Where Is the Antarctic?

The Antarctic region is the area from the South Pole to the Antarctic Circle, which is an imaginary line that lies at about 66 degrees, 33 minutes south latitude.  The continent of Antarctica, the Southern Ocean and the South Pole lie within this region.

There are many similarities between the Antarctic and the Arctic - both are at "the ends of the Earth", both have cold temperatures and extremes in sunlight, and both are teeming with marine life.  Some of the differences are that the Antarctic is colder (mean winter temperature is -76 degrees F in the Antarctic versus -40 degrees F in the Arctic), the Arctic is more heavily populated, and there are penguins in the Antarctic, and polar bears in the Arctic.

Learn More:

• Polar Habitats (and differences between the Arctic and Antarctic)
• Where Is the Antarctic?
• The Arctic