Who owns his lands of Antarctica. Who owns the Arctic (north pole) at the moment? Antarctica and Antarctica - where are they located?

Of course, Antarctica is a very tasty piece of the Earth, its area is 14.4 million km2 (for comparison, Russia is 17.075 million km2) and was officially discovered by the Russian expedition of Bellingshausen and Lazarev in 1820, and the first to its continental part in In 1895 the Norwegians entered. By the way, they were the first to reach the South Pole; in 1911, Amundsen’s expedition was a month ahead of the one who died on way back Scott's English expedition.

Currently, there is an international convention in force, which entered into force on June 23, 1961, according to which Antarctica does not belong to anyone, is a nuclear-free zone and the deployment of military facilities and the entry of warships and armed vessels south of 60 degrees south latitude is prohibited on its territory. Currently, dozens of observer countries and 28 states with voting rights are parties to the convention.

But some countries that have joined the convention nevertheless have territorial claims to the continent, for example, Norway claims a territory 10 times larger than its own, and Australia considers almost half of Antarctica to be its own. Great Britain lays claim to vast territories; France, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and others have also made claims.

Russia and the United States have not yet put forward their territorial claims, but have stipulated the fundamental possibility of doing this at a convenient time, and both countries do not recognize the claims of other states. Currently, Russia has 5 scientific stations and one field base in Antarctica.

According to some conspiracy theories, under the ice of Queen Maud Land there is and is still operating the military, scientific and industrial base of Nazi Germany New Swabia. Allegedly, in 1947, the American Navy tried to conduct a military operation, High Jump, to destroy it; an aircraft carrier and 13 ships took part in the expedition different types, more than 4 thousand people, but on March 3, 1947, the operation that had just begun was stopped. According to rumors, this happened after several US Navy ships were destroyed. Subsequently, an agreement was supposedly concluded between New Swabia and the United States on the exchange of German technology for American raw materials and neutrality. According to rumors, it is in New Swabia that the relics of the Third Reich are hidden, including the Holy Grail found by the Germans.

Antarctica an international territory that does not belong to anyone, according to the 1961 convention. But, meanwhile, many countries are making claims on the territory of Antarctica and are exploring resources. Mining is currently prohibited there.

Antarctica and whose and no one's - of course, this is all figurative, because of the harsh conditions, extensive human settlements and ordinary life activities are impossible there, so in principle, it is not interesting to anyone yet, but if suddenly some country starts developing something useful there, then immediately as always, there will be owners who will present their rights and begin to defend them with armed conflicts - this is probably why every country is biding its time!

Antarctica has not yet been fully studied, and if someone lays claim to the territory of this continent, it will be extremely unfair. Today, Antarctica and its resources do not belong to any state.

Antarctica does not belong to anyone, there is a nuclear-free zone and even the entry of warships and the construction of military facilities is prohibited. Antarctica is very harsh climatic conditions and even polar explorers have a hard time surviving there. Therefore, things did not come to open conflicts. If it had been warmer there, no one knows what would have happened.

Antarctica belongs to no one and belongs to everyone.

No one has the right to rule over it, but at the same time scientific research Many countries can visit Antarctica free of charge.

Even the discoverers of Antarctica different countries called by different names. Some say Edward Bransfield and William Smith, others say Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev, and others say Nathaniel Palmer. The fourth, fifth and subsequent discoveries of Antarctica are associated with other individuals.

Antarctica is an international territory.

Antarctica does not belong to anyone, it is an international territory. Only scientists who research the mainland and penguins live on it. No country can lay claim to the resources of Antarctica, but can only study it and build research stations.

In 1961, an international treaty on Antarctica was signed, which proclaims the economic equality of each country that signed this treaty, the refusal of territorial division, and the stationing of military facilities there. That is, it turns out that de iure Antarctica does not belong to anyone.

But Great Britain lays claim to Antarctica. New Zealand and Australia claim their rights. About 25% of the Pacific Antarctica and 1/3 of the continent of Antarctica are declared a zone of interests of France. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa believe that the remaining 2/3 belongs to them.

But they are fighting for ownership of Antarctica for a reason. Antarctica has huge reserves of fresh water, oil and gas deposits have been discovered there, rare earth metals, reserves of manganese, shale, mercury, and graphite have been found there.

according to an international agreement, it does not belong to anyone, but everyone can build scientific stations.

