ntarctica is the southernmost continent in the world (that means it sits the most south of any other continent in the world).
The Antarctica continent surrounds the South Pole, and it’s name means “opposite to the Arctic” (as the Arctic is the area around the North Pole).
Even though it is an entire continent, Antarctica has no permanent human population. It has no native humans, and therefore has no countries either. It is the only continent in the world to not contain any countries. However seven countries claim different parts of it: New Zealand, Australia, France, Norway, the United Kingdom, Chile, and Argentina.
The continent has two unequal parts. The larger is usually called East Antarctica, while the smaller part is West Antarctica.
Unlike most places in the world Antarctica does not have 24-hour periods divided into day and night.
At the South Pole the sun rises on about September 21 and moves in a circular path until it sets on about March 22.
This “day,” or summer, is six months long. From March 22 until September 21 the South Pole is dark, and Antarctica has its “night,” or winter.
