The Arctic and Antarctic - what is it, where is it located and how is it different, and in general are these two different places or two names for the same thing? Since school years, these questions have caused some uncertainty in many. Doubts are provoked by the similarity not only of names, but also of climatic conditions. Until once and for all to understand what is what, what are the similarities and differences between the Arctic and Antarctica. Let's start with what they have in common.

Names. In fact, this is not a similarity, but a contrast. "Arctic" is a word of Greek origin, and the root "arktos" means "bear". According to the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, they are guided in search of the Polar Star in the sky - the main northern landmark. The history of the name "Antarctica" is much less ancient (the name appeared only in the 20th century) and romantic. Antarctica is anti-Arctic, that is, in literal translation, the opposite of the Arctic. And the opposite of a bear! This is the easiest way to remember that a permanent resident of the Arctic expanses is not found in the antipode of the Arctic.

Climate. Indeed, the polar territories are distinguished by severe climatic conditions. These are icy deserts, eternal snows, icebergs. But even here the similarity is not as complete as we think. Warm currents reach far enough along the northern coast of Eurasia to make the Arctic climate milder, the temperature minimums are higher here, and the temperature difference is milder than in the Antarctic latitudes.

Probably, this is where the similarities end and the differences begin, the main of which is the geographical location at different poles of the globe. The North Pole and the adjacent water-ice expanses and islands up to the coast of the continents of Eurasia and North America are the "possessions" of the Arctic. The South Pole and the territories adjacent to it, limited by the Antarctic convergence - the meeting point of the cold Antarctic currents with the warmer waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic - Antarctica. This phenomenon is observed at 48-61 south parallel and is characterized by a sharp change in water temperature by several degrees. Thus, the area of ​​the southern antipode of the Arctic - Antarctica - is almost twice as large.

Another difference is the mainland territories. The Arctic and Antarctic can be considered antipodes here too. The center of the Arctic - the North Pole lies in the Arctic Ocean, and the continental Arctic territories are only small coastal parts of large formations of Eurasia and North America, "framing" the Arctic zone along the edges. The center of the Antarctic rests on land, its own Antarctic continent, and along the edges of the territory, on the contrary, they are limited only by the temperature change line in the expanses of the oceans.

Climatic differences are due not only to warm currents that freely penetrate into the Arctic territories and do not have a passage into the Antarctic waters. In many ways, the temperature regime is influenced by altitude. The difference between the Arctic is the absence of continental formations and ice rising above sea level by a maximum of several meters. The average height of the Antarctic continent is 2 thousand meters, of which about 1.8 thousand are ice fields. Due to this, the average temperatures here are lower, the difference is more than 10 degrees.

The fauna and flora of the polar territories are also strikingly different. And it's not even about polar bears, who prefer the Northern Polar Territories, and penguins, who have chosen to live in the vicinity of the Southern Continent. The differences are much more serious. Thus, the flora of Antarctica is limited by an extremely meager set of algae, lichens, mosses and literally two types of flowers - meadow grass and colobanthus.

The Arctic has a richer flora in this regard - hundreds of plant species, from the same algae, mosses and lichens to grasses, cereals, shrubs and even trees closer to the southern borders of the territories. The situation is similar with the animal world - on the Antarctic continent and in its environs, few animal species can live and breed. Marine animals and organisms predominate here (their greatest density tends to the boundaries of warm waters), birds. The Arctic island and mainland territories are concentrated mainly away from the pole and have a milder climate, so the land animal world is much more diverse here.

A significant difference is also the degree of development of territories and economic activity. The Arctic is being actively explored, fish and seafood are being fished here, exploration and development of minerals are being actively carried out. The Arctic territories were also used as test sites - for example, for testing nuclear weapons. The Antarctic territories are protected from human activities by international agreements (1959 Convention). Any economic activity, weapons testing is prohibited here, warships do not have the right to cross the 60th parallel. Only scientific activity is carried out in the Antarctic; about 45 scientific stations of different states are located here.

