Antarctica

Antarctica is a continent surrounding the South Pole, situated mainly within the Antarctic Circle. This continent is almost entirely covered by an ice sheet. The ice cap of this Antarctic circle is about 13,000 feet deep. It has an area of about 5,000,000 sq. miles (12,950,000 sq. kms), and its exploration is governed by an international treaty of 1959, which was renewed in 1991.

The region was first explored in the early 1800s, however, Roald Amundsen became the first explorer to reach the South Pole in 1911, followed shortly thereafter by Robert Scott.

Although there are no permanent settlements, many countries have made territorial claims. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959, signed by 12 nations, prohibited military operations on the continent and provided for the interchange of scientific data.