Physical Divisions of Antarctica – Notes for Competitive Exams
Antarctica is the fifth largest continent in the world with an area of about 14 million square kilometers. It lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere around the South Pole. The continent is surrounded by the Southern Ocean, which separates it from South America, Africa, and Australia.
Antarctica is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on Earth. Nearly 98% of the continent is covered by ice sheets, making it the largest storehouse of fresh water in frozen form. Because of the extreme climate, Antarctica has no permanent human population, although scientists live there temporarily at research stations.
The physical geography of Antarctica can be divided into several major regions including mountain ranges, ice sheets, plateaus, and coastal areas.
Major Physical Divisions of Antarctica
| Physical Division | Description | Important Examples |
|---|---|---|
| East Antarctic Plateau | Vast high ice-covered plateau | Antarctic Plateau |
| Transantarctic Mountains | Major mountain system dividing the continent | Transantarctic Mountains |
| West Antarctic Region | Lower elevation ice-covered land | West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
| Coastal Ice Shelves | Floating extensions of glaciers | Ross Ice Shelf |
East Antarctic Plateau
The eastern part of Antarctica consists mainly of a vast elevated plateau covered by thick ice. This region is known as the Antarctic Plateau and forms the largest physical division of the continent.
The Antarctic Plateau has an average elevation of about 3000 meters, making Antarctica the highest continent in the world in terms of average elevation. The plateau is covered by an extremely thick ice sheet, in some places more than 4 kilometers thick.
The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was measured in Antarctica near Vostok Station, where temperatures dropped to about −89.2°C.
Important Features of the East Antarctic Plateau
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Average elevation | About 3000 meters |
| Ice thickness | Up to 4 km |
| Climate | Extremely cold and dry |
| Population | Only research stations |
Transantarctic Mountains
The Transantarctic Mountains form one of the longest mountain ranges in the world and extend across Antarctica for more than 3500 kilometers. These mountains divide the continent into East Antarctica and West Antarctica.
The mountain system contains many high peaks and glaciers. One of the notable peaks is Mount Kirkpatrick. These mountains also contain fossils, which provide evidence that Antarctica once had a much warmer climate millions of years ago.
Important Characteristics
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Length | About 3500 km |
| Function | Divides East and West Antarctica |
| Geological importance | Contains fossil evidence |
West Antarctic Region
West Antarctica lies on the western side of the Transantarctic Mountains and is generally lower in elevation than East Antarctica. Much of this region is covered by the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
This ice sheet is important for global climate studies because its melting could significantly raise global sea levels. The region also contains several large glaciers and ice streams.
West Antarctica is considered more geologically active compared to East Antarctica and contains some volcanic mountains, including Mount Erebus.
Coastal Regions and Ice Shelves
The coastal regions of Antarctica contain large floating platforms of ice known as ice shelves. These are formed when glaciers flowing from the interior reach the ocean and spread out over the water.
The largest of these is the Ross Ice Shelf, located in the Ross Sea. Another important ice shelf is the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf.
These ice shelves play a crucial role in stabilizing the Antarctic ice sheet and regulating sea level.
Major Ice Shelves
| Ice Shelf | Location | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Ross Ice Shelf | Ross Sea | Largest ice shelf |
| Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf | Weddell Sea | Second largest ice shelf |
Major Glaciers and Lakes
Antarctica contains thousands of glaciers and several subglacial lakes hidden beneath the ice sheet.
One of the most important lakes is Lake Vostok, which lies beneath more than 3 kilometers of ice. Scientists believe the lake has been isolated for millions of years and may contain unique microbial life.
Important Points for Competitive Exams
Antarctica is the fifth largest continent in the world.
It is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on Earth.
About 98% of the continent is covered by ice.
Antarctica contains about 70% of the world’s fresh water in frozen form.
The Transantarctic Mountains divide the continent into East and West Antarctica.
The Ross Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf in the world.
The Antarctic Plateau gives Antarctica the highest average elevation of all continents.
Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
UPSC
Which continent has the highest average elevation in the world?
Answer: Antarctica.
SSC
Which mountain range divides Antarctica into two parts?
Answer: Transantarctic Mountains.
RRB
Which is the largest ice shelf in Antarctica?
Answer: Ross Ice Shelf.
JKSSB
Which research station recorded the lowest temperature on Earth?
Answer: Vostok Station.