Antarctica vs the Arctic and other polar facts
The Arctic refers to the area around the Earth’s North Pole. Antarctica is the continent at the South Pole. There is no large landmass at the North Pole, all that white on the map is simply frozen water.
The South Pole is significantly colder than the North Pole. It also has large mountain ranges. Because of the thick ice blanketing the continent, it is known as the highest continent, with an average surface elevation of around 2000 meters above sea level. The Antarctic is not controlled by any one country, and is instead governed by the Antarctic Treaty.
The word “Arctic” comes from the Greek word “arktos” which means “bear”. This is because of Ursa Major and Ursa minor, prominent constellations in the northern sky. Currently, eight countries have territory in the Arctic Circle: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States.
Both the Arctic and Antarctic are tricky places to live. Organisms face incredibly harsh conditions and are specially adapted to do so.