Why the Arctic is not considered the mainland. Russian Arctic (photos, maps, description)

What is the Arctic and Antarctic, Antarctica.

Can you, without hesitation, answer the question, what are the differences between the Arctic, Antarctic and Antarctica? The student will be able to name a few differences, but for a person who left the school many years ago, this question will cause some uncertainty.
The only thing that can be immediately said regarding these geographical names is the prevalence of extremely low temperatures, the constant presence of snow cover, ice and severe climatic conditions. We propose to delve into the study of the basic characteristics of the polar territories of the globe and expand our encyclopedic knowledge regarding continents with centuries-old layers of snow.

What is the Arctic and Antarctic, Antarctica: definition

The north pole of our planet is called the Arctic. Territory with extremely low temperatures is located next to the North Pole. Its borders are the extreme points of North America, Eurasia. The Arctic Ocean and almost all of its islands are also Arctic territories, as well as adjacent sections of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Norway's coastal islands are not Arctic territory.

In the picture, the Arctic territories are indicated in green.

Arctic borders

The south pole of our planet is commonly called the Antarctic. Speaking in a simple and understandable language even for a student, the Antarctic is located on the other side of the Arctic.
At this point in the world is Antarctica. Also adjacent to it are the territories of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

In the picture, the borders of the Antarctic are highlighted in yellow. Based on the above, Antarctica is a territory located at the southernmost point of the earth.

Antarctic borders

The borders of Antarctica

Antarctica and Antarctica: Is it the Same?

Antarctica and Antarctica are the so-called poles of our planet located on opposite sides. Minor differences in the name of the earth's poles are the reason for the frequent confusion: which pole of the earth is in the south and which in the north.
To begin with, we will understand what Antarctica is. The reason for this name was the word "Antarctica" - the mainland of the highest northern point of the planet.

Antarctica is the southernmost territory of the globe. The mainland is so named because of the Arctic. The word Greek means part of the earth, as the antipode of the Arctic.

Antarctica - the southernmost territory of our planet

The Arctic was called the area of \u200b\u200bland located next to the North Pole. But here one more question may arise: how is the origin of the name “Arctic” explained? To answer, you need to delve into the study of ancient Greek mythology, from which we learn the nymph Calliste.

Thunderer Zeus could not resist the beauty of the girl and fell in love with her. However, the Gods, not devoid of all negative human qualities, could not calmly look at the happiness of two lovers and decided to stop the love idyll. When Callisto became pregnant, the Gods turned her into a bear. However, she managed to bear the baby and give birth to him.
It was a boy who received the name Arkad (the Greek word for a bear sounds like arctos). The boy grew up with his father Zeus and never heard of his mother. As a young man, Arkad liked to spend time hunting.

Constellation Ursa Major

And when once his spear was directed towards his mother in the form of a bear, Zeus decided to turn both of them into constellations so that the irreparable did not happen. Since that time, there are two constellations in the sky - Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.
They became a real salvation for travelers and seafarers: after finding the constellations of the bears in the sky, you can easily find out the path, guided by the polar star.
For those who do not know where it is, there is a simple way: by drawing a straight line from the two extreme stars of the Big Dipper bucket, you can easily determine the location of the desired star. It lies just on the intersection line: on the handle of the bucket of the second of the most famous star galaxy - Ursa Minor.
The ancient Greeks called the Arctic the entire northern territory of the Earth. This name arose only after the researchers received information about the continent lying at the South Pole under the deep ice crust. They began to call it Antarctica.
This land area was discovered by Russian navigators, under the command of Thaddeus Bellingshausen on January 28, 1820. However, then the continent began to be called "ice". The second name of the extreme northern mainland was “Earth of Alexander the First”. He was replaced by a third, familiar to us name, Antarctica. The area gained its name after the Norwegians set foot on the mainland on January 24, 1895, who sailed here on the ship "Antarctic".

Ursa Minor constellation

Where is the Arctic and Antarctic, Antarctica on the world map?

Coincidental names, the similarity of meteorological conditions may cause some doubts as to where exactly on the world map each of the extreme points of the earth is located.

We will find out how each of the localities differs and what is the similarity between them.

If you do not go into details, then the names Arctic, Antarctica, Antarctica have some similarities. However, the interpretation from the Greek root words-antipodes is as follows: the word "arctos" means "bear".
The constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor is a peculiar heavenly northern landmark pointing to the North Star.
The name "Antarctica" literally means a location located on the opposite side of the Arctic and the dipper. In other words, it is anti-Arctic.

