Antarctica

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent in the world. The South Pole is located on it. Antarctica covers five million square miles (12,944,500 sq km). This is the coldest area in the world. The land is buried under ice a mile thick. In winter it is often 100 degrees Fahrenheit below zero (-73c).

Few plants or animals can stand the cold. In the summer, mosses and lichens grow in a few places. The animals that live in the Antarctic eat fish and sea animals. Seal, whales, and birds live along the shores of Antarctica.

In 1911, Roald Amundsen became the first man to travel to the South Pole. Today, much of Antarctica has still not been explored. But scientists continue their study of this cold, icy region.