In the Vkontaktovskaya group NORDAVIA - Regional Airlines posted a message: Quote:

New flight: Murmansk - Arktika - Arkhangelsk. Currently, tour operators and government officials are actively discussing the development of Arctic tourism. In particular, a completely new route is being discussed - tourists arrive in Murmansk, from where they go to the expanses of the Russian Arctic, and end their journey in Arkhangelsk. We believe that this direction of tourism is very promising, and therefore we carried out a set of works to study the capabilities of the Boeing 737 aircraft in terms of landing on the Arctic ice. There is a successful experience in the world of such operation of aircraft of this type, on the basis of which we made a decision on the possibility of such flights. The north is perhaps the most underestimated region by tourists. It is full of majestic beauty, tranquility and grace. At the same time, its effective development has always been associated with aviation, and its modern development has made flights over the Arctic as comfortable and safe as in other parts of our planet. In the near future we will complete all agreements with tour operators, and the new product will be offered to potential consumers. Explore the beauty of the North with us!

Most people took it as an April Fool's joke. Yes, maybe the administrators of the group themselves created this message as a banter. Although, someone believed, deciding that flights were planned as far as the North Pole itself. But that's not the point. It turns out that people don't know that there really are flights to the Arctic? After all, what is included in the Arctic region of Russia: The Arctic zone of Russia is a part of the Arctic, which is under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. The composition of the Arctic zone of Russia includes such territories of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation as the Kola, Lovozersky, Pechenga regions, closed administrative-territorial formations Zaozersk, Ostrovnoy, Skalisty, Snezhnogorsk, cities. Polyarny and Severomorsk of the Murmansk region, Murmansk; Belomorsky district of the Republic of Karelia, Nenets Autonomous Okrug; Mezensky, Leshukonsky, Onega, Pinezhsky, Primorsky, Solovetsky districts, Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk region, Arkhangelsk; Vorkuta, Republic of Komi; Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug; Taimyr (Dolgano-Nenets) Autonomous Okrug; Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory; Allaikhovsky, Abysky, Bulunsky, Verkhnekolymsky, Nizhnekolymsky, Oleneksky, Ust-Yansky, Gorny uluses of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia); Chukotka Autonomous District; Olyutorsky district of the Koryak Autonomous Okrug. Okay, Vorkuta, Naryan-Mar ... But for example, to Amderma, Tiksi, Anadyr - passenger planes fly only this way, and this is the same as the Arctic, without any there. Do people not know about this? Or does the Arctic consider only the North Pole, but the FJL with Wrangel, Taimyr and Novaya Zemlya? Or maybe it is necessary to directly compose "tourist products" and announce "here is an opportunity for you to fly to the Arctic" so that people get it?



Probably, most people who have long graduated from school will not immediately be able to give an answer about the difference between the Arctic, Antarctica and Antarctica - where are they located, and how do they differ?

Many doubt the main account because of the similarity of names and almost identical climatic conditions.
We can only say with certainty that there is a lot of snow, ice and icebergs here and there.

What are the similarities between the Arctic, Antarctica and Antarctica

To better understand how they are similar and how they differ, it is worth starting with what these places have in common.

Name

To be more precise, this is not a similarity, but rather a contrast.
The word "Arctic" is of Greek origin. Arktos means bear. This is due to the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, by which people are guided in search of the North Star, that is, the main northern landmark.
The word "Antarctica" was coined quite recently, or rather in the twentieth century. The history of its origin is not so interesting. The fact is that "Antarctica" is a combination of the two words "anti" and "Arctic", that is, the opposite part of the Arctic, or the bear.

Climate

Eternal snow and icebergs are the result of harsh climate conditions. This is the second similarity of the above territories.
However, it is worth noting that the similarity is not entirely complete, since the climate of the Arctic is still milder due to warm currents that go quite far along the northern coast of the Eurasian continent. Here, the minimum temperature exceeds the Antarctic minimum temperature.

