[1000 places to see before you die] part 10

Antarctica


The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 by twelve countries; to date, forty-six countries have signed the treaty.

The treaty prohibits military activities and mineral mining, supports scientific research, and protects the continent's ecozone.

Ongoing experiments are conducted by more than 4,000 scientists of many nationalities and with various research interests.


About 98% of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, a sheet of ice averaging at least 1.6 km thick.

The continent has about 90% of the world's ice (and thereby about 70% of the world's fresh water).

If all of this ice were melted, sea levels would rise about 60 m. (WIKI)