Differences between Antarctica and Antarctica. Detailed map of the Arctic Detailed map of the Arctic

The words Antarctica, Arctic and Antarctica are very similar, and to a person who is not well versed in geography, they may seem like the same thing. However, these areas are located in completely different parts of the globe. So what is the difference between the Arctic Antarctic and Antarctica?

Arctic and Antarctica

It would seem that what can distinguish the Arctic and Antarctica? Both of these territories have a fairly harsh climate, are always or almost always covered with ice and snow, and have poorly defined flora and fauna. In fact, the Arctic and Antarctica are on opposite sides of the world. If you look at these territories on a map or globe, the Arctic will be at the top (in the north), and Antarctica will be at the bottom (in the south).

Antarctica is a continent, and the Arctic is a geographical area, most of which is located at the North Pole.

Rice. 1. Arctic and Antarctica on the map.

The Arctic covers the extreme parts of North America and Eurasia. The Arctic territory includes the island of Greenland and many archipelagos that are located in the Arctic Ocean, for example, Severnaya Zemlya or Franz Josef Land.

Rice. 2. Franz Josef Land.

Translated from ancient Greek, the word “Arctic” is translated as “bear”. In Greek it sounds like "arktos".

Antarctica is a continent with an area of 14.1 million sq. km. It is on this continent that the lowest temperature on earth is recorded - 89.2 degrees. The average temperature in summer is -35 degrees, and in winter - -65 degrees.

One of the main differences between Antarctica and the Arctic is that Antarctica is completely unsuitable for human habitation. This territory does not belong to any state. The population ranges from 1,500 to 4,000 people, but these are not permanent residents, but scientists and researchers who live on the mainland for no more than a year and a half. About 4 million people live in the Arctic, with 2.3 million people living in the Arctic part of Russia.

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Differences between Antarctica and Antarctica

The word "Antarctica" appeared only in the last century. It means “opposite to the Arctic.” Indeed, the Arctic and Antarctic are located at different poles of the Earth - North and South.

What about Antarctica and Antarctica? Is this the same thing? So how are Antarctica and the Arctic different?

Antarctica, as mentioned above, is only a continent. Antarctica is a territory that, in addition to Antarctica, includes the waters of three oceans (Indian, Pacific, Atlantic), limited by the flow of the Western winds, as well as various islands that are located in the waters of these oceans. The center of Antarctica is the South Pole.

Antarctica is the heart of Antarctica. Due to the glaciers covering the continent, it is the highest continent in existence. The average height of glaciers is 2040 meters.

Rice. 3. Glaciers of Antarctica.

The pole of cold of our planet is located precisely in Antarctica. At the Vostok polar station 35 years ago, in 1983, a record low temperature was recorded - 89.2 degrees.

What have we learned?

This article looked at the differences between Antarctica and Antarctica, and also compared the Arctic with Antarctica. The Arctic is adjacent to the North Pole and includes almost the entire Arctic Ocean, as well as the extreme parts of Eurasia and North America. Antarctica is a continent that belongs to the Antarctic region. It was here that the lowest temperature on the planet was recorded.

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Incredible facts

Probably, most people who have graduated from school a long time ago will not be able to immediately answer the difference between the Arctic, Antarctica and Antarctica - where are they located and how do they differ?

Many doubt it mainly because of the similarity of names and almost identical climatic conditions.

We can only say with certainty that there is a lot of snow, ice and icebergs in both places.

How are the Arctic, Antarctic and Antarctica similar to each other?

To better understand how they are similar and how they differ, it’s worth starting with what these places have in common.

Name

To be more precise, this is not a similarity, but rather a contrast.

The word "Arctic" is of Greek origin. "Arktos" means "bear". This is connected with the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, which people use to navigate in search of the North Star, that is, the main northern landmark.

The word "Antarctica" was invented quite recently, or rather in the twentieth century. The history of its origin is not so interesting. The fact is that “Antarctica” is a combination of two words “anti” and “Arctic”, that is, the part opposite to the Arctic, or bear.

Climate

Perpetual snow and icebergs are the result of harsh climate conditions. This is the second similarity between the above territories.

However, it is worth noting that the similarity is not entirely complete, since the Arctic climate is still milder due to warm currents that extend quite far along the northern coast of the Eurasian continent. Here the minimum temperature exceeds the minimum temperature of Antarctica.

What is the difference between the Arctic, Antarctica and Antarctica?

Arctic

The northern polar region of our planet, which is adjacent to the North Pole.

The Arctic includes the outskirts of two continents - North America and Eurasia.

The Arctic includes almost the entire Arctic Ocean and many islands in it (except for the coastal islands of Norway).