What is the difference between the Arctic and Antarctica and Antarctica: 10 differences and similarities

What is common between the parts of the land - the Arctic and the Antarctic?

One root is arctos, which translates from Greek as a bear.
Landmark for travelers and explorers is the North Star.
Climatic conditions at the poles are similar: the mainland is covered with snow and ice, there are icebergs.

What is the difference between the conditions in the Arctic and the Antarctic?

The Arctic climate is milder due to the warm currents on the northern coast of Eurasia (the temperature minimum rises).
Located at different poles of the planet.
The southern antipode of the Arctic is twice as large in area.
Mainland territories are also a kind of antipodes: the North Pole is located on the Arctic Ocean. The coastal parts "frame" the borders of the Arctic zone. Antarctica, on the other hand, is the mainland, which is located at the boundary of temperature changes along the oceanic expanses.

What are the similar environmental conditions, flora and fauna of the Arctic and Antarctic, Antarctica: a comparative table

Comparison table: conditions, fauna and flora of the Arctic and Antarctic

What common	How to explain
Location:
Polar continents: the Arctic is the northern part of the planet, Antarctica is the southern.
Conditions:	Reasons for differences:
It is colder in the Antarctic due to the higher location and presence of continental dry air currents. Over the Arctic, air currents are sea, with a lot of moisture, which means warmer.	Antarctica is located high above sea level. On the mainland, sea or continental air currents prevail.
Ice cover:
Glaciers at both poles of great power. The Arctic is covered by mountain-valley glaciers. In Antarctica, the ice cover is thicker.	Causes of differences: Arctic glaciers cover oceanic expanses, and in Antarctica ice blocks are located on the mainland, in the mountains and plains.
Animals and plants:
All living organisms survive in harsh climatic conditions - these are not large animals, bacteria and algae are present. There are polar bears in the Arctic, but not in the Antarctic. Different types of penguins. Of the other predators of the Arctic, you can name the Arctic fox. In the Antarctic it is not.	The reasons for the differences are the remoteness of Antarctica from other continents. The Arctic is close to Eurasia and North America.

Who discovered the Arctic, Antarctica and Antarctica?

Discovery of Antarctica

The existence at the South Pole of the mysterious Terra Australis Incognita - the South Unknown Land, was suggested even before the equipment of the first real expedition.
Already after the speculation about the spherical shape of the Earth, a version appeared that the area of \u200b\u200bthe mainland and the sea at both poles is approximately the same. Otherwise, equilibrium would not be maintained, which would cause the planet to be oriented toward the Sun with a side whose mass is larger.
MV Lomonosov expressed his assumption of the mainland at the South Pole in 1763, saying that next to the Strait of Magellan, against the Cape of Good Hope, in addition to the islands, there is a land surface covered with snow and ice.

Who discovered Antarctica

It was also believed that the area of \u200b\u200bthe southern mainland is larger than in reality. This is explained by the fact of the accession of part of the territory to Australia, discovered by the Dutch Willem Janson, called Terra Australis Incognita.
Mariners from Holland were the first to arrive on the South Polar Land. The first time they saw Antarctica in 1559, when a ship under the command of Dirk Geeritz after a storm caught sailors near the Strait of Magellan turned out to be far in the south. After 64 degrees south latitude, the team saw "high ground".
The inhospitable Antarctic waters were abandoned by the Geeritz team without delay as soon as meteorological conditions allowed.
Now scientists admit the version that the ship Geeritsa is not the only one caught in a storm in these latitudes. On the coast of the Antarctic islands, shipwrecks, clothes and kitchen utensils dating back to the 16th-17th centuries were often found.

On the coast of the Antarctic islands, shipwrecks, clothes and kitchen utensils dating back to the 16th-17th centuries were often found

Further expeditions:

In the XVII-XVIII centuries, three islands were discovered by French sailors: South Georgia, Bouvet and Kergalen. The islands were located in latitudes, called "roaring forties."
The results of two English expeditions carried out in 1768-1775, under the command of Captain James Cook, were impressive. The teams failed to reach the mainland of the sixth continent due to the insurmountable ice wall. However, even then it became known that New Zealand is not part of the southern mainland, but only an archipelago. The coastal territories of Australia and the Pacific were explored, several islands were discovered, and knowledge about astronomical phenomena in these latitudes was replenished.

