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Countries Antarctica: General Information
Country Guide: Antarctica
Antarctica: Weather & Geography
- Land Area:
- Water Area:
- Total Area: 14 million sq km
- Total Length of Land Boundaries: 0 km
- Length of Coastline: 17,968 km
Antarctica: Typical Weather Patterns
severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing
Antarctica: Topography and Terrain
about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent