Poles Apart

Antarctica is nearly twice the size of the united states. The name Antarctica was coined to mean "opposite to the arctic." Antarctica is a high, ice-covered landmass. In the arctic the landmasses are grouped around the ice-covered Arctic ocean. The climate of the two areas is very different. Antarctica is the coldest area in the world. It is about 30 degrees colder than Arctic. At the south pole, nearly 10,000 feet high, monthly mean temperatures run well below zero. In contrast, near the north pole monthly mean temperatures often rise above freezing. At both poles, daily temperatures may drop far below the monthly mean. A temperature of -127 degrees Fahrenheit was measured in august 1960. it is the world's record low temperature. The land animal and plants of the two regions are very different. On the continent of Antarctica, there are very few plants but in the arctic there are many plants. The land animal of the Arctic are foxes, bears, reindeer, and lemmings. these animal are unknown in the Antarctica. Ice is the great feature of Antarctica. Antarctica is the store house of about 85 percent of the total world supply of ice. The icecap is very thick, averaging nearly 8,000 feet. If this great volume of ice were to melt, the volume of the world oceans would increase, and sea level would rise.