The result of the Great Northern Expedition 1733-1743, which took place under. leadership S.I. Chelyuskin, H.P. Laptev, D.Ya. Laptev, S.G. Malygin, was the mapping of all points of the northern coast.

Video: Bering Squad - Chirikov (Great Northern Expedition)

It is believed that the Antarctic continent was discovered on January 28, 1820 by Russian sailors under the leadership of Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev.

Video: Discovery of Antarctica

Parts of the earth are the knowledge that everyone who has graduated from school should have. However, not all adults can answer the question: how does Antarctica differ from the Arctic and Antarctic. These geographical features are located on different earth poles, so they have little in common.

Let's talk about how the Arctic differs from Antarctica.

These are two opposite earth poles, but since their names are similar, people are used to thinking that they are not much different. But there is a difference between them.

Arctic

The Arctic is the northern polar region of the Earth. The etymology of this term has Greek roots. From Greek, the word "Arctic" is translated as "bear". Why is it called that? The fact is that this geographical object is located under the Ursa Major.

What does the Arctic include?

The territory of the Arctic includes part of the Arctic Ocean, some of its islands, as well as some territories of Asia, North America and Europe.

The Arctic is considered a cold climate zone. Average temperature there: -34 degrees Celsius. Almost all of its territory is covered with glaciers, therefore, the adjacent Arctic Ocean is frozen.

The Arctic area is 21 million square kilometers. Despite the fact that almost the entire territory of the Arctic is covered with ice, it has many minerals:

Diamonds
Phosphorus.
Gold and silver.
Carbohydrate and mineral raw materials.
Chrome etc.

As for the plant world, due to low temperatures, there are practically no plants in the Arctic. There are no trees here at all, but shrubs grow from the southern part of the region. Some of them reach more than two meters in height.

cereals;
lichens and mosses;
herbs;
ordinary and dwarf shrubs;

Despite the fact that there are really not many plants in the Arctic, the situation is different with animals. Many representatives of the fauna are not afraid to dwell in cold climatic conditions. What kind of animals can be found here?

polar bears;
bighorn sheep;
musk ox;
wild reindeer.

Despite severe frosts, a large number of animals live in the Arctic

Very valuable fish species are found in the local water resources.

But do people live here? Yes, about 4 million people live in the Arctic. They live beyond the Arctic Circle. Moreover, in this cold place there is even work. Here are radio centers, polar stations, as well as more than 10 polar international expeditions.

The territory of the Arctic includes even Russian cities such as Tromsk, Murmansk, Norilsk and Salekhard.

The cold here does not disappear even in summer, so lovers of ice and frost often come here.

The Arctic has large reserves of gold

Antarctic

Antarctica is the southern polar region of the Earth, which is located in the South. This continent is washed by three oceans: the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic. The islands of each of these oceans adjoin the territory of the Antarctic.

This term also has Greek roots. "Antarctica" is translated as "opposite to the Arctic." The Arctic and Antarctic are really not much alike, even the climate. It is colder in Antarctica than in the Arctic. For comparison, the average temperature here: -49 degrees Celsius. This territory is considered the harshest region of the planet.

A feature of the Antarctic territory is that it is almost completely covered with ice. The area of \u200b\u200bthe mainland is 52 square kilometers.

The nature here is unique, which is why the flora and fauna of Antarctica is diverse. Here you can not find freshwater fish and mammals, but sea seals, walruses, whales, etc. live on these territories. On the coast of the mainland you can find a huge number of penguins and albatrosses.

As for the Antarctic vegetation, we can distinguish:

mushrooms;
lichens and mosses;
seaweed;
flowering plants, etc.

Since it is very cold on this mainland, people do not live here. Nevertheless, several research stations have been built here. Researchers engaged in research activities live at these stations.

Antarctic Research Teams

The Arctic and Antarctic differ not only in temperature, but also in the amount of ice.

Thus, based on these data, we can compare the Arctic and Antarctic, highlighting the following points:

These two regions are the extreme earth poles, the Arctic is the North, and the Antarctic is the South.
These two poles are washed by different oceans, since each of them is at a great distance from each other.
The North Pole is warmer than the South, so people can live there. As for the Antarctic, only scientists engaged in research activities temporarily live there.
And one and the second region have a unique climate, due to which various species of animals live there. Also at each pole there are plants.
Part of the North Pole is divided between five states, while the territory of the South Pole is not owned by anyone.

Before determining how the Arctic differs from Antarctica, it is necessary to provide information about the second area.

An interesting video about the Antarctic.

