Quick Facts, Myths and Misperceptions
Area of Antarctica: 14.4 million km2
Ice: Average thickness is 1.6 km
Discovery: 1820 by a Russian ship under the command of Mikhail Lazarev
MYTH: Antarctica is covered with ice.
FACT: Over 100km2 is not covered with ice, and is solid ground.
MYTH: Antarctica is not a political entity
FACT: It is a political entity founded by the 1961 ATS Treaty, with its own money.
MYTH: Antarctica is the smallest continent.
FACT: It is larger in land area than both Europe and Australia
MYTH: The Sahara Desert is the largest in the world.
FACT: The center of Antarctica gets no rain, and is the largest 'desert' in the world
MYTH: Antarctica is too cold for plants, animals and people
FACT: We have many of each: algae, moss, lichens, penguins, seals and... people!
MYTH: All the settlements on Antarctica are recent
FACT: 12 date from the 1950s, 7 from the 1960s (8 counting University Peak),
07 from the 1970s, 16 from the 1980s, 5 from the 1990s and 3 from 2000s.
