🌍 Geography
Location: continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle
Area & Boundaries
Total Area
14,200,000 km²
Land Area
14,200,000 km²
Water Area
N/A km²
World Rank by Area
#null
Land Boundaries
N/A km
Coastline
17,968 km
Terrain & Climate
Terrain: about 99% thick continental ice sheet and 1% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 m; mountain ranges up to nearly 5,000 m; 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
Climate: the coldest, windiest, and driest continent on Earth; 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; summers characterized by continuous daylight, while winters bring continuous darkness; persistent high pressure over the interior brings dry, subsiding air that results in very little cloud cover
Elevation
Highest Point
: N/Am
Lowest Point
: nullm
Mean Elevation
2,300m
Natural Resources
iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small noncommercial quantities; mineral exploitation except for scientific research is banned by the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty; krill, icefish, toothfish, and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries, which are managed through the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)
👥 Demographics
Population Overview
Total Population (2024)
N/A
World Rank
#null
Growth Rate
null%
Urbanization
null%
Age & Life Expectancy
Median Age
null years
Life Expectancy
null years
Birth Rate
null per 1,000
Death Rate
null per 1,000
Education
Literacy Rate: null% (Male: null%, Female: null%)
💼 Economy
GDP & Economic Indicators
GDP (PPP)
N/A
GDP (Official Rate)
N/A
GDP per Capita (PPP)
N/A
World GDP Rank
#null
GDP Growth Rate
null%
Unemployment Rate
null%
Inflation Rate
null%
Public Debt (% of GDP)
null%
GDP Composition by Sector
Agriculture
null%
Industry
null%
Services
null%
Trade
Exports
N/A
Imports
N/A
Foreign Exchange Reserves
N/A
Currency
(null)
🏛️ Government
Government Type
the <strong>Antarctic Treaty and its follow-on agreements </strong>govern the use of Antarctica, ensuring it is used only for peaceful purposes and scientific research; signed in 1959 and in force since 1961, the original Treaty bans military activity, weapons testing, and nuclear waste disposal, while allowing military personnel to assist with research or other peaceful efforts; it promotes international cooperation in science, guarantees the free exchange of research, and freezes territorial claims; the Treaty covers all land and ice south of 60° south latitude, and allows Treaty nations to inspect any station or facility<br><br>decisions are made by consensus at annual meetings, and member countries implement these decisions through their national laws (see “Legal system”); additional agreements have strengthened the Treaty system, including conventions to protect seals (1972) and other marine life (1980), as well as an environmental protocol (1991, took effect in 1998); the protocol bans mining and includes strict rules on environmental impact, waste, pollution, wildlife, and protected areas; as of December 2024, there are <strong>58 member nations</strong>: <strong>29 consultative members</strong>, including the 7 claimant countries (Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK), and <strong>29 non-consultative members</strong>; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat, established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, supports the system
Suffrage
Executive Branch
Chief of State:
Head of Government:
Legislative Branch