In order to better perceive the differences between the Arctic and Antarctica, it is worth exploring these areas of our planet in more depth. Each of them has its own unique features.

Arctic

If you follow the compass needle from anywhere in the world, you will end up at the North Pole. Here the sun for six months goes beyond the horizon, and after the same amount is not hidden. This is one of the noticeable signs of the northernmost part of the planet. The name "Arctic" comes from the Greek word, which used to denote the constellation Ursa Major. The brave sailors and discoverers were attracted by mysterious lands covered with shining ice shells, and the sea with amazing fauna. Through inhuman efforts and manifesting a truly unlimited will, the researchers moved closer to the North Pole. Open areas, coasts and seas were mapped.

The differences between the Arctic and Antarctica are noticeable in the degree of remoteness from the borders of Russia. Northern lands and waters are rich in minerals, including hydrocarbons, non-ferrous metals, diamonds, etc. However, the development of deposits is difficult due to difficult climatic conditions. Small for many centuries have adapted to the local nature. They live, engaged in traditional fishing - hunting, fishing and breeding deer.

Arctic weather

A person closely monitors the weather conditions of this area. The differences between the Arctic and Antarctica in this matter are almost invisible. Weather observations are key because atmospheric processes are forming at these latitudes that extend to the entire planet.

Differs in severity: even in the warm season, the air practically does not warm up to plus temperatures. Snow cover almost never disappears. Non-stopping strong winds are recorded. The work of the Northern Sea Route is ensured thanks to the existing polar stations distributed evenly along the coasts and islands.

Arctic borders

The search for an answer to the question of how the Arctic differs from Antarctica made scientists carefully study them. The first of them includes the extreme polar regions of Eurasia and North America, as well as the Arctic Ocean with many islands. Only land in the ocean near Scandinavia is excluded from this area.

The southern border of the Arctic region corresponds to that of the tundra zone. 27 million km 2 is its approximate area, which is several times larger than European territory. If the Arctic border is drawn along the Arctic Circle (which scientists sometimes do), then its area will be 6 million km 2 less.

Arctic nature

The highest peak in the Arctic, McKinley, is located on the North American continent, its height exceeds 6 km. Glaciers in this natural zone are found not only on mountain peaks, but also on the surface of the seas. For various reasons, their edges are breaking off, forming huge boulders - icebergs. They drift towards the equator, driven by winds and currents.

The icy shackles of the Arctic islands are admirable: they have the shape of regular domes, the slopes of which are gentle. Parts of the islands free from the glacier are occupied by the polar desert - endless boulders and crushed stone. The strip along the coast of the Arctic Ocean is occupied by the tundra. There are many swamps on this territory, because permafrost only thaws a little in the summer.

There are many lakes, the largest of which are on and Kola.

Arctic Flora and Fauna

Stone vegetation is sparse. The basis is lichens. Occasionally, flowering plants can be found: buttercups, polar poppies and partridge grass. Among the trees there are willow and birch in dwarf forms. Their height does not exceed a few centimeters.

The Kola Peninsula and Taimyr in the summer are inhabited by colonies of ducks and geese. Animals of the Arctic climate are unique, since there are a large number of unique species. Walruses, polar bears, narwhal, seals, etc. live surrounded by the ice of the Arctic Ocean.

The tundra is inhabited by polar wolves, arctic foxes, and the sheer cliffs of the islands are chosen by giant bird colonies, the number of which is measured in hundreds of thousands. Each species occupies a strictly defined position among the rest. In Russia, the animal world of the Arctic is protected by law.

Antarctica

The differences between the Arctic and Antarctica are explained by the fact that the last of them is at the South Pole of the Earth, while the first is at the North. In addition to the mainland of the same name, it includes the neighboring parts of three oceans with islands: Indian, Atlantic and Pacific. The area of \u200b\u200bthe mainland is about 14 million km 2, while the Antarctic is almost 4 times greater than it. There are no geographical elements of the relief: rivers, mountains, etc. The whole continent is covered with an ice shell of 4300 m thick. About 90% of all fresh water on the planet is frozen in this massif. Mountain ranges and volcanoes are found under this stratum.

Traveling in the Arctic and Antarctica requires the same equipment and training, since both poles are covered with ice. On the southern mainland there are areas without a glacier, on which there are lakes.

Flora and fauna of Antarctica

At different poles of the Earth are the Arctic and Antarctica, differences between them are also present in the species composition of living creatures. The variety of flora and fauna is extremely scarce. The conditions here are harsh. On land without glacier land, only lichens and mosses, bacteria and microscopic algae can be found.