Antarctica is considered the property of all humanity and has never belonged to any state. True, scientific expeditions are sent to Antarctica all year round, new research stations are built, but no one has the right to lay claim to the continent’s resources.

In 1959, Antarctica was recognized by the international community as the common heritage of mankind, a corresponding treaty was signed by 12 countries, under the terms of which it was divided into 12 national parts, the borders of which are still conditional, where the signatory states are still conducting joint research work, although some of them would like to consolidate their presence here with real borders forever!

The resources, according to my information, have not yet been developed, but a joint search for them and the preparation of appropriate equipment are underway. To be honest, I would very much like Antarctica to remain in its original form, because the development of its subsoil can lead to unpredictable negative consequences for the whole planet!

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 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 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.

In order to understand who owns the Arctic, it is necessary to have an idea of ​​its location, climate specifics and strategic potential. Let's take a closer look at this issue in this article.

Where is the Arctic?

The Arctic is the name given to the northern polar region of the Earth. Its territory is almost a third larger than the area of ​​Russia and includes:

1. A huge drifting ice shelf located in the Arctic Ocean;
2. The northern waters of the two oceans, the Pacific and the Atlantic;
3. Many seas;
4. Islands and archipelagos, including Greenland;
5. Polar lands of North America and Eurasia.

The continent's border runs along the Arctic Circle, and the center is the North Pole. Polar nights and days are present throughout the territory, but at the North Pole their duration is the same and amounts to half a year.

Air temperature is determined by warm currents passing under the ice shelf. When there is a difference in temperature between winter and summer, the average is -37 C.

Flora and fauna are mostly represented by:

• Frost-resistant plants, dwarf trees and shrubs;
• Marine mammals;
• Pisces;
• Birds;
• Insects that are present in these areas only during the polar day;
• Inhabitants of the tundra;
• And of course, the most popular animal in these latitudes is the polar bear.

Who discovered these lands?

Acquaintance with the polar continent took place in several stages:

• Polar explorer Nils Nordenskiöld was the first to circle the shores of the Arctic with his expedition from the shores of Eurasia;
• Robert Peary first reached the North Pole in 1909;
• Raoul Amundsen traveled by sea from Greenland to the coast of Canada, thereby discovering the Northwestern part of the continent;
• Umberto Nobile reached the North Pole by air in an airship;
• Valery Chkalov and his team made a non-stop flight from Moscow to Vancouver via the North Pole by plane.

In addition to the travelers who achieved success, other expeditions also set out towards the Arctic. Among them are such researchers as Nansen, Sedov and the famous crew of the cargo ship Chelyuskin. And although they did not receive the title of pioneers, their information was of great benefit for the further development of the mainland.

Presence of various states on the shelf

The official representative states on the shelf are five countries with access to the Arctic Ocean:

1. Canada;
2. Russia;
3. Norway;
4. Denmark.

However, in last years The division of the continent was no longer acceptable to world society and they stated their claims to the development:

• Countries with circumpolar territories, but without direct access to the ocean. Such as Iceland, Sweden and Finland;
• International organizations: UN and European Union;
• Leading Asian states.

The main body regulating the legal order on the shelf is the Arctic Council. However, in lately calls are increasingly being made to make the Arctic accessible to other states. This causes certain difficulties, since today even the boundaries of the confluences of the official participating countries are blurred.

Arctic, Antarctic, Antarctica: what's the difference?

Many people confuse these concepts for several reasons:

1. All of them are connected with the extreme world poles;
2. They sound about the same;
3. They have a similar harsh climate.

However, you need to know:

• The word "Arctic" has Greek roots and is translated as "bear". This is due to the corresponding constellation under which the continent is located;
• Antarctic , in turn, a continent discovered not so long ago, the name of which comes from the merger of two words “anti” and “Arctic”, which is literally means "opposite" the Arctic;
• Antarctica called the continent that is part of Antarctica.

This video shows in which parts of our planet these areas are located:

The main differences are:

1. Despite the similarity of climate. In Antarctica it is more severe, the average temperature here reaches -49 C;
2. Antarctica is washed by the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean;
3. There is no land on the northern continent;
4. When melting, arctic ice, due to displacement, cannot in any way influence the level of the world's oceans, unlike the Antarctic ones. If we assume that they melt and flow into the ocean, this will significantly increase its level;
5. The fauna of these territories varies. In addition to various mammals and birds, you need to know that the main inhabitants of the Arctic are polar bears, and the main inhabitants of the Antarctic are penguins. And these animals have never met and cannot do this.

