The continent lying mainly within the Antarctic Cirle with the South Pole approximately at its center. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959, signed by 12 countries prohibits military activities and promotes the exchange of scientific information. No one country rules or has a permanent settlement on the continent, although many have claims to areas. The land mass is covered by ice with an average thickness of 1 mile.
Popular Destinations in Antarctica
Antarctica
No place on Earth quite compares to Antarctica, this stunning and vast continent is cold and windy, containing 90% of the ice in the world. Those who brave a visit here are rewarded with beautiful glaciers that must be seen to be believed, and a vast array of wildlife such as whales, penguins, Arctic foxes and seals.
Drake Passage
Drake Passage is a stretch of ocean between Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America and the South Shetland Islands near Antarctica. It connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is widely known for rough seas, powerful currents, and rapidly changing weather.
