories about the spherical Earth, people began to think about the possible existence of polar regions located at the antipodes. It was Claudius Ptolemy who, in the 1st century , developed the idea of a Terra Australis Ignota that would allow the lands located in the north to be balanced.
The pioneer in crossing the Antarctic Circle was James Cook in 1773 , who at that time approached about 120 km from the coast of Antarctica. In 1820 , different vessels under the command of Edward Bransfield , Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Nathaniel Palmer managed to sight the Antarctic ice shelf.
John Davis , in 1821 , claimed to have landed in Antarctica. However, there are historians who disbelieve the event. The first landing for which there is evidence took place only in 1895 at Cape Adare , a milestone achieved by Norwegian whalers.
Douglas Mawson,Ernest Shackleton,Richard E. Byrd,Roald Amundsen yRobert Falcon Scott están entre los exploradores que lograron inscribir su nombre en la historia de la Antártida gracias al éxito de sus travesías.
Climate change in Antarctica is seen in the advance of Antarctic melting.
The scientific bases of Antarctica
The scientific bases or stations in Antarctica are the main reason for human presence on the continent . Today there are 64 permanent bases in 30 countries.
Among those in operation today, the oldest is the Orcadas base . It was founded in 1903 by a private British expedition and the following year transferred to Argentina .
Located on Laurie Island , Orcadas Station is operated by the Argentine Navy. It has eleven buildings and occupies an area of 4,800 square meters.
Esperanza station is another Argentine base in Antarctica, as are the Esperanza , Belgrano II , Petrel , Marambio and Carlini bases. With seven Antarctic research stations, Argentina is the country with the greatest presence in the region.
McMurdo Station , operated by the United States since 1956 , is the most populated. This base located on Ross Island can accommodate more than 1,000 people in the summer season.
It should be noted that scientific research in Antarctica has generated important knowledge about climatology, meteorology, biology and astronomy, among other sciences. For example, meteorites have been found that provided information about the origins of the solar system.
The aurora australis can be seen from Antarctica.
geography
As we already indicated, Antarctica is not divided into countries, although several have territorial claims. Most of the Antarctic Peninsula , to mention one case, is claimed by Argentina .
In any case, there are divisions that are due to issues linked to geography. The main segmentations are East Antarctica (also called Greater Antarctica ) and West Antarctica (or Lesser Antarctica ), both separated by the Transantarctic Mountains .
In East Antarctica is the Antarctic Plateau , where the geographic south pole is located. If we focus on the elevations of Antarctica, the Ellsworth Mountains are the highest mountain range, its peak being the Vinson Massif .
In Antarctica, various sectors are also recognized, which in many cases are also associated with political demands. Enderby Land , Graham Land , Queen Maud Land , Marie Byrd Land , Palmer Land and Victoria Land are some of them.
As for the Antarctic insular part, Deception Island , King George Island (or King George Island), Scott Island , Thurston Island , the Balleny Islands and the Kerguelen Islands appear, surrounded by the Amundsen Sea , the Weddell Sea and the Ross Sea , among others.
Tourism in Antarctica
Antarctic tourism has grown in recent years. Along with fishing , they are the only two commercial activities allowed on the continent.
Most travelers arrive on cruise ships , since Antarctic aviation is limited. There are about 200 sites where you can disembark, although the most visited are around 30.
Antarctic marine life is one of the great attractions. It is possible to spot blue whales and Weddell seals , among other species. Also the Antarctic sea lion or sea lion . Among the birds of Antarctica, meanwhile, the penguins , the wandering albatross and the Antarctic giant petrel stand out.