Natural resources and development prospects

In the depths of the Arctic Ocean and continental ice 1/4 of the world's gas and oil reserves are concentrated. That is why this territory is of such great interest to the world's leading economies.

Today on the territory Russian Federation 41 gas and 2 large oil fields in the Arctic are being developed. Another 18 belong to Canada, Norway and Alaska.

There are many undiscovered deposits. It is noteworthy that in the territories controlled by the Russian Federation there are large deposits of natural gas, and oil accumulations are concentrated near the coast of Alaska.

Mining in this region has its disadvantages:

1. Complexity;
2. High price;
3. Ocean Pollution;
4. Detrimental effect on fauna;
5. Possibility of accidents and, as a consequence, natural disasters.

However, interest in continental issues is only growing. In addition to funds received from the extraction of natural resources, countries are attracted by other opportunities that their presence on the shelf brings:

• Investments of third parties in the economy of the producing country;
• Access to the Northern Sea Route;
• Possibility of placing military bases.

So hot Disputes about who owns the Arctic are only gaining momentum. Most likely, in the near future the existing international legal acts on the legal regulation of stay in the Arctic will be revised and new ones drawn up. And we will find out later whether everything will remain as it is or whether the contending countries will still achieve their goal.

Video: the struggle for ice areas between countries

In this video, historian Oleg Denisov will tell you how a cold war is brewing in the world due to disputes over parts of the Arctic:

Antarctica was officially discovered on January 16 (28), 1820 by a Russian expedition led by Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev, who approached it at 69°21′ S on the sloops Vostok and Mirny. w. 2°14′ W d. (G) (O) (region of the modern Bellingshausen ice shelf). Previous existence of the southern continent (lat. Terra Australis) was stated hypothetically, it was often combined with South America (for example, on the map compiled by Piri Reis in 1513) and Australia (named after the “southern continent”). However, it was the expedition of Bellingshausen and Lazarev in the south polar seas, circumnavigating the Antarctic ice around the world, that confirmed the existence of a sixth continent.

The first to enter the continental part on January 24, 1895 were the captain of the Norwegian ship "Antarctic" Christensen and a teacher natural sciences Carsten Borchgrevink.

Status of Antarctica

Cape Hanna In accordance with the Antarctic Convention, signed on December 1, 1959 and entered into force on June 23, 1961, Antarctica does not belong to any state. Only scientific activities are permitted.

The placement of military facilities, as well as the entry of warships and armed vessels south of 60 degrees latitude are prohibited. In the 80s of the 20th century, Antarctica was also declared a nuclear-free zone, which excluded the appearance of nuclear-powered ships in its waters, and nuclear power units on the mainland. Currently, 28 states (with voting rights) and dozens of observer countries are parties to the treaty.

Mainland Antarctica

Antarctica is considered the coldest continent on our planet. Antarctica is also called the part of the world that includes the mainland itself and the adjacent islands. In this article we will consider Antarctica as a continent. This continent was discovered by a Russian expedition in January 1820. The continent is located in the very south of the planet. Translated from Greek, Antarctica means “opposite the Arctic” or “opposite the north.” Approximately the center of the continent is located at the location of the Earth's south pole. The continent is washed southern part waters of three oceans: the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean; since 2000, this area of ​​​​waters has become known as the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean is characterized by strong winds and storms.

The area of ​​this continent is approximately 14.107 million km2. In terms of its average height (2040 m), Antarctica ranks first among the continents. The only thing that should be taken into account is that this height is achieved thanks to glaciers, while the land of this continent is located much lower than this figure. Therefore, the first place in terms of land height is given to the Eurasian continent. And in the central part, the ice cover can reach more than 4,000 meters in height. If we compare the amount of ice on Antarctica with the ice reserves on the entire planet, then Antarctica contains 90% of all the planet's ice reserves. Also, 80% of the total fresh water on the planet is stored in these Ice. If all the continent's glaciers melt, this will lead to an increase in water levels in all oceans by 60 meters, and Antarctica itself will become an archipelago (a collection of islands).

Relief

Antarctica is the highest continent on Earth; the average height of the continent's surface above sea level is more than 2000 m, and in the center of the continent it reaches 4000 meters. Most of this height is made up of a permanent ice cover of the continent, under which the continental relief is hidden and only 0.3% (about 40 thousand km²) of its area is free from ice - mainly in West Antarctica and the Transantarctic Mountains: islands, sections of the coast, etc. n. “dry valleys” and individual ridges and mountain peaks (nunataks) rising above the icy surface.

The Transantarctic Mountains, crossing almost the entire continent, divide Antarctica into two parts - West Antarctica and East Antarctica, which have different origins and geological structure. In the east there is a high (highest elevation of the ice surface ~4100 m above sea level) ice-covered plateau. West Side consists of a group of mountainous islands connected by ice. On the Pacific coast are the Antarctic Andes, whose altitude exceeds 4000 m; the highest point on the continent is 5140 m above sea level - the Vinson Massif in the Ellsworth Mountains. In West Antarctica there is also the deepest depression of the continent - the Bentley Basin, probably of rift origin. The depth of the ice-filled Bentley Trench reaches 2555 m below sea level.

Subglacial relief

Research using modern methods has made it possible to learn more about the subglacial topography of the southern continent. As a result of research, it turned out that about a third of the continent lies below the level of the world ocean; research also showed the presence of mountain ranges and massifs.

The western part of the continent has complex terrain and large elevation changes. Here are the highest mountain (Vinson Mountain 5140 m) and the deepest depression (Bentley Trough −2555 m) in Antarctica. The Antarctic Peninsula is a continuation of the South American Andes, which stretch towards the south pole, slightly deviating from it to the western sector.

The eastern part of the continent has a predominantly smooth topography, with individual plateaus and mountain ranges up to 3–4 km high. In contrast to the western part, which is composed of young Cenozoic rocks, the eastern part is a protrusion of the crystalline foundation of a platform that was previously part of Gondwana.

The continent has relatively low volcanic activity. The largest volcano is Mount Erebus on Ross Island in the sea of ​​the same name.

Studies of subglacial relief conducted by NASA have discovered a crater of asteroid origin in Antarctica. The diameter of the crater is 482 km. The crater was formed when an asteroid with a diameter of about 48 kilometers (larger than Eros) fell to Earth, approximately 250 million years ago, in the Permian-Triassic period. The asteroid did not cause much harm to the nature of the Earth, but the dust raised during the fall led to centuries-long cooling and the death of most of the flora and fauna of that era. This crater is currently considered the largest on Earth.

Ice sheet

The Antarctic ice sheet is the largest on our planet and is approximately 10 times larger in area than the next largest, the Greenland Ice Sheet. It contains ~30 million km³ of ice, that is, 90% of all land ice. Due to the severity of the ice, as studies by geophysicists show, the continent subsided by an average of 0.5 km, as indicated by its relatively deep shelf. The ice sheet in Antarctica contains about 80% of all fresh water on the planet; if it melted completely, sea levels would rise by almost 60 meters (for comparison, if the Greenland ice sheet were to melt, sea levels would rise by only 8 meters).

The ice sheet has a dome shape with increasing surface steepness towards the coast, where it is framed in many places by ice shelves. The average thickness of the ice layer is 2500–2800 m, reaching a maximum value in some areas of East Antarctica - 4800 m. The accumulation of ice on the ice sheet leads, as in the case of other glaciers, to the flow of ice into the ablation (destruction) zone, which acts as coast of the continent; the ice breaks off in the form of icebergs. The annual volume of ablation is estimated at 2500 km³.

A special feature of Antarctica is the large area of ​​ice shelves (low (blue) areas of West Antarctica), which accounts for ~10% of the area above sea level; these glaciers are the source of icebergs of record sizes, significantly exceeding the size of the icebergs of the outlet glaciers of Greenland; for example, in 2000, the largest currently known iceberg (2005), B-15, with an area of ​​over 10 thousand km², broke off from the Ross Ice Shelf. In winter (summer in the Northern Hemisphere) the area sea ​​ice around Antarctica it increases to 18 million km², and in summer it decreases to 3–4 million km².

The ice cover of Antarctica formed about 14 million years ago, which was apparently facilitated by the rupture of the bridge connecting South America and the Antarctic Peninsula, which led, in turn, to the formation of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (Western Wind Current) and the isolation of Antarctic waters from the World Ocean - these waters make up the so-called Southern Ocean.

Climate

On the coast, especially in the area of ​​the Antarctic Peninsula, the air temperature in summer reaches -10 -12 C, and on average in the warmest month (January) it is 1 C, 2 C.

In winter (July) on the coast, the average monthly temperature ranges from -8 on the Antarctic Peninsula to -35 C at the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf.

Due to the predominance of downdrafts, the relative air humidity is low (60–80%), near the coast and especially in the Antarctic oases it decreases to 20 and even 5%. There is also relatively little cloud cover. Precipitation falls almost exclusively in the form of snow: in the center of the continent its amount reaches 30–50 mm per year, in the lower part of the continental slope it increases to 600–700 mm, decreases slightly at its foot (to 400–500 mm) and increases again by some ice shelves and on the northwestern coast of the Antarctic Peninsula (up to 700–800 and even 1000 mm). Due to strong winds and heavy snowfall, snowstorms are very frequent.

Despite global warming, temperatures in Antarctica have dropped significantly over the past 35 years. Surface air temperatures drop by 0.7°C every ten years. The overall drop in temperature in Antarctica is a mystery to scientists because most climate change scenarios suggest that the planet's polar regions would be impacted faster and more intensely. global warming. In the 21st century, the melting of Antarctica is considered unlikely. Possibly due to large quantity precipitation, the Antarctic ice cover will even increase. However, the melting of Antarctica is possible in the coming centuries, especially if humanity fails to slow down the process of global warming in advance.

Inland waters

Due to the fact that not only average annual temperatures, but also even summer ones in most areas, temperatures in Antarctica do not exceed zero degrees, precipitation there falls only in the form of snow (rain is an extremely rare occurrence). It forms an ice cover (snow is compressed under its own weight) with a thickness of more than 1700 m, in some places reaching 4300 m. Up to 90% of all fresh water on Earth is concentrated in Antarctic ice.

In the 1990s of the 20th century, Russian scientists discovered the subglacial non-freezing Lake Vostok - the largest of the Antarctic lakes, having a length of 250 km and a width of 50 km; the lake holds about 5,400 thousand km³ of water.

In January 2006, geophysicists Robin Bell and Michael Studinger from the American Lamont-Doherty Geophysical Observatory discovered the second and third largest subglacial lakes, with an area of ​​2000 km² and 1600 km², respectively, located at a depth of about 3 km from the surface of the continent. They reported that this could have been done earlier if data from the 1958–1959 Soviet expedition had been analyzed more thoroughly. In addition to these data, satellite data, radar readings and measurements of the force of gravity on the surface of the continent were used. In total, as of 2007, more than 140 subglacial lakes were discovered in Antarctica.

Flora of Antarctica

The flora of Antarctica, due to special climatic conditions, is extremely poor. The largest number of algae here is about 700 species. The coast of the mainland and its ice-free plains are covered with mosses and lichens. But there are only two types of flowering plants. These are Colobanthus Quito and Antarctic meadowweed.

Colobanthus quito belongs to the carnation family. This is a cushion-shaped herbaceous plant with small white and pale yellow flowers. The height of an adult plant does not exceed 5 cm.

Antarctic meadow grass belongs to the grass family. It grows only in areas of land that are well illuminated by the sun. Meadow bushes can grow up to 20 cm. The plant itself tolerates frost well. Frosts do not harm the plant even during flowering.

All Antarctic plants have successfully adapted to the eternal cold. Their cells contain little water, and all processes occur very slowly.

Fauna of Antarctica

The peculiarity of the fauna of Antarctica is directly related to its climate. All animals live only where there is vegetation. Despite the severity of the climatic conditions, a person was even born in Antarctica (this happened in 1978). And excavations have shown that dinosaurs once lived on this continent.

Conventionally, all Antarctic animals can be divided into two groups: terrestrial and aquatic, and there are no completely terrestrial animals in Antarctica.

The waters around the mainland are rich in zooplankton, which is the main food for whales and seals, fur seals and penguins. Ice fish also live here - amazing creatures that have adapted to life in icy water.

Of the large animals, blue whales most often visit the shores of Antarctica, which are attracted here by the abundance of shrimp. IN fresh waters The lakes are inhabited by roundworms and blue-green algae, copepods and daphnia are found.

The world of birds is represented by penguins, Arctic terns and skuas. There are 4 species of penguins in Antarctica. The largest population is of emperor penguins. Petrels also fly to the southern continent.

There are also few mammals. These are mainly animals that can live on land and in water. There are the most seals in Antarctica. The coast is also home to leopard seals, elephant seals and Rossa seals. Of the dolphin family, only small groups of black-and-white or sand-colored dolphins, known among whalers as “sea cows,” are found.