In some places along the coast live penguins - amazing birds of this harsh region. They are not capable of flying and do not walk very confidently, but they swim superbly.

Some species of mammals and fish live in the ocean surrounding the mainland. Antarctica is devoid of state borders and does not have a permanent population. In the distant past, it was part of a single mainland - Gondwana. Over time, Antarctica separated, and it was surrounded by a cold ocean current, which still exists. It affects the entire thickness of ocean waters, preventing the penetration of the warm equatorial waters to the southern continent.

This current does not destroy the thickness of the ice on the mainland, which takes away a large amount of thermal energy from the Earth. Thanks to this phenomenon, different climatic zones appeared on our planet, which gave an impetus to the flourishing of all forms of biological diversity.

What is the difference between Antarctica and the Antarctic and the Arctic? The first term means a continent located at the South Pole of the Earth. The second is more extensive and includes, in addition to the mainland, the adjacent waters of the three oceans. The third concept is the region of the oceans around the North Pole of the Earth. Despite the consonance, these three terms mean different areas of our planet.

Arctic and Antarctica: differences and similarities

There are certain similarities between these areas:

Covered with a thick layer of ice.
Approximately the same temperature conditions.
There are similar species of living organisms.
Mosses and lichens grow.

The differences between the Arctic and Antarctica can be expressed in the following theses:

The Arctic is the region of the oceans, and Antarctica is the continent.
The first in area is almost 2 times larger than the last.
The flora of the Arctic is richer, and the fauna is more peculiar (many endemics) than in Antarctica.

It is cold, dark in the Arctic and Antarctic, and we often think that these two places are almost the same. But they are completely different. A notable difference is that polar bears live only in the Arctic, and penguins live only in the Antarctic.

What is the difference between the Arctic and the Antarctic

The largest Arctic Antarctic differences between the two regions lies in the differences in sea ice.

The sea ice of the Arctic and Antarctic is different due to their differences in geography. The Arctic is a semi-closed ocean, almost completely surrounded by land. Sea ice in the Arctic is not as mobile as sea ice in the Antarctic. Although sea ice moves around the Arctic basin, it remains in the cold Arctic waters. Icebergs are more likely to converge - collide with each other, accumulate in thick hummocks. These converging ice floes make the Arctic ice thicker.

The ice remains frozen longer during the summer melt - the Arctic sea ice persists throughout the summer and continues to grow next fall. Of the 15 million square kilometers (5.8 million square miles) of sea ice existing during the winter, an average of 7 million square kilometers (2.7 million square miles) remain at the end of the summer melting season.

Minimum and maximum sea ice coverage in the Arctic and Antarctic
This satellite data on sea ice concentration shows the average minimum and maximum sea ice area in March and September for the Arctic and Antarctic from 1979 to 2000 - opposite hemispheres - Southern and Northern; The south reaches a summer minimum in February, and the north reaches a summer minimum in September. (March is shown for both hemispheres for consistency.) The dark circles in the center of the images of the Northern Hemisphere are areas deprived of data due to satellite coverage restrictions at the North Pole.

Antarctica is surrounded by the ocean. The open ocean allows the formation of sea ice to move freely, have high drift speeds. Antarctic sea hummocks are much less common than in the Arctic. The absence of a land border in the north allows sea ice to float north to warmer waters, where it eventually melts. As a result, almost all of the sea ice formed during the Antarctic winter melts during the summer.

In winter, up to 18 million square kilometers (6.9 million square miles) of ocean are covered with sea ice, but by the end of summer, only 3 million square kilometers (1.1 million square miles) of sea ice remain.

Sea ice does not accumulate in the Antarctic, as is the case in the Arctic; it does not have the ability to grow like sea ice in the Arctic. Most of the Arctic is covered with sea ice up to 2 - 3 meters thick. The Arctic regions are covered with ice 4 - 5 meters thick.

Antarctic ice is collected approximately symmetrically around the pole, forming a circle of Antarctica. In contrast, the Arctic is asymmetric. For example, sea ice from the east coast of Canada extends south of Newfoundland to 50 degrees north latitude, and ice blocks off the east coast extend to Russian Bohai Bay, about 38 degrees north latitude. On the contrary, in the countries of Western Europe, the northern coast of Norway, 70 degrees of northern latitude (2,000 kilometers, or 1,243 miles further north of Newfoundland and Japan) generally remains ice-free. Ocean currents and wind directions can explain these differences.