What is the difference between the Arctic, Antarctica and Antarctica

The northern polar region of our planet, which is adjacent to the North Pole.
The Arctic includes the outskirts of two continents - North America and Eurasia.
The Arctic includes almost the entire Arctic Ocean and many islands in it (except for the coastal islands of Norway).
The Arctic includes adjacent parts of two oceans - the Pacific and the Atlantic.
The average temperature in the Arctic is -34 C.
The Arctic, for the most part, can be considered a frozen ocean.

Antarctic

This is the southern polar region of our planet. As already mentioned, its name can be translated as "the opposite of the Arctic."
Antarctica includes the continent of Antarctica and adjacent parts of the three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian along with the islands.
Antarctica is the most severe climate zone on Earth. Both the mainland and nearby islands are covered with ice.
The average temperature in Antarctica is -49 C.

Antarctica

A continent located in the southernmost part of the globe.
Simply put:

Antarctica and Antarctica

1. Antarctica is a mainland. The area of ​​this continent is 14.1 million square meters. km., which puts it in 5th place in terms of area among all the mainland. He overtook only Australia in this parameter. Antarctica is a deserted continent discovered by the Lazarev-Bellingshausen expedition in 1820.

2. Antarctica is a territory that includes both the mainland Antarctica itself and all the islands adjacent to this mainland and the waters of the three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian. According to foreign scientists who call the Antarctic waters the Southern Ocean, the area of ​​Antarctica is about 86 million square kilometers. km.

3. The relief of the Antarctic is much more diverse than the relief of the mainland, which is included in it.

Animals of Antarctica and Antarctica

4. The fauna of Antarctica is richer than the fauna of Antarctica. It is home to more different species of animals, including many birds (petrels, albatrosses, skua gulls) and several species of penguins, including Adélie penguins and large emperor penguins.
It is also worth noting that whales, sperm whales, killer whales, and seals can be found in the coastal waters of Antarctica.

5. It is forbidden to hunt, fish and carry out any other economic activity in Antarctica.
Fish and a few marine mammals can be caught in Antarctic waters.

Arctic and Antarctic

1. The Arctic is the extreme north of the Earth.
Antarctica is the extreme south of the Earth.
These poles are washed by different oceans, and they also have different boundaries.

2. The average temperature of the Arctic is higher than the average temperature of the Antarctic.

3. The Arctic is made up of a frozen ocean. During the summer, most of this ocean thaws.
Antarctica is a continent, and its ice does not melt.

4. The area of ​​the Antarctic exceeds the area of ​​the Arctic by more than 2 times.

5. People live in the Arctic (more precisely, beyond the Arctic Circle). There are about 4 million of them.

And in Antarctica (beyond the Antarctic Circle) there is no permanent population. If only scientists working at temporary stations.

6. Part of the Arctic is divided between the "Arctic Five" - ​​Denmark, Canada, Norway, Russia and the United States.
The territory of Antarctica is not assigned to anyone.

Antarctica	Arctic
Antarctica is a continent (land) surrounded by an ocean	The Arctic is an ocean (ice) surrounded by continents (land)
Sea ice sheet of the Southern Ocean - 18.83 million square kilometers	Arctic ice cover - 14.52 million square kilometers
The area of ​​Antarctica within the specified limits, including the mainland Antarctica (14 million km²), is approximately 52.5 million km²	The area of ​​the Arctic is about 27 million km²
The length of the coastline is slightly more than 30 km	The length of the coastline of the Arctic Basin is 45,389 km
The ice was formed from precipitation many years ago and is practically not renewed.	In the Arctic, ice is formed from sea water and, unlike the Antarctic, is renewed throughout the year.

Even though they are both located at the "ends of the earth", the Arctic and Antarctic poles differ in many ways. The Arctic, also known as the North Pole, is a vast, ice-covered ocean surrounded by land. The ice here is massive, its thickness varies from a few centimeters to more than two meters, under the ice massifs of water are hidden up to one and a half kilometers deep and with a temperature just above the freezing point. The ice surface of the Arctic Ocean is quite thin and can be easily overcome by icebreakers, especially in summer when the ice area is minimal. Since glaciers are constantly on the move, there is no actual marking of 90 degrees north latitude.