What there are a lot of here are invertebrate arthropods. In Antarctica, 67 species of ticks and 4 species of lice were found. There are fleas, lice eaters and the ubiquitous mosquitoes. And the wingless, jet-black ringing mosquitoes live only in Antarctica. These are the only endemic insects that can be classified as completely land animals. Most insects and invertebrates were brought to the shores southern continent birds.

Sights of Antarctica

• Glaciers of Antarctica. A popular destination in Antarctica is Paradise Harbour. Watching the huge blocks of centuries-old glaciers and icebergs from the boards of inflatable boats is a spectacular sight.
• Islands of Antarctica. There is a place in Antarctica that is of particular interest to volcanologists, hunters and travelers - Deception Island. It is an extinct volcano and has the shape of a horseshoe.
• Bloody Falls. An unusual attraction for icy Antarctica is the Bloody Falls. Streams of red water with a high concentration of salts and iron oxide flow down the surface of the glacier, originating in one of the Antarctic lakes.
• Whalers Church. Another famous place in Antarctica is the Whalers Church, built in the neo-Gothic style back in 1913 next to the whaling station. Despite its full functionality, after restoration in 1998 it is practically not used today, but has been preserved for posterity as a monument.
• Mountains of Antarctica. The Queen Maud group of mountain ranges rises 3 thousand meters above sea level. The system was discovered by the expedition of R. Amundsen, receiving the name in honor of the Norwegian Queen.
• Drake Passage. Drake Passage was named after an English pirate sailor who sailed through this place in mid-1578. It is the deepest and widest strait in the world.
• Catholic Church. The Catholic Church, located in an ice cave, is located at the Belgrano Arctic research base. This is the “coldest” temple among all religions known on earth.
• Penguins in Antarctica. And, of course, the most important and beautiful attraction of Antarctica is the king penguins, without which it is impossible to imagine this region.

Tourism in Antarctica

Given the extremely difficult climatic conditions in Antarctica, tourism here is completely dependent on the season and is possible only for a few months of the year. In general, this period is from November to March, but certain types of tours to Antarctica are carried out only at the “crown” of the southern hemisphere summer.

Cruises to the Antarctic regions (South Shetland and Falkland Islands, South Georgia archipelago, Antarctic Peninsula and continental seas) operate from November to March. Cruises to the eastern part of Antarctica, where the huge Ross Ice Shelf is located and memorial sites dedicated to the history of the conquest of the continent, are available in January-February, when the ice melts here. Conquering the South Pole by plane (option: by plane and skis) is possible only at the peak of the Antarctic summer - in December-January.

Video

Sources

https://tonkosti.ru/Antarctica https://seasons-goda.rf/nature of Antarctica.html http://chudesnyemesta.ru/antarktida-dostoprimechatelnosti/

In accordance with the Antarctic Convention, signed in 1959. Antarctica does not belong to any state; the only type of activity allowed on its territory is scientific. Then 12 countries put forward claims to the territory: Australia, Argentina, Great Britain, New Zealand, Norway, France, Chile, Peru, Russia (USSR), the USA and South Africa, Japan and a number of other countries.

Since then, the territory of Antarctica has been divided into sectors, according to which these countries have the right to open scientific stations. In general, it is tacitly accepted that maintaining superpower status is strategically important:

Space exploration

Presence of nuclear weapons

Exploration of Antarctica

The presence and maintenance of stations in Antarctica is strategically significant. Alas, people don’t come here for big money. The salaries of Russian and Ukrainian polar scientists are more than modest; special enthusiastic people come here. To some extent, these are hermits. We stopped at one of the stations, they gave us a tour, and after that we invited the bearded polar explorers to come to our ship for lunch. So this is what struck me - they are absolutely detached from this world and, it seems, do not suffer from the lack of civilization. It’s as if they exist in a parallel reality; they are not interested in news from more land, they are silent and, if I may say so, unsociable.

It is interesting that the neighboring countries have not agreed to the terms of the convention and the sectors introduced and are waging their struggle to seize territories in a very sophisticated way! For example, in Argentina, in geography lessons, children learn from maps on which the names of the territory near Antarctica differ from international standards and have completely different names. Children with school years know that part of Antarctica belongs to their country.

The Convention is grossly violated by the Japanese, who, despite the ban, continue to engage in whaling. Moreover, there was already a scandal where the international community presented its claims to them. In response, the Japanese converted the ships into scientific stations, but they still continue to engage in fishing, because whales are a delicacy for them.