Polar environments - OCRCharacteristics of Antarctica and the Arctic

Antarctica is a continent surrounded by ocean, while the Arctic is an ocean surrounded by continents.

Antarctic

Land and sea

• Continent covered by an immense ice cap and surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean
• Mountains up to 3,794 metres high
• Ice 4.5 km thick in places

Climate

• Very cold due to lack of direct sunlight
• Temperatures average -28°C in summer and -60°C in winter
• Dry

Flora

• Almost no vegetation - mostly lichens

Fauna

• No terrestrial mammals
• Penguins, seals and whales

Human activities

• Scientific bases
• Tourist visitors

The future

• Threats from climate change
• Extraction of oil, gas and metals

Arctic

Land and sea

• Not a land continent
• Ocean surrounded by continents with large islands, eg Greenland, Ellesmere Island
• Ice reaches height of 2 to 3 metres
• Sea pack ice

Climate

• Cold due to lack of direct sunlight - but not as cold as Antarctica
• Temperatures average 0°C in summer and -40°C in winter

Flora

• Low shrubs, sedges and grasses, mosses and liverworts

Fauna

• Polar bears, Arctic fox, reindeer and wolves
• Seals, whales and bird species

Human activities

• Human population north of 60°N greater than 4 million people
• Many indigenous people - Inuit, Sami and Yupik
• Mining activities

The future

• Threats from climate change
• Extraction of oil and gas and other resources
• Claims of sovereignty