In contrast to the Arctic, the Antarctic is a land surrounded by an ocean. The height of the glaciers here reaches 4700 meters in thickness, and they cover 98-99% of the land of the entire Antarctic continent. Almost 85% of the entire ice cover of the earth is concentrated here. Unlike the North

The South Pole has a special mark - a copper pole with an engraved tablet.
Since the Arctic and Antarctic are separated by a huge belt of warm waters, there is a big difference between them in the world of flora and fauna, and all because they developed independently of each other. For example, polar bears are found only in the Arctic, and penguins only in the Antarctic. There are many species of land mammals in the north because these animals have been able to migrate across the long stretches of land surrounding the Arctic. Thanks to relatively warm summers, animals here have a chance to survive. Some of the forty species of Arctic land mammals migrate south, where winters are much colder. On the other hand, Antarctica is separated from neighboring landmasses by the Southern Ocean. The largest of the local living creatures is the midge, whose length is 1 mm. The Southern Ocean is extremely fertile, and is an important habitat for sea birds and mammals.

Sea ice can take many forms, as seen in this Arctic aerial photograph. Sea ice of various thicknesses is shown here. From thin, almost transparent layers to old, thick ice covered with snow

The words Antarctica, Arctic and Antarctica are very similar, but for a person who is poorly versed in geography, they may seem one and the same. However, these areas are located in completely different parts of the world. So what is the difference between the Arctic Antarctic and Antarctica?

Arctic and Antarctica

It would seem that what can distinguish the Arctic and Antarctica? Both of these territories have a fairly severe climate, are always or almost always covered with ice and snow, and have poorly expressed flora and fauna. In fact, the Arctic and Antarctica are at different ends of the world. If you look at these territories on a map or on a globe, then the Arctic will be at the top (in the north), and Antarctica at the bottom (in the south).

Antarctica is a continent, while the Arctic is a geographical area, most of which is located at the North Pole.

Rice. 1. Arctic and Antarctica on the map.

The Arctic covers the extreme parts of North America and Eurasia. The territory of the Arctic includes the island of Greenland and many archipelagos that are located in the Arctic Ocean, for example, Severnaya Zemlya or Franz Josef Land.

Rice. 2. Franz Josef Land.

Translated from the ancient Greek language, the word "Arctic" is translated as "bear". In Greek, it sounds like "arktos".

Antarctica is a continent with an area of ​​14.1 million sq. km. It is on this continent that the lowest temperature on earth is recorded - 89.2 degrees. The average temperature in summer is -35 degrees, and in winter - -65 degrees.

One of the main differences between Antarctica and the Arctic is that Antarctica is completely unsuitable for human habitation. This territory does not belong to any state. The population is from 1500 to 4000 people, but these are not permanent residents, but scientists and researchers who live on the mainland for no more than a year and a half. About 4 million people live in the Arctic, with 2.3 million people living in the Arctic part of Russia.

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Differences between Antarctica and Antarctica

The word "Antarctica" appeared only in the last century. It means "opposite to the Arctic". Indeed, the Arctic and Antarctic are located at different poles of the Earth - North and South.

What about Antarctica and Antarctica? Is it one and the same? So how are Antarctica and the Arctic different?

Antarctica, as mentioned above, is only the mainland. Antarctica, on the other hand, is a territory that, in addition to Antarctica, includes the waters of three oceans (Indian, Pacific, Atlantic), limited by the course of the westerly winds, as well as various islands that are located in the waters of these oceans. The center of Antarctica is the South Pole.

Antarctica is the heart of Antarctica. Because of the glaciers that cover the continent, it is the highest continent in existence. The average height of the glaciers is 2040 meters.

Rice. 3. Glaciers of Antarctica.

The cold pole of our planet is located just in Antarctica. At the Vostok polar station 35 years ago, in 1983, a record low temperature of 89.2 degrees was recorded.

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