The Arctic includes adjacent parts of two oceans - the Pacific and the Atlantic.

The average temperature in the Arctic is -34 C.

Arctic (photo)

Antarctic

This is the south polar region of our planet. As already mentioned, its name can be translated as “opposite to the Arctic.”

Antarctica includes the mainland of Antarctica and the adjacent parts of three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian, along with the islands.

Antarctica is the harshest climatic zone on Earth. Both the mainland and nearby islands are covered with ice.

The average temperature in Antarctica is -49 C.

Antarctica on the map

Antarctica (photo)

Antarctica

The continent that is located in the southernmost part of the globe.

Antarctica on the map

Simply put:

Antarctica and Antarctica

1. Antarctica is the mainland. The area of this continent is 14.1 million square meters. km., which puts it in 5th place in terms of area among all continents. It has surpassed only Australia in this parameter. Antarctica is a deserted continent discovered by the Lazarev-Bellingshausen expedition in 1820.

2. Antarctica is a territory that includes both the continent of Antarctica itself, and all the islands adjacent to this continent and the waters of three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian. According to foreign scientists who call the Antarctic waters the Southern Ocean, the area of Antarctica is about 86 million square meters. km.

3. Relief Antarctica is much more diverse than the topography of the continent that is part of it.

(from Greek-northern) - p. polar region of the globe, including the Arctic Ocean with islands, adjacent parts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, p. parts of Eurasia and Northern. America. The natural border of A. runs along the south. the limits of the tundra zone, which almost coincides with the July isotherm of + 10 ° on land and + 5 ° at sea.

International status. A system of polar sectors has been adopted in Africa, which developed historically as a result of the actual delimitation of the sphere of interests of the circumpolar states in Africa. Each polar sector is a triangle, the basis of which is the village. border of the state adjacent to the North. The Arctic Ocean, and the top is the North Pole. The polar sectors in Africa are the Russian Federation, Canada, the USA, Norway, and Denmark. All lands and islands contained can be opened within the sector of the state that is part of its territory. The Arctic sea expanses, with the exception of internal, historical and territorial waters, have the status of the open sea.

Basic part of A. lies in the North. from the Arctic Circle. Natural conditions A. are strict. They are determined by the low radiation balance, sub-zero average annual air temperature, and the spread of permafrost and ice cover on the water surface. Solar radiation enters Africa unevenly throughout the year. During the polar day and during transition periods, A. receives up to 60-80 kcal/cm2 of solar radiation per year, but approx. 75% of the incoming heat is reflected by the snow-glacier surface; a significant part of the radiation is lost due to radiation. Therefore, the radiation balance in the south. at latitudes A. is low (10-15 kcal/cm2 per year), and in the pole area it is negative (2. -s kcal/cm2). A.'s weather in summer is determined mainly by cyclones penetrating from Mon. Atlantic and from Monday. parts of the Pacific approx. In winter over the East. Anticyclones are intensively developing in Siberia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. At this time of year, it is warmer over the ocean (up to -50°) than in the Arctic regions of Siberia and Canada (up to -55, -60°). In summer, the temperature above the ice is approx. 0 °, near the coast and over land up to + 6, + 10 ° (occasionally up to +20, + 25 °). There is often fog and rain. A significant part of Africa is characterized by strong and unstable winds and snowstorms in winter. The Atlantic islands (Spitsbergen, Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya, Severnaya Zemlya, Greenland, etc.) are covered with glaciers. Ice thickness at center. parts o. Greenland exceeds 3400 m, on the other islands - 700-1000 m. The glaciers of A. contain 2420 km3 of water, of which 2,340 km3 are in Greenland.

The land is characterized by permafrost up to 500 m thick. The Arctic land is washed by shallow marginal seas. In the center of Africa is the deep-sea Arctic basin, dissected by the underwater ridges of Lomonosov, Mendeleev, and Gakkel; Between the ridges lie the deep-sea basins of Nansen, Amundsen, Makarova, and Kanadskaya. The greatest depth is +5449 m in the Nansen Basin. Through the east Warm Atlantic waters flow into part of the strait between Spitsbergen and Greenland, which, characterized by greater salinity and density, sink under the cold Arctic waters and spread throughout the Arctic basin at depth. from 200 to 800 m. Through the Bering Ft. Pacific waters enter at depth. 25-100 m. Through the Arctic basin from the East. in the West There is a constant trans-Arctic current, the continuation of which is the East Greenland Current. This current carries sea ice into the Atlantic ca. There is a closed circular circulation of surface water and ice over the Canadian Basin.
In A. - the lower reaches and estuaries of large rivers of Eurasia and the North. America: Pechora, Ob, Yenisei, Khatanga, Lena, Yana, Indigirka, Kolyma, Mackenzie, etc. The total annual river flow in Mon. Ljodovitiy is approx. averages 4,440 km3.

