F A C T S & P H O T O S O F A N T A R C T I C A
Antarctica is the fifth largest continent and is mostly covered by ice which is over 1 mile thick. It is also the windiest and the coldest continent on earth. Powerful winds create clouds, fog and ground blizzards. This region supports a variety of wildlife including seals, whales, and penguins that have adapted to this sub-zero temperatures of -80 degrees below zero during the winter months of June and July. | 
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| Antarctica has no native people. The population living there are scientists and support staff working at the 40 permanent stations and 100 temporary stations located on the continent. McMurdo is the scientific settlement belonging to the United States. It is located on the Ross Ice Shelf. There are a few Chilean settler families living on King George Island located on the tip of the Antarctica Peninsula in the Weddel Sea. |
The Antarctic Treaty of 1961 provides for international control of the region. Many countries have set up and maintain programs for scientific research on the continent. Several countries support the proposal that Antarctica should become a worldwide park and sanctuary for the local wildlife including penguins, seals, and whales. | 
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