The Arctic region north of the Atlantic Ocean is open to warmer waters from the south. These warm waters can flow into the Arctic and prevent the formation of sea ice in the North Atlantic. The waters off the eastern shores of Canada and Russia are dependent on cold air moving from the land from the west. Eastern Canada also feeds on cold water currents that make sea ice growth easier.

Since the Arctic Ocean is mostly covered with ice, surrounded by land, rainfall is relatively rare here. Antarctica, however, is completely surrounded by the ocean, so that moisture becomes more accessible. Antarctic sea ice is usually covered with thick snow - the weight of the snow pushes the ice below sea level, resulting in snow flooding the salty waters of the ocean.

Antarctic sea ice does not reach the South Pole, expanding only over an area of \u200b\u200babout 75 degrees south latitude (in the Ross and Weddell Seas), due to Antarctica. However, Arctic sea ice reaches the North Pole. Here, Arctic sea ice receives less solar energy on its surface, because the rays of the sun fall at a sharper angle, compared to lower latitudes.

The waters of the Pacific Ocean and several rivers in Russia and Canada are provided with fresh, less dense water from the Arctic Ocean. So the Arctic Ocean has a layer of fresh cold water near the surface with warm salt water below. This cold, fresh layer of water allows ice to grow in the Arctic more than in the Antarctic.

February 27th, 2013, 08:39 pm

Arctic and Antarctic. Both of these concepts mean areas of the globe close to the poles. But which of them belongs to the north pole, and which to the south - not everyone will remember quickly and not immediately. This is because both of these geographical names are not only close in sound, but are also root words! The Arctic and Antarctic are words of Greek origin, or rather, ancient Greek. They are based on one root of arctos, which in Greek meant a bear, or rather, a bear! Why a bear?

It must be assumed that the ancient Greeks themselves were neither there nor there, and did not even imagine these territories. So why is the she-bear? It's all about astronomy. It is known that many names of the constellations were formed from the names of the heroes of ancient Greek myths: Orion, Centaurus, Taurus, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pegasus ... Including Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. And it is in Ursa Minor that the North Star is located, which in position almost coincides with the north pole of the world. (In scientific terms, it is called Ursa Minor Alpha, a star + 2.0m of stellar magnitude. It is a supergiant of the spectral class F7Ib, the distance to the Earth is 323 light years.) This star gives an exact orientation to the north in the northern hemisphere.

The origin of the name Arctic and Antarctic

The North Star is located in the constellation Ursa Minor - the she-bear sounds like arctos - points to the north - hence the Arctic. It turns out that the Arctic is the northern part of the Earth. But Antarctica was formed according to the rules of Greek grammar, in which the prefix - anti - means the opposite.

Arctic\u003e Anti-Arctic\u003e Antarctic.

Pundits have always loved to flaunt knowledge of the works of ancient scholars. (Therefore, in mathematics, for example, there are so many characters based on the Greek alphabet.) The first explorers of the north were precisely scientific researchers, and this name was fixed from them.

Arctic- definition:
a single physical and geographical region of the Earth adjacent to the North Pole and including the outskirts of the continents of Eurasia and North America, almost the entire Arctic Ocean with islands, as well as the adjacent parts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is customary to limit the Arctic from the south to the Arctic Circle (66 ° 33 ′ N), in this case its area is 21 million square meters. km The climate of the Arctic is somewhat milder than the climate of its southern opposite due to the presence of ocean waters and currents. Polar bears live in the Arctic.

Antarctic - definition:
(opposite to the Arctic) - the southern polar region of the globe adjacent to the South Pole, including Antarctica and adjacent areas of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is customary to limit the Arctic from the north to the Southern Arctic Circle (66 ° 33 ′ S). The climate of the Antarctic is more severe than the Arctic due to its greater “continental nature”. Penguins live here in droves.

Briefly to remember :

Arctic
northern part of the globe. The Arctic Ocean, surrounded by continents. Polar bears live in the Arctic, but no penguins.

Antarctic
southern part of the globe. Mainland Antarctica, surrounded by the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. Penguins live here, but there are no polar bears.

Who discovered Antarctica
If no one specifically discovered the Arctic, then the honor of discovering Antarctica (again a word of Greek origin: cf. Atlantis, Tavrida ...) belongs to Russian researchers, Bellingshausen and Lazarev, who first circled Antarctica in 1820 on the sloops Mirny and Vostok.