Vegetation and fauna.
Low temperatures, physiol. dryness, permafrost, and a short growing season are the main reasons for the relative poverty of the plant cover and fauna of A. The vegetation cover is dominated by groups of lichens, mosses, grasses and shrubs. Typical animals are reindeer, musk ox, polar bear, arctic fox, and lemmings. Prom. Of importance are walruses, seals (nerpa, bearded seal), beluga whale, as well as fish: cod, salmon, navaga, etc. Among the birds (more than 240 species), the most characteristic are the white partridge and the white owl. History of the study. Systematic studies of A. began in the 2nd half. 16th century In the 17th century rus. Industrialists and Cossacks made a series of voyages along the Siberian coast. As a result of expeditions carried out in the 18th century. rus. Researchers V. take, S. Malinin, S. Chelyuskin, the Laptev brothers and others, almost all villages were mapped. coast of Asia. Expeditions from the 19th century to the beginning were of great importance for the study of Africa. 20th century (Russian researchers F. P. Litke, F. P. Wrangel, S. O. Makarov, G. Ya. Sedov, Norwegian F. Nansen and R. Amundsen, Swedish A. Nordenskiöld, American J. Where- Long, R. Pirie, English J. Ross, V. Parry, etc.). The Canadian Arctic archipelago was explored by the Norwegian O. Sverdrup. After the Great October Revolution. socialist revolution on the coast and islands of the Soviets. sector A. a network of polar hydrometeorological stations was created in the center in 1937. A. councils function. drifting stations "North Pole. The Northern Sea Route has been laid. Important data about the nature of Central Asia, in particular about its ice cover, was obtained as a result of the high-latitude voyage of the Soviets. The nuclear icebreaker "Arktika", which for the first time in the history of navigation reached North Pole. Ports have been built in Africa, natural resources are being intensively developed - oil, gas, polymetallic ores, and large industrial centers have emerged.

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The endless icy expanses of the Arctic, its rich natural world, exceptional relief and inexhaustible mineral resources make these lands perhaps the most valuable on the planet, but there is also something for the tourist to admire.

The Arctic Ocean is located in the very heart of the Arctic. It occupies the territory of a huge depression, around which the ancient continental shields of Eurasia and the American mainland are built in an almost dense ring. It is these geological features of this part of the planet that characterize the local relief. At the junctions of the shields there are mountain ranges and plateaus, as well as lowland areas. Different parts of the Arctic may exhibit a variety of natural features.
In the warm season, swamps appear on the territory of coastal oceanic lowlands, in particular near Arctic rivers. The high mountain regions of the mainland, on the contrary, are represented by crystal icy mountain ranges and plateaus. The highest part of the Arctic, or rather the highest altitude maximum of the continent, is McKinley Peak, which belongs to the Alaska mountain system. It rises above sea level by more than 6 thousand meters.

Arctic Islands

Since the Arctic largely consists of the Arctic Ocean, its land territories are mainly represented by islands. The Arctic also has access to the world ocean, touching the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The boundaries of the Arctic are usually determined by the Arctic Circle. However, this is not entirely correct, since it occupies much more territory. On the southern side, the geographical border of the continent runs along the northern edge of the tundra and actually coincides with it.
For example, the world's largest island territory called Greenland belongs to the Arctic lands. Almost all Arctic islands and ice expanses are divided among themselves by the American, Canadian and Russian states. The Arctic islands stretch from the western to the eastern part of the Arctic Ocean along the coast of Eurasia. There are separate islands and. The total area of the Arctic island territories exceeds 200 thousand square kilometers. Almost half of them belong to the islands of Novaya Zemlya.
We should talk separately about Greenland. This Arctic island is more than half covered by a glacier, the thickness of which often reaches 3.5 thousand meters. The relief of these territories is predominantly mountainous, represented by winding mountain peaks or massive plateaus. The Canadian Arctic islands - Baffin Island, Devon and Ellesmere, can also boast of centuries-old glaciers, as well as the Russian island possessions of Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Land, etc. The Russian part of the Arctic lands is represented by the northeastern mountainous regions of Siberia. However, not all of them are covered with snow all year round. The Arctic Russian coast is characterized by flat terrain with vegetation typical of the tundra.
More than 14 million square kilometers of the Arctic territory is occupied by the Arctic Ocean. If it were not for the narrow strip of the Bering Strait, which connects these icy expanses with the Pacific Ocean, and a small connection with the North Atlantic, it could be argued that the Arctic Ocean is surrounded by land on all sides. Its natural highlight will always be the drifting ice, which slowly moves throughout the Arctic territory throughout the year. It is known that in summer only half of the Arctic Ocean retains its natural ice cover, but in winter it is hardly possible to find melted pockets here.
Recently, the problem of melting Arctic glaciers has become especially pressing. Every year, the area of ice in the region is rapidly decreasing, giving rise to cyclones that contribute to further destruction of glaciers. As a result, the water level in the world's oceans is rising, and a variety of natural disasters are occurring around the world.

Arctic countries

The Arctic countries are represented only by those states whose territories are adjacent to the territories of the Arctic Arctic - Russia, Canada, the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway, and the USA. There are no separate states in these lands, so the peoples of the Arctic are all residents of the Far North and migrants who came here for hunting, reindeer breeding, etc. According to experts, more than 4 million people live in the Arctic today. In turn, this adversely affects the nature and ecology of the region. Hunters are massively exterminating Arctic animals and marine inhabitants; the rich deposits of natural resources in the Arctic are increasingly attracting the attention of industrialists from all over the world.

Legal regime of the Arctic

At the very beginning of the twentieth century, the Arctic territory was distributed between the Soviet Union, the United States of America, Denmark, Canada and Norway. The division took place in accordance with the length of the northern cordons of these powers, so the Russian state received the largest part of the Arctic lands - about 30 percent of the total area of the Arctic. A legal regime in the Arctic was established such that the resulting territorial possessions became a full-fledged part of a particular state.
Soon after this, representatives from Finland, Sweden and Iceland became no less interested in the Arctic possessions. The Arctic shelf with its rich deposits of oil and many other natural resources was desirable not only for the states of the polar zone, but also for Japan, Korea, China, India, Brazil and Germany. The Arctic is still of interest to many countries also as remote lands for placing military bases and conducting all kinds of scientific research.
Today, the legal regime of the Arctic operates in accordance with the international Maritime Convention, signed back in 1982. According to the document received, all states whose borders intersect with the Arctic agree that a part of the Arctic lands, not exceeding 2 hundred nautical miles in length from the coast, is included in their composition as a special economic zone. In some cases, the length of such a zone can reach up to 350 miles. It is also known that in 1996, the international so-called Arctic Council was formed, whose work is aimed at protecting the natural resources of the region and the further development of the Arctic territory. The official document on the creation of the Arctic Council was signed by eight countries that have common borders with the Arctic: the USA, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Iceland, Sweden and the Russian Federation.

Arctic climate

A weather feature of the Arctic lands can be considered that the climate of the Arctic cannot be characterized unambiguously. It is characterized by changeability and diversity. The Norwegian possessions in the Arctic are dominated by a mild, humid climate, but the island of Greenland experiences severe frosty weather. As for precipitation in this region, its number can also fluctuate greatly throughout the year, within the range of 200-1000 millimeters per year. Only in winter does the climate of the Arctic become a little monotonous throughout its territory with slight temperature fluctuations.
The temperature of the Arctic mainly depends on the features of the local topography, advancing air masses and, of course, the proximity of the ocean. During the polar night, when the sun does not rise at the North Pole for almost 6 months in a row, average monthly temperatures can drop below 60 degrees below zero. In summer, the air temperature in some Arctic regions freed from glaciers sometimes exceeds 30 degrees plus. However, such hot periods do not last long.
The Barents Sea in the Murmansk region in the summer is completely freed from the shackles of ice under the influence of the warm oceanic underwater North Atlantic Current. It should be noted that average temperatures in the Arctic are increasing every year. The weather is becoming milder, which steadily entails negative changes for the Arctic and the whole world. Researchers blame global warming, which is rapidly accelerating. Such serious climate changes could lead to the extinction of many species of Arctic plants and wildlife, as well as seriously disrupt the established order in the life of the indigenous population of the Arctic.

Arctic and Antarctic

Many people do not distinguish between the Arctic and the Arctic, often confusing them, or mistakenly believe that these parts of the world have much in common with each other. First of all, the Arctic and Antarctic differ in location on the world map: the Arctic is connected to the North Pole, and Antarctica is located in the south with the South Pole in the center. Some other major differences between them should be discussed in more detail:

Geographically, it turns out that the Arctic covers the endless expanses of the Arctic Ocean, and is surrounded by land on all sides. With Antarctica, a completely opposite picture is observed, since it represents high-mountainous continental territories framed by the world ocean. In addition, no country on the planet has common borders with Antarctica.
If the northern glaciers consist mainly of sea water, then the southern ice wealth not only represents 90 percent of the glaciers of our planet, but also contains more than half of fresh water.
The southern polar lands remain uninhabited by humans to this day, but the northern polar territories are not only divided among the five world powers of the Arctic region, but are also actively used by people for industrial and agricultural purposes. The Arctic has long been home to several million people.
It's no secret that oil is being extracted in the Arctic. Many scientists do not refute the idea that Antarctica can also be a rich source of black gold. However, oil production in Antarctica is prohibited, according to the terms of the international Antarctic Agreement.
Polar bears live in the Arctic, but penguins do not share a common home with them, but occupy vast lands of the Antarctic.
According to legend, Santa Claus lives at the North Pole of the Arctic. Such myths are not associated with the southern polar region.
The coldest temperatures are observed in Antarctica. The vast Arctic is warmer even in winter, and in summer some areas are completely free of snow cover.
There are problems with the ozone layer being too thin in both the Arctic and Antarctic, but only at the South Pole the size of the so-called ozone hole has long exceeded the total area of the United States of America.
Global warming is leading to the rapid melting of glaciers in the Arctic and Antarctic, but only in the Arctic zone is it possible that the ice cover will completely disappear within the next 100 years.

Arctic development

The Arctic territories of the northern polar region have long been considered uninhabitable. However, the exploration of the Arctic began back in the tenth century, with Arctic researchers from various countries working on it:

In 980, the territory of Greenland was discovered by Eric the Red;
In 1596, the territory of the Archipelago called Spitsbergen was discovered by Willem Barents;
Baffin Island was reclaimed by the British in 1616;
In 1648, a Russian explorer told the whole world about the existence of a strait between Chukotka and Alaska;
In the mid-nineteenth century, the famous Franklin expedition was undertaken;
In 1873, the Franz Josef Lands were developed;
In the early twentieth century, Peary's expedition led explorers to the North Pole;
In 1937, Chkalov flew over the North Pole.

When the famous Northern Sea Route appeared, providing the shortest connection between the Far East and Russian territories, the study of the Arctic greatly accelerated. A little later, Russian researchers, on the recommendation of Vladimir Wiese, began to create drifting polar stations in glaciers. Thus, scientists were able to conduct all the necessary observations throughout the year. Russia continues to improve its methods of exploring the Arctic lands today. It is known that back in Soviet times, Russian Arctic researchers studied the Arctic Ocean from the inside, diving to depths of more than four thousand meters. They managed to reach the ocean floor.
It is also known that not only research but also military bases of the Arctic of some states are located in the northern Arctic.

Natural wealth of the Arctic

Most of the Arctic lands are covered with tundra, so Arctic plants are represented mainly by herbaceous species and rare shrubs. Despite the fact that the natural features of this natural-geographical region are mainly determined by the polar night and polar day, the flora of the Arctic is incredibly diverse. Arctic vegetation can also include algae that appear at the very beginning of spring.
The northern regions of the Scandinavian countries and the Russian Federation are represented by coniferous and birch forests, which also contain thousands of flowering plants. The Red Book of the Arctic lists about 100 endemic species. Another characteristic feature of Arctic vegetation is moss.
Animals of the Arctic are primarily represented by polar bears, but in total there are about 130 representatives of the fauna living in the northern Arctic. In the Arctic expanses you can find deer, arctic foxes, lemmings, walruses and many other animals that thrive in freezing cold conditions.
Arctic birds are much more numerous than mammals - almost 300 species. All kinds of seagulls and geese settle in the vast expanses of the Arctic coast, the so-called bird colonies. Birds of prey, such as owls, are also quite common in the local forests and woodlands. Harsh climatic conditions do not favor the spread of amphibians in the Arctic, so snakes are not found in this part of the world. Only rare species of frogs and lizards. In addition, the natural world of the Arctic is rich in insects, almost 3 thousand species. Arctic waters are inhabited by almost 5 hundred species of fish.

Russian Arctic

The Russian Arctic stretches from the Kola Peninsula to the border of the Bering Strait. These territories are under the authority of federal legislation and are actively used for economic purposes. In addition, the famous Northern Sea Route and the cross-polar air bridge connecting Asia and North America pass through the territory of the North Pole.
Despite extreme weather conditions, work in the Arctic has been and remains relevant. Of course, not every person can get used to working life in snowy, icy expanses, which is why it is predominantly men who work in the Arctic. Oil in the Arctic is one of the best sources of income. Anyone who is in one way or another connected with oil production can easily find a well-paid job in the region. In addition, research activities are no less common in the Arctic. Thus, ecologists, chemists and other specialists from the scientific research field often travel to the Arctic territory.